Aerial Arts, Flying Trapeze & Gymnastics
Introduction
BISP has world-class aerial arts, flying trapeze and gymnastics academies, facilities and coaches right on the school grounds. These academies have been developed and are run by the coaches at Mid-Air Circus Arts Co., Ltd (MACA). MACA provides comprehensive and well-rounded programs for students of all levels and ages from pre-school to year 13. Lessons are conducted in a fun, nurturing and safe environment.
No other school in the world offers a comparable level of aerial arts and flying trapeze opportunities on-campus. The academies also offer hybrid programs during school holiday breaks so that students can cross-train in these three different disciplines.
The students of the Aerial Performance Academy (APA) and Flying Trapeze Academy have the unique opportunity to train and perform at school in this non-conventional sporting and artistic activity. The APA students also have the chance to compete in the Mid-Air Circus Arts Junior Aerial Championships each year.
All three programs give students the abilities of body and mind including strength, flexibility, coordination, rhythm, aerial orientation, determination, motivation, pride, confidence, courage, collaboration, expression, and focus. These abilities provide their own intrinsic benefits as well as being transferrable to many other sports and to academic performance.
World-class Coaches
Experienced coaches who are also professional performers provide all aerial arts, gymnastics and flying trapeze training at BISP. High-quality instruction means that students train correctly and safely leading to rapid progression and a high level of development at BISP.
The fact that coaches are also performers means that their skill and artistry is a source of motivation and inspiration for students.
Aerial Arts and Flying Trapeze Facilities
The aerial arts training space at BISP accommodates 6-8 metres of height for suspending silks, hoops and other aerial apparatus, a feature unmatched by most other aerial arts studios, let alone school facilities. The rigging height enables the training of a full range of aerial apparatus as well as all advanced compound movement combinations.
Students also have access to mobile rigs, giving them opportunities to showcase their skills in performances and demonstrations both at school events and at external functions. The quality and range of facilities also attract top-tier coaches.
Mid-Air Circus Arts Co., Ltd. website: www.midaircircus.com
Equipment
Nestled next to the main teaching building at BISP is a full-sized professional flying trapeze rig – the same size and standard used by Cirque Du Soleil.
Nowhere else in the world can a student step out of class and, minutes later, be swinging from a full-sized trapeze under the safe instruction of skilled coaches. BISP students can perform the flying trapeze in events and activities held right on the school grounds.
Safety and standards
All aerial arts activities at BISP adhere to the highest international safety standards in equipment, rigging and teaching. Mid-Air Circus, a professional manufacturer and exporter of high-level Aerial Arts equipment, provides equipment used at the school. Coaches put safety first, always.
When students have access to the best quality equipment and competent coaches, they train and perform under the highest safety standards, significantly reducing the risk of injury or accident.
Performance Opportunities
MACA holds frequent student demonstrations of aerial arts and the flying trapeze.
BISP hosts the annual Mid-Air Circus Arts Junior Aerial Championships, in collaboration with MACA, with students from around Phuket, with plans for expansion to other parts of Thailand and neighbouring countries.
Aerial arts are incorporated into musical performances and sporting events such as musical theatre, soccer 7s, sports awards, music festivals, the Christmas fair, and sports days.
The many opportunities for students to gain experience in public performances allow students to showcase their talents, grow in confidence and be inspired by other artists.
View our second Aerial arts student performance: ‘The Greatest Snowman’
Professional Coaches
In MACA, we have a fun and friendly team of instructors, passionate about what we do and enthusiastic to share their knowledge with all students. Our instructors possess unique and varied circus skills enabling us to provide specialised training to all our students. We believe in getting fit and strong, the fun way!
Aerial Arts and Flying Trapeze Academy Manager, Senior Aerial and Flying Trapeze Instructor, Choreographer
Samantha Lambert (Sam)
Director, Senior Aerial/Trapeze Instructor, Expert Rigger, Events Manager
Adam Lambert
With over 19 years in the industry, as a professional flying trapeze artist, an accomplished aerial performer and teacher, Adam has worked and performed all over the world.
In 2011, he and Ben sat down and planned out fulfilling their dream of opening their very own Aerial Arts company. Thus MACA was born in Phuket, Thailand.
Adam now spends most of his time, designing and making specialised circus equipment and flying trapeze rigs while still finding occasional time to get up and fly!
Aerial Arts and Flying Trapeze Academy Manager, Senior Aerial and Flying Trapeze Instructor, Choreographer
Samantha Lambert (Sam)
Samantha’s love for the stage began at the age of 6 and she has been performing and competing ever since. Born in Australia and raised in Singapore, Sam started out as a dancer and performed worldwide before she fell in love with artistic pole. She taught in Singapore at Bobbi’s Pole for 4 years before she moved to China, venturing into the world of circus.
Now, she is a dancer, aerialist and most importantly she enjoys choreographing and combining all the various forms of art that she has dabbled in. For the past 5 years, Sam has settled in Phuket and has been the senior aerial instructor at Mid-Air Circus Arts, managing both the aerial arts and flying trapeze academies.
Flying Trapeze & Aerial Instructor
Kessuree Srisroy (Kess)
Kessuree (Kess) started training in Thai Folk Dance at the tender age of three. She performed with various schools and competed in regional competitions throughout Thailand.
She began training in Pole Fitness, became a fitness instructor as well as competed in various pole competitions, such as SA National Pole Sports Competition (NPSC), Miss Pole Dance SA and Pole Theatre SA to name a few.
In 2014, Kess joined the Art of Synergy Circus School in South Africa, where she honed her skills in aerial performing and instructing and has since become a full-time professional circus performer.
Kess joined the Mid-Air Circus Arts family in 2018 and has since widened her aerial repertoire and continues to grow as a performer and instructor.
Director, Operations Manager, Sales & Marketing, CFO
Ben Martin
Ben’s love affair with Flying Trapeze & the Aerial Arts came when he started working as an instructor in Bali Indonesia in 2003. Since then he worked around the world with various resort rigs, before finally being promoted to managing the resorts themselves. After leaving the resort life in 2010 he worked together with Adam to fulfil their dream of having their own Trapeze & Aerial Arts Company.
In 2011 MACA was born. Ben now spends most of his time working on the development of the MACA brand and it’s partnerships around Asia, while also occasionally finding the time to get down for some teaching or catching himself.
Gymnastics
The Phuket Gymnastics Club provides BISP students with the opportunity to achieve and shine, building up their self-confidence while learning new skills from qualified coaches. The club offers a comprehensive and well-organised gymnastics training sports program for children of all levels and ages from 3 years old.
Phuket Gymnastics Club provides both Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) equipment for girls including Uneven Bars and Beam and Men’s Artistic Gymnastics equipment (MAG) for boys including Rings and a Mushroom Trainer.
BISP students are also given the opportunity to compete in gymnastics competitions, like the Moose games and Bambi games.