Artistic & Director
Brent van Rensburg
Brent is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Zip Zap. He brings over 40 years of experience and
passion for the circus having trained thousands of young performers from all walks of life. He is an
accomplished rigger and stuntman. Brent has performed in Italy, Holland, Denmark, Norway,
France, Monte Carlo, and the USA. After an accident he started as an acrobatic instructor for the
Ringling Brothers Clown College in Florida. Following that he ran circus workshops for Club Med
Holiday Resorts. There he met his future wife, Laurence Estève and in 1992 they returned to South
Africa and started Zip Zap. Together they have trained, choreographed, and directed all the Zip Zap
shows.

Artistic & Creative Director
Sabine Van Rensburg
is a Montreal-based circus artist. Born into a family of artists (daughter of Brent & Laurence who
founded Zip Zap in 1992), she followed in their footsteps. She graduating from the National Circus
School of Montreal in 2018 and performed and toured with the contemporary circus company Les 7
Doigts de La Main (The 7 Fingers). Recently she founded an acrobatic movement collective called
People Watching. Her venture with Zip Zap Circus, in 2021 was a volunteer-based project where she
co-directed a 50min acrobatic art film called MOYA, with artists from Zip Zap Circus.

Acrobatic Coach & Creative Director
Brin Schoellkopf
is a multidisciplinary artist, based in Montreal, Canada. He specialized in tight wire and
acrobatic/dance when attending the National Circus School of Montreal. After graduating in 2018,

Brin went on to tour with Canadian company, Les 7 doigts de la main (The 7 Fingers) in their newest
show ‘Passagers.’ Since the pandemic, he formed a performance collective titled “People Watching,”
alongside artists Jeremi Levesque, Natasha Patterson, and Zip Zap’s Sabine Van Rensburg, focussing
on the development of acrobatic research and dance.

Acrobatic Coach & Creative Director:
Nikolas Pulka
is a French acrobat specializing in Straps. He grew up in the heart of the Amazon rainforest in French
Guiana and spent most of his time running wild in the forest and climbing trees. His path to a life as
a circus artist started with a formation at Ecole Nationale des Arts du Cirque in Rosny-sous-bois in
Paris and continued at the National Circus School of Montreal. After graduating, Niko spent most of
his career working with Canadian companies, performing in special events with Cirque du Soleil, and
touring internationally with Cirque Éloize and Cirque Alfonse. Nikolas has progressed as an acrobat,
artist, coach, and director becoming a multidisciplinary circus artist known for his expressiveness
and positive energy.

Performer:
Phelelani (Ree) Ndakrokra
Known as ‘Ree’, was born in Cape Town and joined Zip Zap in 2010. He is a natural performer and
subsequently his career in circus exploded at a spectacular pace. Ree has remarkable physicality,
blended artfully with intense creative expression, captivating audiences. His first international tour
was to the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in 2012. He has since performed as one of the
leads in all national productions, most notably the Match in Africa #6, hosted by the Roger Federer
Foundation. He is an international award winning performer, having won Best Performer at the
International Circus Awards in 2021 for his performance in MOYA | An Acrobatic Art Film. Ree is a
powerful, passionate, and dazzling character that radiates to his audience. He is a multi-talented
acrobat and dancer, with his specialties being Cyr Wheel and Straps.

Performer:
Vuyani Lottering
Born and living in Nyanga, Cape Town, Vuyani has been a part of the Zip Zap circus family since 2015.
He started in Zip Zap’s Intermediate programme and today he is a polished, dedicated, and talented
performer. Vuyani first toured with Zip Zap to Johannesburg in 2019 for Journey Beyond, a
Symphonic Circus collaboration with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. He now
instructs and motivates younger students, while continuing to develop himself as a performer.
His specialities are Porter (Toss & Traps), Handstands, Acrobatics with a focus on Ball Juggling.

Performer:
Jacobus (Trompie) Claassen
Affectionately known as ‘Trompie’, was introduced to Zip Zap in 2009. Jacobus found his passion for
dance, acting and circus as a medium to express himself. This foundation prepared him to expand
his repertoire to become the resident acrobatic clown at Zip Zap. Jacobus has flourished as a
performer and excelled at circus disciplines unicycle, juggling and tumbling. He’s performed around
the world and was also the main character in a Canadian documentary ‘First Man’ for 5 months. He
is a Flyer, a Bounce Juggler, A Cyr Wheeler and Acrobat with a focus on Hand-to-Hand and Risley. His
sense of fun, comedy and his quirky character makes him an endearing audience favourite

Performer:
Matthew Risk
Matthew was born in Cape Town South Africa, from a European Father, and South African mother.
With having the love for music, he is also a music producer and often makes instrumental tracks for
musicians to rap/sing over. After having been a part of Zip Zap Circus since 2012, Matthew
graduated from school in 2020, and decided to join Zip Zap full time as a Dare 2 Dream Student, who
was then seconded to MOYA as a performer. His speciality is Unicycle, with a second interest in
Acrobatics and Porter (Toss & Tarps).

Performer:
Jason Barnard
A multi-disciplinary circus performer with a compelling stage presence, Jason started at Zip Zap
when he was just 8 years old, for an initial 4 years. After moving to the United Kingdom, he returned
when he was 19. He is one of South Africa’s premier jugglers performing the only gravity juggling act
in the country. Jason is super talented, was a top achiever in the vocational circus programme and
the recipient of awards acknowledging his versatile achievements. He has performed across the
globe and currently also teaches and motivates the younger generation of Zip Zappers. His circus
skills range from Porter (Hand to Hand, 3 Highs and Banquine) to Acrobat, Rapper and Bounce
Juggler.

Performer:
Bridgette Berning
A South African circus artist, Bridgette first discovered circus through a primary school teacher by
the name of Lionel Chanarin, who started a social circus called Sisonke. After finishing high school,
she joined Zip Zap’s vocational Dare 2 Dream program, hoping to accomplish her dream of traveling
and performing around the world. She is now a part of Zip Zaps performance group MOYA and her
speciality is Silks, Flyer and Contortion.

Performer:
Uthmaan Benjamin
Uthmaan is an original Cape Tonian and while he was raised with challenging conditions at home, he
always puts happiness and smile at the fore centre of everything that he does. He has spent many
years of his life experimenting with various art forms including dance, music and tricking but has
found that his passion is Acrobatics. He has worked in various jobs but always seems to find his way
back to spending time on a training floor, releasing endorphins and emotions through his art forms.
He lives by the moto ‘you never work a day in your life if you do what you love’ and has since
discovered Zip Zap through his twin brother. His speciality is Acrobatics, Dancing and Porter (Toss,
Traps and Pyramids).

Performer:
Luqmaan Benjamin
Luqmaan, born and bred in Cape Town, had big dreams to become a football player but lost interest
when he discovered acrobatics and tricking at the age of 17. He spends endless hours every day
training and focusing on improving himself as a multi-skilled physical creative. In 2020, he discovered
Zip Zap Circus while they were performing and shortly after, joined the Dare 2 Dream vocational
training programme with little to no experience of circus, but a lot of energy to learn. MOYA is his
first show, and applies his skills to being a Dancer, an Acrobat and a Porter (Toss, Tarps and
Pyramids).

Performer:
Lukhanyo Samson
Lukhanyo Samson was born and raised in Khayelitsha, a township in South Africa. While growing up,
he was unsure of the path that he was going to take but witnessed his father working extremely

hard and followed in his footsteps. In 2017, Lukhanyo finished school and spent 2 years working in
warehouses. In 2019, Lukhanyo discovered Zip Zap Circus and auditioned for the Dare 2 Dream
vocational training programme and is now a part of the MOYA performers troupe. He is a Flyer,
Acrobat and Dancer.