03/09/2026
Now that this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival has come to a close, we wanted to celebrate all of the National Centre for Circus Arts alumni and teachers who got to participate in the largest performing arts festival in the world.
Sand, by Kook Ensemble (led by Co-Artistic Directors and National Centre teachers Michaela O’Connor and Sean Kempton), took home the Bragi Award, as well as being long listed for The List Award.
Their cast was comprised of National Centre graduates Ebony Gumbs, Myles McDonald, Alvaro Grande, and Dilly Taylor, with development by National Centre graduates Tomas Briones and Helga Ehrenbusch.
Collaborator, created, directed, and performed by previous National Centre Gala 2022 creative directors, Ockham’s Razor, and produced by Turtle Key Arts, whose CEO is Ali King, also Chair of the National Centre. Collaborator was awarded Best Dance, Circus, & Physical Theatre Show by The List.
Also performing at this year’s Fringe were National Centre Alumni Josh Curtis in 360 All Stars with Onyx Productions, Ash Meyer in The Pieces with Aloft, Sadiq Ali in Tell Me with the Sadiq Ali Company, Louis Gift in 10000 Hours with Gravity and Other Myths, and Nathan Price and Isis Clegg Vinal in Sophie’s Surprise 29th, joined by National Centre teacher Katharine Arnold.
Alum Luke Halgarden led the Revel Puck Circus through another fantastic Fringe run, and Rishi Trikha, Higher Education delivery team member, directed Tell Me with the Sadiq Ali Company. Tell Me also saw contributions from National Centre graduate and teacher Hawke Pattison and graduate Vee Smith.
Well done to all involved!
For more information on our BA (Hons) in Circus Arts, follow the link in our bio.
Kook Ensemble
Ockham's Razor
Turtle Key Arts
360allstars
AloftCircusArts
Sadiq Ali Company
Gravity & Other Myths
Sophie’s Surprise 29th
The Revel Puck Circus
📸 : Alex Storey
