Meet the Jungle Fiesta 2027 teachers
Jungle Fiesta is a 5-day international handstand festival in Mexico, held 12–17 March 2027 at Ozen Resort in the Riviera Maya. Three training tracks run side by side: beginner, intermediate and advanced. The teachers are why most people pick a festival, so here's who's teaching so far. More names are coming.
Mikael Kristiansen · Norway
Mikael is a Norwegian contemporary circus artist who specialises in handbalancing. He came from breakdance and karate, switched to handstands at 23, and graduated in circus arts from DOCH in Stockholm in 2012.
On stage he has worked with 7 doigts de la main (PSY), Cirkus Cirkör (Knitting Peace) and Right Way Down, a company he co-founded. In 2018 he and Emmet Louis started Handstand Factory, the online handbalancing programme many of you have probably trained with at some point. He has taught handstands since 2010.
If you know Handstand Factory, you know the approach: circus training traditions combined with biomechanics and sport science. Expect detail.
Mau Jara · Costa Rica
Mauricio Jara has spent more than 20 years in handbalancing. He started as a floor acrobat, did a year of competitive gymnastics, then became one of the first handstand specialists in Costa Rica, building his own training method and performing with the contemporary circus company Punto Muerto.
In 2016 he moved to Europe and trained with teachers including Claude Victoria. Since 2018 he has taught handstands at the Instituto Nacional de Artes do Circo (INAC) in Portugal, and as a guest teacher at Fontys Circus and Performance Art in the Netherlands. Mau has taught at Handstand Fiesta in Valencia since the first edition in October 2024.
Dora Skelton · USA
Dora is a New York-based handbalancer and contortion coach. She is known for consistent, demanding training and fast progress on the one-arm handstand, and she now coaches both handbalancing and contortion. Handstand Diary interviewed her about dedication over time. Read it if you want to understand how she works.
If you're chasing a one-arm, or you want flexibility work from someone who coaches contortion, this is your teacher.
Eamonn Doran · Ireland
Eamonn is the founder of Handstand Fiesta and runs Jungle Fiesta. He started handstands in 2017 at the London School of Handbalance under Sainbayar Janchivdorj, alongside Sammy Dinneen and Sasha Voytovich. In 2023 he left a career in FinTech to work in circus full-time. He teaches workshops and runs the festivals in Valencia.
How the teaching works
Seven two-hour handstand workshops in your track: beginner, intermediate or advanced.
Daily masterclasses: flexibility, physical preparation and technique, each day from a different angle.
Open-level afternoon sessions: flow, creativity and skills you wouldn't normally try.
Different teachers, different approaches. You leave with more than one way to think about your handstand.
Train with them in Mexico
Jungle Fiesta runs 12–17 March 2027 at Ozen Resort, about 20 minutes from Playa del Carmen. Five nights in a jungle cabin, all meals and the full programme are included. Early bird $999 until 31 October, then $1,149, then $1,245.
