Our Crew
Erin Nicholson- Director
With a degree in Sport Coaching and Administration, Erin developed FunFit Junior Fitness in 2001 with the aim of
teaching movement to music classes to school children to encourage participation in physical activity within schools.
In 1995-2004 Erin initially competed in State and National Sport Aerobics Championships before focusing on
choreographing and coaching junior competitors who reached National standard. Whilst completing 3 years of
Contemporary Dance at Deakin University, Erin sought out other forms of movement and trained in hip-hop dance,
breakdancing, belly dancing, circus skills and yoga. She currently performs with a contemporary dance group
Effusion and continues to train in dance, circus and yoga. Erin has been teaching children for 10 years now
and loves that she is able to pass on her skills to others and particularly loves the smiles brought to student’s
faces as they achieve these skills. Erin’s biggest claim to fame is being the Twister champion of the world!
See FunFit Abroad to take a look at Erin’s work with Burmese refugees.
Emma Luther
Emma has 12 years of circus experience and has the following skills- adagio (acrobalance), fire twirling, hula hoops,
stilts, tumbling and drama. Emma’s extensive performance history includes her involvement in a Hula Hoop troupe “The Hooligans”,
puppetry shows and various roving performances at festivals. Her teaching and performance experience has led her to performing
throughout the UK at festivals such as Glastonbury Festival and a School Holiday Arts Residency at Bridgewater Arts Centre (U.K.).
She has also toured through north east India as part of the region’s Meghalaya Autumn Festival. This involved breaking a Guinness
World Record for the Worlds Largest Drum Ensemble and teaching Meghalayan tribes people the art of the Hula Hoop.
Emma has
an educated and enthusiastic approach to her teaching currently teaches classes in schools on a daily basis and has
a brilliant rapport with children.
Hideo Nogami
Recently arriving in Australia, Hideo is one of Japan’s most successful Hip-Hop Dancers and Breakdancers and is now dancing in
Melbourne with National Champion Crew “massmayhem”. He regularly works with massmayhem to “battle” other crews in State and
National Breakdance competitions and has come away a winner on many occasions.
His classes are structured for all levels of ability and Hideo breaks-down complex moves to make them easy for children to learn,
but still challenging. Children love being taught these impressive moves by someone of such a high standard and are always impressed
when Hideo shows off some of his moves!
Jaala Donnolley
In her early years Jaala spent 6 years training and teaching with the Flying Fruit Flies circus in Albury. Her skills include tumbling,
acrobalance, contortionism, hula hoops, fire twirling, dance and drama. Jaala has performed in circus shows with the Flying Fruit Flies
in the past and now roves as a contortionist character at festivals. She currently teaches drama, circus and dance workshops in schools
and at festivals as well as working with children in a play centre and being a fairy for parties and events. Students of all ages love
Jaala’s infectious bubbly personality and she has an amazing ability for bringing a fantastic energy into every class she teaches.
Michael Scarlett
Mick first started fire twirling in 2002 after being totally mesmerized by a fire dancer at an outdoor festival. After becoming quite
skilled on the single staff Mick then went on to learn poi, double staff, ropes, juggling, devil sticks and fire palms, while also
constantly evolving his dancing.
By 2004 Mick decided to enter the world of performance and has since been performing shows at different festivals, nightclubs,
corporate functions and weddings around Melbourne. His most recent fire performance was for the 2007 Moomba show. Since working with
FunFit he has also taught himself hula-hoops, diablo and acrobalance. Mick loves working with kids and providing fun, engaging and
energetic classes in different circus skills. He loves bringing humor and a light hearted approach into his teaching, while providing
the best space possible for kids to express themselves individually on the different circus props.
Maya Poole
Maya has an extensive performance and teaching history in many facets of performing arts. Her studies and skills include drama,
contemporary dance, West African dance, butoh, yoga, circus and visual art. She has traveled the world teaching her many skills
to students of all ages for over 10 years and has also worked with youth at risk and Indigenous groups. Maya has been involved
in dance and circus performances in many festivals worldwide. One of her recent amazing experiences was performing in the Meghalaya
Autumn Festival in North East India. Maya is a very caring and patient teacher and we receive brilliant feedback on her classes
from both children and teachers.
Matthew Cornell
Matt’s dance training began with ballroom which he did for 12yrs and was involved in Australian Ballroom Championships. In 2003
Matt discovered breakdancing and spent the year dancing with Style Impressions Krew in “battles” and even at Perth’s ‘Big Day Out’
festival where they were invited to perform. In 2004 Matt began studying contemporary dance at the Victorian College of the Arts
and is a recent graduate, now busy training, choreographing and performing. HeMatt will be performing with a contemporary dance
company in the Melbourne Festival in 2007.
Matt has taught many styles of dance to groups of all ages and backgrounds over the last 4 years including children with special
needs and Indigenous groups.
Lauren Walton
Lauren has been dancing for 10 years and teaching dance, gymnastics and aerobics to children for 3 years now. She loves dancing at a recreational
level and her major passion is Sport Aerobics which combines aerobics, dance and gymnastics. Lauren is part of a trio who are the current National
Sport Aerobics Champions and has traveled to the United States to represent Australia at World Championships. She also passes on her skills to
younger athletes who she has coached to achieve National Championship status. Always seeking out new skills to learn, Lauren is now also competing
in Calisthenics competitions. Lauren has a passionate, enthusiastic and caring teaching approach and loves sharing her knowledge with children of
all levels of ability.
Penny Chivas
Penny has been dancing since she can remember and was a member of Quantum Leap youth dance company from 1999-2001. After graduating from the WA Academy
of Performing Arts in 2004 she then completed an Honours year studying dance at the Victorian College of the Arts. Since graduating, Penny has worked
with many well known choreographers and has performed in the Melbourne Fringe and Melbourne Festival. Penny loves choreographing and teaching and has
been teaching dance (various styles), yoga and pilates to children of all ages for over three years now and has also guest lectured at WAAPA.
Sara Black
Sara has completed a Bachelor of Arts in Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts and has a strong performance history in Contemporary Dance.
She has performed in countless dance shows with her biggest achievement being a dancer in Chunky Move’s highly acclaimed solo show “Glow”.
Sara recently toured with the show for performances in Poland and was in Malaysia in 2006 performing for an International Dance Festival.
Also a brilliant choreographer, she has produced many contemporary dance performance works and her love of dance has led her to other dance
styles including hip-hop dance and breakdancing. Through FunFit Sara has taught dance, pilates and yoga to children in primary and secondary
schools and has a patient yet enthusiastic teaching style that allows for a safe and fun environment.
Photo by Jeff Busby