Chimaera - Performers

Tim Chown

One of Chimaera's founder members, Tim is a well known and respected member of the European firespinning community. Specialising in contact staff, tim is reknowned for both performing and teaching contact staff and double staff around the UK and Europe. With a background in martial arts, having competed in the 2005 British Karate Championships Tim is one of Chimaera's most durable performers, using staff, poi, contact juggling, club juggling, stitlwalking alongside his signature act - spinning a gigantic 12 foot long flaming staff while on stilts.

Bryn Davies

Bryn has a varied background from walkabout stilts and mime acts to a technical job with Cirque Du Soleil. He studied intensively for a year at Desmond Jones School of Mime and Physical Theatre and has been a fire performer for many years. Bryn is the founder of Lucifer's Lounge, booked by Sunrise festival two years running to organise fire shows. With Chimaera, he merges the boundaries between fireshows and physical theatre, adding to their extensive repertoire.

Emily Ball

A new Chimaera member for 2007, Emily is a talented and experienced circus and fire performer having graduated from Circomedia in 2006 returning to train as a qualified circus instructor in 2007. Emily has been a huge asset to Chimaera as both a performer and seamstress, having created numerous costumes for the secret garden show. Emily performs with staff, club juggling, poi, firehands and acrobalance

Sy Taffel

Another of Chimaera's founding members, Sy is known as a performer, digital media artist and visiting lecturer in media production and theory at Bristol University. With a background directing, performing, and theorising around avant-garde and ecological performance/media, Sy brings a unique artistic perspective to Chimaera. Sy performs with poi, double staff, fire fans, clubswinging and acrobalance.

Alice Brett

Alice is another well known and highly regarded member of the UK fire dancing community having previously been based in London and Sheffield. Gliding effortlessly with poi, staff, fire fans and clubswinging Alice lights up the stage in more ways than one.

Helen Miller

Formerly a member of London based fire troup Carpe Ignem, Helen is an experienced and hugely talented performer. A serene presence onstage, Helen performs with poi, fire fans, and clubswinging.

Laura Egginton

Legendary for her smooth flowing style incoporating technical tomfoolery and elements of capoeira and contemporary dance Laura is another of Chimaera's founding members. Laura has worked as a fire performer across Europe with Austrian troupe IN FIRE and UK group Jam. Laura performs with poi, staff, fire fans, firehands, club juggling, club swinging and hula-hoop.

Steve Brown

Steve is an alumni, and current instructor at Circomedia, and a well known juggler and performer on the European performance circuit. With a staggering stage presence and a reputation for innovative and humerous routines, Steve has choreographed and overseen the juggling moles and acrobalance routines featured in The Secret Garden. Also known a showstopping routine which involves balancing a flaming bicycle on his chin while spinning four poi, Steve performs acrobalance, clubjuggling, clubswinging, stiltwalking and more.

Garth Bushell

Reknowned throughout the European and UK firespinning scene as a technical poi innovator and highly versatille and talented performer, having performed at the European Juggling Convention 2006 fireshow., Garth is a new addition to Chimaera for 2007 who will no doubt enhance Chimaera's reputation for technical excellence and innovation.

Oli Sargent

Known around the world for his innovative and unique style of ultra-technical poi spinning and instruction, Oli has been wowing crowds performing with Chimaera since early 2006. In addition to poi and spinning fire ropes, Oli performs with single and double staff.

Gayle Powell

An experienced contemporary dance choreographer, teacher and performer Gayle has brought a range of new skills to Chimaera's repetoire as evidenced in the wonderfully choreographed fire fans routine in The Secret Garden. Gayle performs with poi, clubswinging and fire fans

Merlyn Major

Another new member of Chimaera, Merlyn is an experienced and versetile performer. Utilising a broad skillset which includes staff, double staff, stiltwalking, clubswining, firewhip and fire eating, Merlyn has instantly become a huge asset to Chimaera.

Sandy McClure

An internationally acclaimed contact staff specialist and founder of the Inspinerate staff community and tutorials site, Sandy has rapidly become an integral member of Chimaera. Sandy has a long history of teaching and performing at festivals and juggling conventions. Sandy performs with staff, double staff and poi.

Conor O'Brien

Chimaera's stage manager for large shows, Conor is an organised and a efficient coordinator and while a less visible member of the team, is invaluable to the smooth running of The Secret Garden show.Conor also performs at smaller shows with staff, double staff and club juggling

Bel Davies

Another dedicated member of the Chimaera backstage crew, Bel's backstage and technical experience spans fire shows, live music, theatre and cabaret. A volunteer at the Cube Microplex Bristol and founding member of the Cube Orchestra, Bel is an experienced sound engineer, music teacher and multi-instrumentalist.

Liz Stones

For larger performances in 2007, Chimaera are pleased to announce the addition of Liz as a dedicated make up artist. Liz produces intricate yet striking artwork which transforms Chimaera's performers into the extraordinary array of creatures which lurk within the secret garden.

Tom Bryan

A talented musician and music engineer, Tom composes the original soundtracks which have accompanied Chimaera's large performances since 2005.

Neal Curr

One of Chimaera's specialist fire safety officers Neal is another valued and hardworking memeber of the Chimaera crew.

Chanti Humphrey

The beautiful, the bendy, the bouncy and the downright mischievous Chanti has been with the Chimaera crew since summer 2007. We are truly lucky to add Chanti's astounding hula-hooping and acrobatic skills to our repertoire and her incredible energy and humour brings a new inspiration to our training and performances. Chanti gained much performance and choreographic experience with another top UK troupe, Burnt Toast, and has extensive training in gymnastics.

In addition to our core performers, Chimaera collaborates with a talented group of performers from around the UK to produce shows which have featured up to twenty performers for a stunning aesthetic display of entrancing fire performance.