A QPOC creative with global professional experience. For her consulting work please visit Shizen Creative Consulting.
Perpetually in search of wonder found when we are not bound to the ground, Nami Hall has been directing and performing aerial poetry, narrative theatre and inverse kitsch across the globe for more than 25 years. She holds a BA in Circus Arts with specialization in Swinging Trapeze and Hand Balancing; currently teaching her unique somatic approach and technique to those who are eager to learn. She teaches at Night Flight Studio, Portland’s Queer owned and operated aerial and circus studio. Nami was a collective member of the BIPOC Circus in Portland, Oregon. Passionate about diversity and equity, she is dedicated to fostering inclusion within the circus field and have witnessed firsthand the transformative power that circus holds. BIPOC Circus creates BIPOC spaces, free classes, teaching mentorships and accessible training for BIPOC folks in the Portland area.
Nami traveled the world as company member and eventual Associate Director of Australian company SWAY. She’s created work and performed for the 2014 Russian Winter Olympics, the 2012 London Summer Olympics, World Expos, Commonwealth Games, and has worked with the International Ballet Theatre, among other notable engagements. She was based in Brooklyn, NY for 7 years then L.A., Shanghai, Tokyo, Portland and most recently Berlin.
A graduate of the National Institute of Circus Arts, she realized that flights of fancy and joy in the perfectly absurd could find elegance and harmony through delicate choreography. This originality—as well as her discipline—sets her apart as a performer, and now teacher and choreographer, as she strives to creatively explore and define new boundaries around aerial work.
These days, she’s based between Berlin, Germany and Portland, Oregon.
C.V.
Career highlights:
BIPOC Circus collective member. Directed site specific work for the Sochi Winter Olympics, London Summer Olympics, World Expos, Dollywood, Szgeit fest in Budapest, Commonwealth Games, and Directing with Night Flight.
Currently: Studio manager, Teacher, Social Media Strategy, Production Coordinator and Administrator at Night Flight Studios in Portland, Oregon
2023 - current
Coach at Night Flight Studio
Specializing in dance trapeze, static trapeze and hand balancing
Portland, OregonMarch 2024 - June 2024
Spring 2025
Director
MSL Hotel
A narrative theater show with various aerial performers and an actor/singer throughline.
March 2024 - June 2024
Director
The Forest
A narrative theater show with various aerial performers and an actor/singer throughline.
March 2023
Content Artist
Content is a hotel take over art event. 39 artists were chosen and give a hotel room to showcase their art work in. Nami devised, choreographed and filmed an acrobatic insomniac dance on the bed. She printed AI generated images from dreamscapes of the character. Posters of the character were hung on the walls, ending with the footage of her dance.
Oct 2023
Production Coordinator + Social Media
Night Flight’s annual Fright Night show
Halloween themed show with a large cult following.
Portland, Oregon
November 2022
Narrator of Ko Samui Surat Thani Thailand, 50 tips from a local (voice over, sound editing and recording)
Written by Loraine Couturier
CZYK Publishing
Berlin, Germany
September 2022
Narrator of Nara City Guide (voice over, sound editing and recording)
Written by George Shitaki
CZYK Publishing
Berlin, Germany
February 2020
Director of Night Flight's Return to Dreaming,
An Aerial show with strong narrative.
Portland, Oregon
2018 - 2020
Coach at Night Flight Studio
Specializing in static trapeze and hand balancing
Portland, Oregon
December 2007- 2015
Sway Company Member/Director on tour/Tour manager
Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Mexico, U.S.A, Ireland, South Korea, Australia, India, Chile, Canada, Turkey, Indonesia, Taiwan, China, Switzerland, Spain, Russia, U.K. and Israel
Director on tour/Performer of sway pole and character work. Nami created site specific work and directed repetoire.
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Sway highlights:
-2016 Guangzhou, China
Le Cercle Event
Director on tour/Tour Manager
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-2015 Virginia, U.S.A. VA Arts Festival
Director on tour and performer. Sway Pole.
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-2014 L.A., U.S.A
Maxim's 100 Hottest Females event
Director on tour and performer. Sway Pole.
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-2014 Budapest, Hungary Sziget Festival.
Director on tour and performer. Sway Pole.
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-2014 Sochi Park, Russia (Sochi Olympics)
Director on tour and performer. Sway Pole.
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-2013 Tennessee, U.S.A. Extended stay in Dollywood
Director on tour and performer. Sway Pole.
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-2012 World Expo South Korea
Choreographer, director on tour and performer. Sway Pole.
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-2012 London Olympics
Performer with Strange Fruit and Graeae. Sway Pole.
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February 2009
International Ballet Theater
Central American Tour
IBT company member. Performed 2 original trapeze acts.
October 2007
DiVino
Melbourne, Australia
Performed Handstand Tippity Tap, swinging trapeze and character work.
September 2007
NICA Showcase 2007
Melbourne, Australia
Performed original work on swinging trapeze.
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April 2007
NICA Building Opening
Melbourne, Australia
Performed swinging trapeze.
March 2007
Order of Melbourne Masquerade Ball
Melbourne, Australia
Performed burlesque style static trapeze.
February 2007
Girls On The Floor
Melbourne, Australia
Performed handstand tap dancing in a nightclub setting.
December 2006
DiVino
Melbourne, Australia
Performed handstand tap dancing, character work and
swinging trapeze. Directed by Valeria Campo.
March 2006
Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremonies
Melbourne, Australia
Performed aerial ballet in a harness 70 feet from the ground.
September 2001 - January 2005
Do Jump – Extremely Physical Theatre Company Member
Portland, Oregon
Performed aerial acts, physical theatre, and dance.
Directed by Robin Lane.
December 2004
Live Action Benefit Show
Portland, Oregon
Performed and choreographed dance/partner acrobatics.
May 2004
Clowns Without Boarders - Nomadic Theatre Company
Portland, Oregon
Benefit show for world tour, performed dance and partner acrobatics.
February 2004
Burly-Q Underground
Portland, Oregon
Performed aerial ring.
June 2003
Portland Rose Festival
Portland, Oregon
Performed aerial ring on a moving float for Resers Fine Foods.
June 2001
Nexus Choreographer Showcase
Portland, Oregon
Performed contemporary dance. Directed by Yoji Hall.
June 2001
Rose Festival Parade
Portland, Oregon
Performed, “Elmo” in full body costume for the Children’s Television Workshop.
FILM
March 2026
Actor for Panorama Film Festival Short
Portland, Ore Directed by Dawn Redstone
June 2020
Actor for Frame Bridge Commercial
Portland, Ore
July 2008
Microsoft’s Most Talented Hottie Comp
New York
Performed handstand tap dancing
November 2007
Angie Hart Care Music Video
Melbourne, Australia
Performed static trapeze
April 2003
What The Bleep Do We Know?
Portland, Oregon
Acted as wedding guest and dancer in wedding scenes. Directed by William Arntz.
November 2002
Hershey’s Reese’s Pieces Commercial
Portland, Oregon
Performed hand modeling and body doubling for an animated boy. Directed by Chel White at Bent Image labs.
August 2002
Cartoon Network Power Puff Girls Commercial
Portland, Oregon
Performed hand modeling. Directed by Chel White at Bent Image Labs.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2023 - Current and 2018 - 2020
Aerial Instructor at Night Flight Studios
Portland, Oregon
September 2011
University of Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Taught theater/creative movement to University musical theater students.
August 2011
Private Trapeze Workshop
Streb Action Lab Brooklyn, NY
Instructed children aged 4-9 years on trapeze with gymnastics warm up. 1 hour workshop.
August 2008
Sway
U.S.A. Tour
Co-taught theatre workshops
June 1997 – January 2005
Echo Theatre
Portland, Oregon U.S.A.
Aerial dance, circus skills, gymnastics and creative movement to students aged 3 years to adult.
January 1999 – December 2000
Rice Performing Arts Centre
Portland, Oregon U.S.A.
Tap dance to children aged 4 to 11.
February 2000
West Sullivan Middle School
Portland, Oregon U.S.A.
Swing dance to children aged 11 to 14.
EDUCATION
Swinburne University of Technology
B.A. National Institute of Circus Arts
Melbourne, Australia
Specialties: Swinging trapeze and Handstand Tap dancing.
2021
Movement Art workshop with Giorgia Ohanesian Nardin
Martin-Gropius-Bau Museum
Berlin, Germany
2017
Movement Art workshop with Giorgia Ohanesian Nardin
Tokyo, Japan
April 2000
Theatre Workshop with Kamal Sunavala
Mumbai, India