2026 Trainers
Shani Elise
partner/group acro
Having loved movement and sport for as long as she can remember — growing up, Shani spent hours playing in the backyard with her brothers, jumping on the trampoline and exploring what her body could do.
That love of movement led Shani into gymnastics and eventually to the Flying Fruit Fly Circus. This was the beginning of her professional Acrobatic development.
She’s since performed with some of Australia’s most respected circus companies, including Circus Oz, Circa, and her current company, Gravity & Other Myths. Shani also co-founded Perform Athlete, where she creates strength programs specifically for acrobats.
Helping performers build strength, stay injury-free, and reach their full potential is just as exciting to her as performing on stage! Shani brings years of knowledge and an acrobatic vocabulary to this convention that you don’t want to miss out on.
Chris Carlos
Partner/group acro
Chris Carlos is an acrobat, performer, coach and event manager with 20 years in the performing arts industry.Continuing on from his professional fire spinning career, Chris entered the world of acrobatics and has toured the world performing with multiple award winning shows with companies such as GOM and Circus Tricktease.
.
After retiring from performing 2 years ago, Chris is focusing more on coaching and helping grow the Australian acro community. His coaching technique and in-depth knowledge provides students with opportunities to upskill and grow in their acrobat journey.
Em Gare
partner/Group acro
Originally from New Zealand, Em has been adopted as an Australian acrobat since moving to Melbourne in 2015 to attend The National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA).
Since starting her career she has worked for a variety of companies and is currently an acrobat for Gravity & Other Myths. During this time Em continued to teach alongside performing, focusing on fostering a love of movement and longevity within her students' training practices.
Ash Youren
partner/group acro
Ash began circus at the age of 11 in Brisbane with Flipside Youth Circus, going on to graduate from the National Circus School of Montreal (ENC) in 2021, specialising in Hand to Hand and Russian Bar.
Since then Ash has had the pleasure of performing for a number of companies including Circa Contemporary Circus, The 7 Fingers, Cirque du Soleil, and currently, Gravity and Other Myths.
Ash is excited to share his technical knowledge gained from his years performing, alongside his own personal love of training and striving for constant improvement.
Ellie Grow
partner acro
From a background of sports acrobatics, youth circus, and training in China, Ellie has forged a career as a delicate and technical hand balancer, flyer, and ensemble member.
Alongside her performing, Ellie has developed a teaching practice that combines technique refinement with a focus on individual physicality and creative exploration.
She is especially passionate about outreach and inclusion, and loves finding ways to help people connect with and understand their bodies and skills.