Will began his involvement with circus as a 22 year old unemployed economics graduate in Manchester. After a crash course in juggling and unicycling, Will co-founded the Manchester Community Circus before setting out on a busking tour of England. Over the next 12 years, Will performed as a member of three clown companies, worked for a touring circus, founded the Norwich Community Circus, ran the 1995 British Juggling Cinvention and moved to Switzerland. The following year, Will moved to Belfast to take on the role of Director of the Belfast Community Circus School. Since then, he has helped build the organisation into one of the most important arts organisations in Northern Ireland. In addition to his circus work, Will has found time to serve as the Chair of the Community Arts Forum and a member of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Currently, Will is the Chair of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, a trustee of the Black Box venue and a member of the Cathedral Quarter Steering Group. Will has two daughters who are now members of the Youth Circus.

Ionut was born in 1968 in Bucharest, Romania. He obtained a degree at the Polytechnical Institute of Bucharest and, in 1991, he moved to Belgium. He obtained the university degree in Social Sciences (Sociology) and worked for a Refugee Centre in Wezembeek-Oppem (Belgium). Back in Romania, he worked for a brief period at Save the Children Romania as Marketing Director. Since 2008, he is the Executive Director of PARADA’s Foundation. Within PARADA, he militates for the rights of abandoned, abused, institutionalized and homeless children and youngsters, as well as for the development and the recognition of the social art as an ideal tool of integration and valorisation of these children.

Born in Greece, Elefterios KECHAGIOGLOU moved to France after graduating from secondary school. He studied Political Science and Contemporary History and collaborated with UNESCO. From there, unexpectedly, he started a career in circus, theatre and writing, working as an artist, trainer and stage director. He also worked with several theatres, circus schools and companies. After following a vocational education programme on Business Administration for Culture, he developed different projects focusing on the social impact of circus, theatre and writing. He is now the director of “Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde” (PPCM), a project combining youth and social circus, vocational training, international exchanges and partnerships with artists. PPCM is located in Bagneux, a town of the southern suburbs of Paris, with large disadvantaged areas.

Taina Kopra is one of the founders of Sorin Sirkus. She first trained as a clown and an actor at the Commedia School in Copenhagen, then developed her technique in acrobatics and gymnastics. She later became a circus teacher and has been teaching for more than 20 years. Taina is the director of Sorin Sirkus. She is also in charge of the pedagogical coordination and programme of the school. Moreover, she trains the several performing groups of the school and is the director of many circus events and shows.

Aad Kuin was born on 16 February 1960 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Ne now lives in Amsterdam. Aad holds a degree in social studies, and worked for years in the social field. He first started with projects in the centre of Amsterdam (1982-84), went on working with inhabitants of caravans (1984-90), and finally with asylum seekers (1990-2002). He has been the Director of Elleboog Circus since 2002.

Juan is a social activist and a circus teacher, giving classes to children and teenagers, and specialising in social circus. In the 70's, he was one of the leaders of the movement squatting the old factory that would later become the Ateneu Popular 9 Barris. He also founded the circus company "Desastrosus Circus". For years, he worked for the development of Ateneu's cultural project, notably as a member of its board of administration. Today, on top of his tasks as a teacher, he works as a consulting expert in social circus for the "Catalonian association of circus professionals".

Vincent was born on 29 january 1956 in Albertville (Belgian Congo). He is happily married and the proud father of three children. After graduating in 1979 from the Université Catholique de Louvain as a master in physical education, Vincent went on studying at the Ecole de Cirque Fratellini, Paris (1980). Artistic work Vincent has an extensive artistic background. He first worked as a juggling artist around Europe with the Cirque du Trottoir, and independently as a street performer (1979 – 1985). In 1984, he participated in the first tour of the Cirque du Soleil in Quebec. He then came back to Belgium and joined the Théâtre du Bilboquet, specialized in circus theatre, with which he performed as a juggler and actor (1985-1995). He also trained mini-pigs for street performances (1988-1997). In 1993, Vincent co-founded the production agency Blue Lemon / Arts du Cirque, of which he is still the artistic director today. Vincent is the founding director of the Ecole de Cirque de Bruxelles. He still holds this position today. In 2010, he established in cooperation with Denis Josselin, French tightrope walker, the "Funambule European Centre" in Brussels. A new passion...

Dennis is the President of Zaltimbanq' (school and association). He is also a “pedagogue” (educationalist) specialised in circus (“Formation pédagogique” at the Ecole de Cirque de Bruxelles) and a clown (Nederlandse Clownsschool in Amsterdam). A true “Luxembourger”, Dennis speaks no less than five languages…