Words & Pictures

For the project New Circus Portraits, series #3 I interviewed the subjects and wrote text panels which were exhibited with the portraits.

15 / 18

Toni Smith

Toni was born in 1971 in Mansfield, Victoria, the second youngest in a family of ten children. All of her brothers and sisters are married with children and are waiting for her to grow up and get a real job…although her Mum and Dad don't mind, just so long as she has a job. Toni is a formidable acrobat as well as a wonderful clown. She trained as a youth with the Flying Fruit Fly Circus, and also in gymnastics and ballet. She has since trained internationally in aerials and clowning and worked with numerous companies including Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus in 1999 and with Circus Oz from 1993 to 2002. Her acrobatic skills include tumbling, hoop diving, knock about, contortion, balance bike, hand balancing, tight wire, web, cloud-swing, flying trapeze, double ropes, Chinese pole, double Russian ring, and the double German wheel. She also plays guitar, clarinet and keyboard. Phew!

From Pictures