Board members 2024

1. Veneta Stefanova (Bulgaria)
Artistic Director and Art Manager STEFANI ART AGENCY
Producer and Impresario
Organizer of creative activities in the field of circus performances, concerts, events, international festivals and tours. Jury member of international circus festivals.
Circus acrobat (1990-2003) – Veneta worked around the world as an artist, including in the famous Ringling Barnum and Bailey Circus in the USA. In 2003, Veneta opened Stefani Art Agency with her husband Lachazar, which quickly rose to one of the world’s leading circus agencies, whose acts dominated many renown international shows and won many festivals, including the Festival International du Cirque de Monte Carlo. Veneta has decades of experience managing and providing award winning artists for small to large scale shows and events, such as dinner theatre, variete, contemporary and classical circuses under BigTop’s or on the theatre stages.

2. Jasmine Straga (Australia and New Zeland)
Jasmine sits on the Board of Directors of the Federation Mondiale du Cirque. She is the Founding Director of the Australian Circus Festival & J.S. Creations.
J.S. Creations is Australia’s leading creative direction and choreography company for circus performers wanting a career in European Circuses and Varieté.
The Australian Circus Festival is Australia’s first and only International circus competition and is hosted under 4 BigTops. It is the first festival in the world to celebrate Classical, Contemporary, Fringe, Social and Community Circus and was founded in 2013 and has now held 5 editions.
Prior to this Jasmine toured the world as a Contortionist, Aerialist and Dancer and went onto directing the Australian Institute of Circus Arts & Coffs Harbour PCYC Rhythmic Gymnastics Club from 2007-2010
She ran Gala Entertainment Management, during its time became the largest agency in the world during its time for Dancers, Circus Performers, Models & Musicians in San Diego catering to circuses, Casinos and Corporate Events. She closed the agency in 2013. She is currently also Marketing & Events Director for Action Reaction Entertainment and Action Education.
Her work as a director of the board for the World Circus Federation in Monaco includes: Raising awareness for Circus arts globally, working in fundraising events, and working on parliamentary inquiries to protect & promote Circus Arts. She’s also working with the FMC creating new initiatives with the Global Alliance of Circus Schools.
Jasmine sits on the Advisory board for the Ethiopian Circus Center, a new High Performance training center and theatre being built in Entoto Park, Addis Ababa.

3. Sosina Wogayehu (Ethiopia)
CEO- Ethio Circus Entertainment
Sosina Wogayehu has almost 30 years of experience in the circus industry as a performer, director, trainer, producer and an international festival jury member.
Sosina is a graduate of Australia’s Swinburne University and Australia’s National Institute of Circus Arts .
After touring and performing since her early teens Sosina has been part of a number of leading companies as a skilled performer and as a member of the board of directors. Sosina is now based in her home country of Ethiopia where she is the founder and CEO of both Ethio Circus Entertainment and also the Ethiopian Circus Center, one of Africa’s very first purpose built circus training and performance facilities.

4. Petras Variakojis (Lithuania)
Lithuanian circus artist, founder, artistic director and director of VšĮ “Baltijos Cirkas” – aerial gymnast, trainer, clown at different stages of his career. A representative of one of the oldest Lithuanian circus dynasties.
In his professional career, he toured in Italy, Hungary, Romania, in the largest and most famous circuses of neighboring countries.
in 1994 He founded the professional organization “Baltijos Cirkas” in Lithuania.
Since 2007 – Member of the European Circus Association (Netherlands).
Since 2009 – Associations of theaters for children and youth. Asitežas Lithuania member.
in 2013 He founded a circus town in Kaunas, where “Chamber Circus”, circus studio “Kaunas Circus Art Academy” and “Clown Museum” are still operating.
in 2014 Kaunas City Award “Kindness Crystal” “For the integration of a young person into society and the development of community spirit”,
in 2018 Award of the National Circus of Ukraine “For significant contribution to the cultivation of circus art”.

5. Nicolas Boivin-Gravel (Canada)
Acrobatic Casting Advisor Cirque du Soleil. He has been gravitating around the circus arts since the age of 6 as an artist, coach, acrobatic designer and director among others. He co-founded the companies “Throw2catch”, “Artcorps studio” and “Les Deux de Pique”. For the past 10 years, he has worked as a coach, researcher and stage director at the National Circus School in Montreal. He was also the head coach and main casting advisor of Cirque Éloize prior to joining the ranks of the casting team at Cirque Du Soleil in 2019 where he has been collaborating ever since. He also accompanied several juggling specialists who have joined the company since 2017. His work is now dedicated to finding the most innovative and impressive circus artists and circus performances on the planet.

6. Zolbayar Bataa (Mongolia)
An award winning performer since his early childhood, Zolbayar burst onto the Circus scene as artist with a group of acrobats and Flying Trapeze act in Mongolian State Circus in 1997 and graduated Mongolian State Circus School 1992-2000 and Mongolian National Institute of Physical Education bachelor’s degree majored in teacher and coach. Also awarded “The Foremost Cultural Artist of Mongolia” Medal by the Ministry of Art and Education in 2008, “Polar Star” State award of Mongolia in 2021, Mongolian State Award “State Merit Artist” Medal received and honored by. Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, President of Mongolia in 2024. World renowned performers, the “Troupe Zola” born when Zolbayar started his own teeterboard act in 2006. The “Troup Zola” dazzled audiences around the world from Mongolia, China, South Africa, Taiwan, Japan, UAE. France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Hungaria. His circus callings have come from names such as Boswell Wilkie, Mongolian State Circus, Arlette Gruss, Luis Knie. Charles Knie, Circus Krone, Knie, Magico, Capital Circus of Budapest and Bulgaria, Hitent circus of China to name of few. Zolbayar, the “Troupe Zola” have garnered awards and accolades including the coveted “Bronze Clown in Monte Carlo 44th Circus Festival, “Golden Bird” and “Silver Bird” in China’s Wuhan International Circus Festival, “Silver Lion” in China’s Wugiao International Circus Festival, “Gold” in International circus Festival Monial. “Golden Star” in Grenoble city, France International Circus Festival, “Bronze” in Latino city International Circus festival. “Golden Elephant” in Spain “Figueres” International Circus Festival. In 2016 Zolbayar found his “Zola Bros” Circus Company (LLC), and built new circus facility to training new generation and create circus acts. Also involved in Humanitarian work over the years and started to training, motivating and encouraging the orphanage kids,(over 60 kids now).

7. Thierry Outrilla (France)
Thierry Outrilla to the jury of the 9th International Circus Festival Ziburiai in Lithuania. Thierry was the esteemed stage director of the Moulin Rouge for over 18 years and has also become a much loved member amongst the circus community, especially within the circus festival scene. Born in Oran, and settled in Paris since 1973, Thierry began his illustrious career as a dancer at the Casino de Paris under the mentorship of Roland Petit. He joined the iconic Moulin Rouge in 1976, quickly rising to become the first captain of the boys, and later taking on roles as a solo and star dancer, assistant choreographer, and eventually stage director. Thierry’s extensive experience and passion for the performing arts have led him to collaborate on numerous special numbers and artist selections, particularly from the circus world, which he deeply admires for its rigor and discipline. His dedication to excellence and his broad expertise make him a distinguished member of the jury for our festival.

8. Kristian Kristof (Hungary)
Artistic director of the International Circus Festival of Budapest (1996-2012).Winner of 12 different International Circus Festivals as performing artists. Master of Arts graduate of Directing Circus from Bath Spa University UK. Casting Director and Circus Adviser for the Recirquel contemporary circus company Hungary. Internationally acclaimed entertainer, artistic and creative director with 40 years of experience. Recently worked as circus consultant and choreographer for Disney Pictures on “DUMBO” a movie directed by Tim Burton and was the production director for the creation of MANDANA the 2019 touring show of Circus Krone the largest circus in Europe. Kristian had the honors to receive Knight’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit in 2021. Managed the technical aspects of the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo at the World Expo in Dubai 2021 and assistant to the direction of the Festival in Monaco for the editions in 2023 and 2024. Contemporary circus adviser and founding member at ECA, the European Circus Association. He was born in 1969 as a scion of a fourth-generation Hungarian circus family. After completing elementary school, he pursued his high school studies at the State Ballet Institute. He later earned an Artist Performer diploma at the Hungarian State Circus School. In 2019, he achieved a master’s degree in physical theater and circus directing from Bath Spa University. At the age of 23, Kristian received the Károly Hortobágyi Award. Over his 40-year active career, he garnered numerous accolades, including gold, silver, and bronze awards at 12 international circus festivals. In 1994, he established a juggler world record that remains accredited by the Guinness Book of Records. From 1996 to 2012, Kristian was the founder and artistic director of the Budapest International Circus Festival. During the same period, he also spearheaded the Maciva Master Studio, a circus professional workshop that produced internationally acclaimed artist performances. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in selecting international artists for the performance at the closing ceremony of FINA, a production conceived and directed by Bence Vági. This endeavor marked the commencement of an entirely new phase in his career.

CIRCUS FESTIVAL LITHUANIA
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