My Teacher Intro

I have been teaching throughout my career and have spent some time specialising in breaking down complex skills and patterns for anyone to learn, whether it be balancing, learning to juggle or playing historic games! I love sharing my passions and infuse every lesson with a sense of fun, building skills up from the basics and going at your pace.

I teach all ground based circus skills like club balancing, juggling, staff spinning and poi - and... I am also a specialist in ancient historic games such as hnefetafl (Viking chess) and 9 mens morris!

Qualifications & Experience

Approx 20 years ago was the start of my career as a circus workshop leader and entertainer. I have since built a full time business to be able to provide complete educational and sometimes historical family areas under the Fiery Jack umbrella.

More recently I have had a permanent space providing ground based circus skills to the home education scene in Cardiff. I am also a father of three girls, (8, 10 and 11 years old) who love their circus skills and whom I coach advanced juggling. My 8 and 10 year old are flashing 6 balls and my 11 year old confidently juggles 7 and is flashing 8 and 9 balls. Since the UK went into lockdown I have transferred as much of my business online as possible, taking classes with adults and children, 5 days a week - successfully coaching classes fluctuating between 6 and 15 students. I run a Fiery Jack Awards scheme for ground based circus skills (diabolo, juggling, devil-sticks, hula-hoop, unicycle riding etc). I am also the distributor (for Europe and the UK) of the International Juggling Association (I.J.A.) awards (based in America) This is an awards scheme accessible to jugglers all over the world. I have taught every age range and ability - including very high standards of juggling.

The subjects I teach are: all ground based circus skills specialising in juggling and object manipulation. I am also the curator of a travelling historical board game museum, specialising in ancient games from the past 4000 years, and would teach classes on strategy, game play and comparing ancient and modern games. This is a unique genre which I have taught at public events throughout the UK for many years.

I started out as a professional chef with a view to owning my own business, when I was sidetracked by the Circus and made a conscious decision in my mid-20's to follow my dreams and make it my career choice. I have been on many courses for performance and movement. I have also attended courses on teaching SEND. And still 20 years later I regularly workshop ideas with other instructors, keeping me in the loop of any changes within the Circus and Juggling Community. I regularly attend conventions, and have played a part in organising, performing in and creating European Juggling Conventions.