Otgo Waller is a professional contortionist as well as the creator and owner of Flexible Body Art LLC technique and school. Otgo grew up in the shadow of the holy mountain Bogd Uul near the Mongolian capital city of Ulaanbaatar. When Otgo was 7 years old she dreamed of becoming a contortionist, and by 13 years old Otgo was one of the best contortionists in the world. In 1980, Otgo graduated from the Mongolian State Circus, specializing in Contortion Art. She also appeared on Mongolia’s postage stamp as one of the most prestigious contortionists in Mongolia. In 1991, the Ringling Brothers & Barnum Bailey circus discovered Otgo and she immigrated to America. After arriving in America, Otgo’s career exploded.

Otgo was featured on the NBC, Discovery Channel, SyFy Network, PAX Network, MTV, “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Donny and Marie Show,” “ Ripley’s Believe it or Not,” and E Network’s “Talk Soup.” She has also been a featured performer with Cirque du Soliel’s “O” Show, the NBA halftime shows, NHL halftime shows, NCAA halftime shows, and Britney Spears “MTV Video Music Awards.”

Otgo Waller’s choreographic works have been featured at the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening and Closing ceremonies, The International Contortion Convention, and the San Diego Circus.
After performing for many years, Otgo began to teach the art of contortion and flexibility. Otgo created her own training technique to help every individual become more flexible. Otgo has trained people of all ages and levels. Her most notable clients include Olympic athletes, top professional contortionist and circus artists, international high fashion models, competitive body builders, and national level ice skaters.

My country is well known for its contortionists. In Mongolia, contortion is a traditional art form that has been passed on for generations. This is why we have the best training programs for contortion. I started to study contortion in Mongolia at eight years old. I’ve spent 30 years performing and perfecting my art. Over the past 10 years I have been teaching people, of all ages, how they can increase their flexibility. I’ve learned it’s necessary to treat each students body individually because their needs are all so different. This is why I have created my own unique program to help every individual become more flexible and reach their potential as a contortionist. We are all unique, different ages, and different pasts. However, if we do the right exercises we can all can learn the art of contortion. It is amazing how the human body can transform.

1. Rimma, could you please tell me about yourself?

How was your story of becoming a contortion artist?  What was your biggest challenge and how you overcame it?

It started from the very childhood, because I always was a very active child. And my parents could see my energy and I spent it on many things, I always felt passion for arts. I loved to do everything with arts, dancing, some acrobatic things. So I had so much energy and that brought me to the circus school.

I started going to the circus school in our city. Besides this I also did some other things, I played violin and piano. So I also liked music, because my parents are musicians. And I did everything that has to do with arts.
When I was to decide what I want to do for my life like a job, I was thinking that it will be nice to unite all this things into one – like acrobatic things, with energy and passion for music, and make more art. That is how I went to the Circus Academy and I wanted to do something beautiful not only with power and create something nice on stage.

2. How was your creative process of developing your own style as an artist?

For the moment and for future I never belong to that kind of people who have only one style, because I always love to change, to create, to work with creative people and for me it’s more interesting to work with creative things and do something new, change music, change style, change numbers, because I think it´s a little bit boring to do the same sequence. I have my handstands too and the main things that I have to know about handstands. But I love to try something new and to work with different directions. I´m open to the creative things.
So I don´t have any specific style. I do everything what people want, because we have so many different shows and people who want us to present at the show, they have special ideas and directions for the show. And we must belong to this show and we can’t do only our own thing, we must do it together with the show. They want a new music very often and I’m open to this. So I like to do something new to.

3. How does your usual day look like?  How long and how often do you train and stretch?

How much time do you do strength and balance training and how much stretching? How long do you warm-up and stretch before the performance?

Usually every day I do at least a few hours of handstand for myself. But it also depends on which period of the year it is. Because in summer one hour is enough to keep my body in a very good shape. So for summer it’s at least one hour a day. But for winter it´s a few hours a day that I would train. And before performances I need around 2 hours warm-up because one hour is for stretching and one hour to prepare my body.

We work every day, one or two or sometimes more shows. Sometimes it´s hard when it´s very cold. It´s hard to start and to bring our body to that condition, but we are professional. So we do it and train anyway.

4. Do you have some special eating habits? Are you vegetarian or vegan?

Actually I’m not vegetarian, but I try to eat less meat and not so often, because it´s very heavy for me before the shows. But I eat everything that I need and everything that I feel that my body needs. But my main food is more healthy food. I try to drink much water and eat healthy, but if I feel that I want something bad, I will eat it anyway, but much more less than usual normal food. So I can´t live without coffee and chocolate. But it’s not a special diet, I just eat what my body wants.

5. How do you prepare for the show?

The whole preparation with style, hair, warm-up takes around 3-4 hours before the show. 2 Hours are warm-up and 1 -1:30 hours is hair and makeup. And after the performance I also finish with my body and do some exercises for relaxing, I bring my muscles to good state. And I never go immediately home after the performance. So at least for half an hour I finish with my body. We do many strong and flexible moves and after that I have to do stretching for relaxation. Because I won´t feel comfortable the next few hours or even days if I don´t finish with my body how I usually do it.

6. So you usually don’t have to choose the music. When you can choose your music how is your process of choice?

It´s also depends on which kind of project it is. Because if I want to make my arms number, with my music if I choose a person who will make me a number, we make it together. But now people mostly invite me to work at the projects that they already made. And they have their own music.
Like now we are working with the live music and the live band at the Variety Wintergarten. We have a direction. It´s Schlager show and they put together the most popular songs for this show. All the artists perform on stage with the live band and with the live music to these popular songs. Nobody work with their own music.
So now usually and in the shows we work like this. We do our things with music under different directions. But for some gala we can present our own numbers and with music that we like and it’s our choice with which person we work to make the number. If we want something special we can show it at some festivals or gala.

7. You traveled a lot and worked on the ship. How was that time?

I was travelling a lot because I worked with contracts with cruises companies. I started to work with Aida Company. It´s cruises company. I traveled a lot in Europe and Island. It was the best ever experience for me and for my job.

Yes we lived on the ship all the time and performed. Sometimes is was not very safe, because the ship was moving and for the hand-balancer it´s not the easiest place to perform. But so many artists work there. It was a nice time and a very big experience in my life. I was working with so many creative people and I´m connected with these people till now and some of them are also from Germany. It was a big experience.

At the ship we have few shows for the week, because they have shows for every day and it´s more dancers and singers shows. They had only 2 shows with artists One show was a variety with 3 artists – only circus show. And the second show is the main show for the whole cruise in which all the artists, singers and dancers take part. So we work a few times with this variety show and a few times a week with this main show.

8. You travel a lot performing. Could you please share some funny episode  during your performances?

I don’t think that I had something very special and very funny. I can say that working in every show, in each new artistic group is a lot of fun, because everybody is very different and artful. We always have fun with each other at the backstage.

9. How do you create your contortion transitions? Could you give some tips for interesting transitions?

Of course it’s always good if your body has more possibilities, if you are more flexible, it´s easier to do it. But anyway it’s always hard work. You have to concentrate, you shouldn´t do a lot, but rather be very clear every step. Because contortion and hand balance is always concentration and it´s not more power, it´s more right direction of your soles.
I think everybody can get results. I had experience and I saw how some guys who came to our Circus Academy to train with our teachers got good results for such a short time. They didn’t do so much, but in some years I saw them in Facebook on pictures and they did so many strong things from hand balance, that not so many of our guys from our circus school group did.
I think if you want and if you feel that you want to learn it, you will do it anyway.
You just need to try and see what you really want to do. Only passion for your job will bring you to good results. If you do it without any wish, you will not get it good enough.

10. What precaution tips can you give for contortion students or aerialists who are interested in contortion?

Did you ever have injury and how have you cured it?

I had accident once in my life. It was one of two years ago, I broke my finger on my arm. Of course I was nervous if I could do my job and it was the moment when I was thinking that it’s very important for me to save my body and be very careful with my body, because it´s my job.

It was only once time in my life. And even having broken my finger, I trained and did everything I could do with my body: some exercises for legs, for stomach, for everything. In one and a half months I could continue my work.

I just wish everybody to be very careful with their body who is doing this kind of job.

Do you also use back warmers?

You mean some special things for back. No, I never use them. I never used it, so for the moment also not.

11. What are the best exercises to get strong hands for handstands and for aerialists?

I think that the most important thing is f you want to do handstands, you should start and do handstands. You do handstand on 2 hands, never forget to breath. Breathing is very important. Because otherwise it´s not very healthy and it´s a wrong way to do it.

So breathing is important and you should keep your belly inside. You should hold your belly and do handstand. You can stay close to the wall, but try to keep your points up as high as possible.
It´s a little bit difficult to explain in English, because I don´t teach people in English and it´s a kind or private lessons, and it´s better to show and do it with people in person.

For aerialists it´s very good to do the climbing with silks. You can do it just in an usual way or even better you can held your legs open and go up and down using just the hands. It´s one of the best exercises because you work your arms,, you belly and everything.

12. How does circus scene differ in countries where you performed?

During trips on the ship we were working only with our circus group and it was only a few circus people on the ship. We could travel, as our passengers and go outside. We went out only for one day. So it wasn’t really a big possibility to watch another show and be far from the ship. Sometimes we met our people from the Ukraine who were working on different ships as the ships stood in the same play and we could met each other sometimes. It was fun and some of the best performances. We could meet our people in Paris, England or somewhere, because when 2 ships come together in one port we just went out and could see our friends from the circus school. And it was a very big surprise. And it happened so many times.

13. What is the most important in an artist and in a performance in your opinion?

The most important is just feel and love what you do, because if you love what you do on stage, people will love it too. If you do it without any passion, it doesn’t matter which kind of tricks you show, however strong or flexible, people will be bored if you won´t show your the whole beautiful performance. That´s why you should control every step, make beautiful every step. And also sometimes we are tired because we have work every day, several shows and also if we make mistakes, we must try to make every step beautiful. And they even can´t see these mistakes if you try your best. So the most important – do it with a passion.

14. Where one can book you for a show?

You can find me everywhere: on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Google +.

Fotos: Liudmyla Bugrym

Jasmine Straga (Formally Jasmine George) was trained in both artistic and rhythmic gymnastics at high level for 14 years, she then went into performing as a contortionist, aerialist in some of the worlds leading circuses.

Jasmine has trained over 200 contortionists globally and her two most well known  students are international contortionists Jordan McKnight (USA), Rich Metiku (Ethiopia) and her two juniors; Alissa Eckersley and Jessica Peters (Australia).

Jasmine ran Gala Entertainment agency for over ten years and currently runs a circus act creative and professional direction production company by the name of J S Creations and teaches on the side.

1. What is the difference between the normal handstand and contortion handstand?

How does it change the hand position taking into consideration that everybody has a different physiology (body)? What should one consider not to get injured?

Contortion handstands arms and fingers vary between positions. For triple fold press ups and Mexican handstands, it is easier if the contortionist has the arms wider than shoulder width. This is not, however recommended for normal contortion handstands where the artist will exchange into a one armed balance (handstand on one arm). For a normal handbalance and any exchanges into a single arm, it’s important to have hands and elbows directly underneath the shoulders. Because contortionists leave the chest down and legs over head for the majority of the positions, the legs over the head causes a lot more weight pushing forward, so it’s important that the fingers are pressing firmly into the ground to push back on. The palms can be flat or raised (2 different techniques for this), but knuckles in center of the fingers are usually slightly raised (how raised, will depend on the position and weight at the front).

2. What could one do in case of injury?  What medicine and lotions do contortionists use? Where one can buy them online?

Any injuries should be reported to a doctor or specialist, if there is an injury to the spine, I would suggest not going to a physio until a specialist has cleared you or given you an MRI.

Before taking supplements, it’s important to first take a blood test and ID exactly which supplements your low on, as taking supplements you are already receiving sufficiently, can also create some serious health problems. Some of my favourites to take is Calcium and Magnesium for healthy bones and muscles, taking vitamin C with these will help your body to absorb them better. A diet that has a lot protein will aid in repairing your body after your training session. Drink a lot of water. Water hydrates your entire body and aids keeping your spine healthy. Fish oil is wonderful for bone health! Highly recommend, especially for adult contortionists.

3. What tips can you give starting contortionists to prevent injuries?

A long warm up of 1 hour is beneficial. Most injuries occur from contortionists not spending enough time getting their bodies ready for training. This includes cardio to warm your body up and get your blood flowing to all those joints.

Then followed by passive stretching, then active stretching and some strength exercises to get your muscles ready to fire, when you ask them. Cooling down is just as important as your warm up, during training, spend approx. 20 minutes cooling down, if you can. Absolute minimum would be 10 minutes after a long training session.

4. How to do a chest stand or pancake chest stand correctly? What is the right hand position in a chest stand?

What preparation exercises can you recommend?

Hand position in chest stand also varies based in the position being performed. For spider, where you run around your head, you want your arms to be folded behind you around your tummy to keep them out of the way. For a roll into the chest stand, you lay your arms straight behind you, but once you are in the position, you put your fingers slightly behind your shoulders and push your elbows in towards your body. Some positions will require different arm positions.

5. Is there a typical error in leg shouldering (Reaching the shoulder with the leg in the standing split)?

What is the correct way of doing it?

Ideally you want to work towards lifting it gently all the way up, when you are first learning it will be impossible to do this, so you can lift it with your hand, or do what we call a “back catch,” where you whip your leg up. It’s important when first learning to keep eyes forward, so you don’t give yourself a black eye, it also looks a lot nicer and lengthens the position. This is actually one of the most problematic tricks for contortionists. If you have not warmed up properly, not stretched to front, sides, back and warmed up twists, chances are that this position will eventually give you a sprained muscle, which in your back, can be excruciating, even worse, it can cause a hernia or two in your spine, which is not only painful, but can give you per many spinal damage. Always work left as much as right leg.

6. How to master an oversplit in a straddle split? When one can start working on an oversplit in the middle split?

I mean you if you need to get first into a perfect middle split or you can start working on an oversplit earlier and improve your middle split at the same time.  Some exercises and tips.

Actually, I rarely work over split much in straddle. It’s not a position that we really need much as a contortionist and tends to cause problems with hips later on in life, if correct turn out position is not practiced. It’s also not the best thing to do for aerialists that hand from hand loops in the air, as the hip can dislocate if it is  is too lax. I prefer to work on over split on left and right.

7. What is to take into consideration in a head sit position?

Head sit is a tricky pose. I would suggest mastering both breathing and all the shapes in a normal chest stand before trying to master the head sit. A head sit requires the artist to lift upwards and forwards. Many cannot do it, as they do not understand how to lift using both the pelvic floor muscles and outer core muscles correctly. Having a teacher will help you to get into the position  the first few times.

8. How to get a deeper bend and head-to-butt in the front split?

I woke through grabbing back leg with opposite arm (important to have parallel hips with NO back leg turned out. You will know if you back knee is facing to the side, instead of to the ground. You can work this position through lunge, through regular split and in over split. It’s many of the same muscles being used as the Needle or back catch that we spoke about above, so again. Good warm up is important  not to  have an injury. Using the opposite, instead of same arm, helps to prevent from twisting out.

9. What tips can you give for a correct backward roll to handstand?

Do it with a teacher that understands the position first.  There are many lead up skills to learn first before tying it, to help your brain understand each phase of the trick.

10. Some things to keep in mind in a triple fold position.

Breath, breath and breath some more. You need to not only have a comfortable bottom on your head for this position, but more so, you need very flexible shoulders and also hip flexors. Keeping hips open and opening legs wide enough to get your body through will make this easier.

11. Could you please give some advice and exercise tips for getting deeper back bends and strength for the upper, middle and lower back areas?

Firstly, patience, back bending when pushing yourself past your limits will more than often end in injury or you taking steps backwards. Spending time and breathing well in each pose, trying to relax is the best way. Strength exercises: there are many listed on my group. It’s a little too hard to explain all of this as written text. It’s better to use the images and videos on my site, as there are a lot of technical aspects to each exercise that is important to do things safely and correctly. I wouldn’t like somebody to be injured by not understanding what I write.

12. Where do you teach? Where one can book you and your company for a performance?

I teach from my home studio and also at Performance Art Western Sydney and Avion Aerial Arts in Sydney, Australia. I am also available for national and international workshops. My website is jasminestraga.com and I´m  Director  of Australian Circus Festival  australiancircusfestival.org

Sofia Venanzetti is a certified personal trainer, certified pole dance instructor, flexibility coach and contortionist from Milan, Italy. She moved to Miami, FL in 2006 to expand her knowledge in fitness and bodybuilding, her biggest passion at that time. She competed in several Fitness and Figure competitions in California, Florida and Italy. She also worked for fitness magazines like Oxygen (2011). In 2012 she started teaching pole dance, floorwork and flexibility at Pole Fitness Studio in Las Vegas. The same year, she also started contortion training under the guidance of Mongolian top contortionist Otgo Waller. Sofia currently lives in Las Vegas, NV.

1. Sofia could you please tell me your story.

How did you come to contortion? How long are you doing contortion?

I started contortion to improve my tricks on the pole. At first I didn’t even consider becoming a contortionist, I just wanted to add more flexibilityto my moves, but shortly after I fell in love with contortion and its challenges. I’ve been doing contortion for 3 years and a half.

2. How has contortion changed your lifestyle?

Contortion has changed me a lot. Being into fitness and competing in my past years, I’ve always put a lot of importance on aesthetics and appearance, I was dieting all the times to look my best and I was very strict. With contortion I learned to love not just how I look, but what I can actually do with my body. I’ve gained a lot of freedom, especially with my approach to food. I became flexible also in my mentality 🙂 I’m way healthier now that I’ve ever been, and contortion is a big part of it.

3. Does training influence your meals habits? What do you usually eat?

I try to eat mostly vegetables, healthy grains like oats, quinoa, brown rice, fish, avocado and nuts. These food I know keeps me light and sharp with my training. But I’m human, and I like bread and pizza a lot (plus I’m Italian!), but I try to eat the less healthy and more starchy food sporadically. I don’t eat a lot of meat or cheese. I find those food heavy to digest and not the best for training. I drink plenty of water, tea and coffee! That keeps my energy always going. I take a strong joint supplement, which is very important for people who stretch often.  The one I take has the best ingredient and highest quality on the market, I’ve taken it for years.

Photo:  Richard Faverty

4.  How long do you stretch every day? What time of the day do you like to stretch most?

I like to stretch midday. Never too early in the morning, because the body takes a few hours to wake up and loosen up from sleep’ stiffness. I train about 2- 3 h, 5 times a week.

5.  I know that many people are impatient when stretching and want to get the results right away.

What tips against injuries can you give to the readers? Were you once overstretched or injured? How did you cure it? Did you have to stop training or could you train with injury? Do you know some good muscle lotion that one could buy online?

Warming up is the best way to avoid injuries. Actually most of my training involves warming up! I warm up from 30min to an hour before I try more difficult exercises.

I got injured few times: my right shoulder, my left hip and right low back. Unfortunately injuries happen to anyone … Especially to those who train often. When it’s just a strain (a muscle tear) rest and ice/heat makes it heal. But when it’s an injury to tendon or ligament or even disc, it’s another story… Those areas don’t get any blood circulation so they heal slowly and sometimes never fully. So after a first time of total rest, training has to be done with a lot of attention and care to not make things worse, so less intensity, less range of motion, and avoid what in first place caused the injury (wrong exercises or moves).

I don’t know muscles lotions beside menthol, it either warms up or cools down wherever it’s applied, it’s great before sleep 🙂

6.  Do you use a back warmer?

When one should use a back warmer, is it the whole day or just before and during the stretching? Will one get the same results with a good warm up and without the back warmer?

I use a back warmer because it provides warmth and support to the low back, which is at greatest risk of injury when back bending ( low back has two functions, bending and supporting the torso, so it works a lot!). I can’t tell you if I would be the same flexible without it… It just gives me more security and comfort 🙂 I wear a back warmer only when I train, then I take it off. Here‘s more info about back warmers!

7. Could you please share some exercises with our readers:

 1) Some   exercises to unblock hips for middle split for intermediate-advanced level 2) the most effective stretch for front hips 3) tips for pigeon pose backbend

One of my favorite intermediate/advanced stretches for middle split is from frog pose, open one leg straight to the side, placing the foot on top of a block.

The most effective stretch for front hips is … The lunge! Really there is nothing better, and offers many variations of difficulty.

A tip for pigeon pose backbend is: warm up very well low back and hip flexor of the leg extended, warm up gluteus of the front leg bent. This way the starting position will feel more solid and comfortable so when you start bending back you won’t fall sideways.

Photo: Don Curry Photography

8.  How often do you do pole dance and how often contortion?

What is your favorite pole dance move and what is your favorite contortion position? On what projects are working now? (pole dance, contortion)

The most pole dance I do is actually when I perform (at venues or events here in Las Vegas) so in theory I don’t train pole anymore beside sometimes if I want to review a trick or a transition. I train contortion 5 times a week and that includes all flexibility, strength and balancing training. My favorite pole dance move is jade: it’s simple but a real crowd pleaser. My favorite contortion move is probably crocodile and zigzag cheststand 🙂 right now I’m working to improve my handstands, being so tall (5 11, 179cm) makes balancing my biggest challenge!

9. How long time does it take you to prepare a performance?

What is the most important for a contortion performance from your point of view?

Once you know what moves you want to do and in which order, it’s all about finding beautiful transitions and PRACTICE. Training to perform is very different from training just to be more flexible. You need to build endurance (do all the tricks non stop for 5-10 min!) and train to look smooth, relaxed and effortless ! That’s very hard. The most important part to make a performance beautiful is look graceful, light and don’t forget to smile 🙂

10. What or who is your biggest motivation in contortion?

My coach is my biggest motivator : I train for myself, but also to make her proud of me. My motivation is becoming better, see how far I can go and then go even more ! I have a strong inner motivation naturally I guess 🙂

11. I know that you give classes via Skype. How does it work and where one can book classes with you?

I use Powhow  platform to track classes and payments, but for the actual lesson I meet my students on Skype. So once the student is registered on Powhow and logged in their class, we train on Skype. Skype seems to have the best connection worldwide. My classes are all privates because I feel students need a lot of individual help to progress, that’s also how I improved faster: with individual attention. I also offer video tutorials on my Powhow page, you’re welcome to check them out!

Featured Photo:  Richard Faverty

Today I will share with you a great interview with a talented dancer, gymnast and aerialist  Josefine Stenström.

1. Josy, could you please tell me about your experience in gymnastics and dance?

I started with artistic gymnastic when I was 5 years old. I trained 5 days/week and went to competitions and gymnastic camps in different places in Sweden. I was an elite gymnast until I was 13 years old, then I hurt my back really bad and I couldn’t continue with the bigger competitions. A year later I started with ”teamgymnastics” and did that for a few years. I started with dancing when I was 15 and when I was 19 I moved to Munich, Germany for a professional dance education – ”Iwanson professional school of contemporary dance”.
There I trained balett, modern, jazz, hiphop, floorbar etc. monday to friday from 09.00-16.00.
After 3 years I graduated and started to work directly as a freelance dancer. I went to an audition in Salzburg, Austria and got the honor to be a part of 2 months tour in England with ”Nobulus crew” a breakdance company from Salzburg. You can read about the crew here.

After that I went back to Germany and worked for Armani, RedBull, Siemens, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Schwarzkopf, Corona, Campari, Thomas Sabo and some other projects.

2. How does your usual day look like?

How many hours do you train daily? How long do  you stretch?

It depends where I am at the moment, what possibilities I have for training and If I have work or not. But I train almost everyday, sometimes 2 or 3 times/day. Some days can look like this: I start at the gym around 10.00 with some cardio (running, biking or cross trainer that´s better for my knees) then I make some different exercises for legs, stomach and arms (free training. Not a big fan of the machines). Then I finish with stretch. So I’m finish around 12.00 and then eat lunch. Around 14.00 I have 2 hours dance class. Then back home and eat again and off to aerial training (silk) that I actually started with for some months ago only. And now I’m stuck and want to keep training this every week! And I practice the silk for about 2-3 hours (with warm up and stretch). So my best training days is mixed with the gym, dance and aerial silk. Around 6 hours training.
The stretch is always different, If I have a class after the other I make a fast stretch just because it feels good for the body and then I try to make a longer stretch after the last ”workout”. Around 30 min, sometimes longer and sometimes shorter.

3. What training tips from gymnastics can you give to an aerialist?

For me the strength in arms and stomach is really important, also flexibility. Hands and wrists as well. Arial training is a lot about technique, so if you always keep your strength and flexibility, the aerial training will be easier, I think. But to be a good aerialist you need to practice this a lot.

4. Which dance style do you like most?

In which countries have you performed? How is the  cultural scene there?

Modern dance. Floor work and dynamic choreos. I like to mix the modern dance with acrobatic and floor work, lots of inspiration from breakdance.
I have performed in Sweden, Germany, Austria and England. For me the cultural scene is best in Germany. Lots of great artists there and more possibilities for training and work. Especially if I compare Germany to Sweden. Thats why I moved also because its not so many jobs for dancers in Sweden.

5. Is it difficult to find jobs abroad for a dancer?

Which website can you recommend for  dancers and artists who are looking for gigs?

Yes It’s not that easy in the beginning. It’s a lot about contacts and to get to know people. You have to show yourself, in classes, videos or auditions for example. I don’t have a special website or so but sometimes I just google for auditions or I get tips from people.

6. How long does it take you to prepare a show or a dance performance?

How long is your  warm-up before dancing?

It depends, sometimes its just one show day so then the rehearsal is one day before (about 7 hours) or rehearsal 2-3 days. Before the England tour we had rehearsal one month because the show was longer. It always depends on what show it is and how long it is. I warm up for maybe 20 minutes, some strength to get warm and then easy stretch.

7. What are your favorite music bands or singers for dancing?

I like many different kind of music but when I improvise alone I like to move to Ludovico Einaudi.

8. What are you doing at the moment and what are your future plans?

Right now I focus more on the training, next job is in some weeks when I start the rehearsal in Germany for a cruise job. I will perform at the sea for 7 months and travel to many different places in the world. Lets see what happen after that…

9. Could you please show some tricks, for example, how to jump into a Handstand for our readers.

How to jump into Handstand 

Handstand Exercises 1, 2, 3

Handstand Exercise 2

Handstand Exercise 3

Thank you very much Josefine!

Please  share your experience  how was learning handstand for you ? If you just  started  working on your handstands what is the most difficult for you?

Photos: Nicholas Crepea