Nikki Andrews

Published Friday 21 April 2006 at 10:50

Ask circus artist Nikki Andrews about her life and she’ll say: “No two days are ever the same. We’re somewhere different practically every day and I love it.”

Nikki and partner Richard Durnford might be performing at Butlins or a big corporate gig for Elton John, at street festivals or on a plantation in Barbados. Or even teaching yoga and acrobalance to dancers in Aspen, Colorado.

But she enjoys the comedy adagio act they do together as Penny and Bernie in Bongo Bolero most. “We’ve developed it over the years by performing it. If you find a laugh, you try to keep it and build up the jokes and the skills. I’d like to pursue that area and do more clowning.”

Nikki got into circus through juggling. “I discovered the more physical side of circus - trapeze and acrobatics. Because I’d been a gymnast, I took easily to aerial and acrobatic work.”

She trained at circus school Skylight in Rochdale before forming a circus theatre company with friends.

She says: “Richard and I were very lucky to do an intensive course at the French national circus school in Chalons. We did daily acrobatics but dance, theatre and clowning as well.”

Nikki is working on a circus theatre project for next year.