Aerial Manx

Aerial Manx began training in Martial Arts at age four, branding him with a unique understanding of physicality and mental focus. At age fifteen he began studying circus with a Circus Oz youth program. By seventeen he achieved a first Dan black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and began training with Australia’s first self-run Youth Circus, "Trick Circus". . During this time, Aerial performed fire art at many underage festivals and in a number of shows as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival . At age nineteen, Aerial began training at the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) studying Aerial Dance under ex-Cirque Du Soleil coach Holly Rollins and began studying Sideshow skills and Mind over Matter. After many ‘Artistic Differences’ with NICA, Aerial left in 2007 to perform with the "Opposable Thumbs" in Melbourne’s Fringe Festival, returning to NICA only to perform in the 2007 Melbourne Festival Production “Divino”. Today Aerial is a world leading Sword Swallower, with ten World Records listed with the Sword Swallowers Association International (SSAI) and is now considered one of the most innovative sword swallowers in recorded history. He also maintains an excellent skill level in Contact Juggling, Juggling, Acrobatics, Contortion, Fire Eating, Glass walking, Blockhead, Suspension/Suspension Dance and various other forms of prop manipulation.
Career Highlights
- Performed Closing Routine for “Divino” - a NICA production in the City of Melbourne Festival
- Performed in, co-wrote & choreographed “Circuside” by The Opposable Thumbs (Melbourne Fringe 2007)
- Winner of the Apollo Bay Buskers competition 2008
- Suspension performance for headlining DJ Proteus at Pharmacy - Obituary (2009)
- MC’ing the Kaos Kreepshow at the Byron Bay Blues & Roots Festival (2009, 2010)
- Street performing in: Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Brussels, London, Chester, York, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival, Auckland Buskers Festival and headlining the Moonface Street performers Festival.
Records held with the Sword Swallowers Association International
* Worlds first sword swallow chainsaw/machete juggle (2011)
* Worlds first sword swallow back flip on flat surface (2011)
* Multiple cartwheels (9) whilst swallowing a sword (2011)
* Worlds first sword swallow ‘suicide fall’ on Chinese Pole (2010)
* Longest time (17 seconds) balancing on hands whilst swallowing a sword (2010)
* Worlds first aerial walkover (2010)
* Worlds first sword swallow whilst balancing upside down in hand-to-hand handstand (2010 - based by Hemlock Mejarne)
* Swallowed the ‘Sword of Swords’ - Most swallowed sword in history (2009)
* World first handstand whilst sword swallowing (2008)
* World first double neon tubes 2000vlt sword swallow (2007)
Unofficial Records
* Most weight lifted from a swallowed sword - 34.9kgs (2011)
* Worlds first one arm handstand whilst swallowing sword (2010)
* Worlds first multiple (3) glass sword swallow (2008)
And will be setting more....very very soon
Video links
*King of Swords documentary initial clip (2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF0lF8k6LLI
*Two High Double Neon Swallow (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWSEnfcf8oc
*Hey Hey, It’s Saturday (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ4KNYhr7xk
*World Records (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUQK6WARHpc
*Suspension Performance for DJ Proteus (2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83zJAE11NkY - poor quality
*World record Neon Swallow (2008)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqNcpUak2zc
*World first handstand whilst sword swallowing (2008)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZUlFenVbDA&watch_response
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v4NW5o5ICRjE&featurechannel
*Aerial Hoop (2007)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U59Qo8m6z4g
*Australia’s Got Talent (2006)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORibw_qLDmQ
Experiences & Performances
- Taught 'Aerial Hoop' by former ‘Quidam’ Cirque Du Soleil Aerial Hoop performer, Holly Rollins
- Studied at NICA (National Institute of Circus Arts)
- Taught hard-floor acrobatics by former head aerialist of Circus Oz and present head aerial coach for ‘Dragone’, Felicia O’Brian
- Performed Closing Routine for ‘Divino’ - a NICA production in the City of Melbourne Festival
- Performed in, co-wrote & choreographed ‘Circuside’ by The Opposable Thumbs
- Won Apollo Bay Buskers competition
- Performed at Tim Burton exhibition in Melbourne at The Burton Bar
- Suspension performance for DJ Proteus at Pharmacy - Obituary (2009)
- Performed in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Brussels, London, Chester, York (2009)
- Performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2009)
- Performed at the Adelaide Fringe Festival (2008, 2009, 2010)
- Performed Woodford Folk Music Festival - Buskers and Bally stages (2007, 2008)
- Performed at the Auckland Buskers Festival (2010)
- Performed at the Rainbow Serpent Festival (2008, 2009, 2010)
- Performed and MC’d with the Kaos Kreepshow (2009, 2010)
- Performed with the Kaos Kreepshow at the Byron Bay Blues & Roots Festival (2009, 2010)
- Performed with Circus Vs Sideshow, 2010 Melbourne Fringe Festival
- Performed professionally for corporate & private event work including events held at the Crown Palladium, Crown Palms, Eureka Tower, Docklands Venues, and the Melbourne Docklands 2010 Winter Festival; The Famous Spiegel Tent, St Kilda National Theatre, Melbourne Arts Centre, Swinburne University, ABODE nightclub, Melbourne Juggling Convention, North Melbourne Town hall, the Australian Centre of the Moving Image & many more.
- Performed with The Hectic Bros. Circus as Anarchically Hectic for QLD school tour (2011)
- Performed at the official after party of Ushers OMG tour (2011)
Professional Repertoire
* Contact Juggling
* Contortion
* Acrobatics
* Juggling
* MC
* Street Performing
* Stage & Cabaret Performances
* Acrobalancing
* Fire Eating
* Glass Walking
* Block Head
* Escape Artistry
* Aerial Hoop
* Aerial Dancing
* Aerial Silk Performance
* Aerial Suspension Dance Artistry
* Human Pincushion
* Equilibristics
* Stage Hypnotism
* Hat Juggling
* Chainsaw Juggling

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