Brian Walden, National Program Director; Regional Program Director – Boston, MA
Brian is a professional entertainer, educator, and wellness promoter imbued with a tireless devotion to improving the quality of the life we all share. It was with this devotion that Brian co-founded and named the Vegetable Circus in 2005. Brian is a regular face at most of the elementary schools in Somerville, MA, and many in the Boston area. Brian strives daily to nurture the Vegetable Circus so it can grow ever-more educational, inspiring, and fun! Brian’s contagious enthusiasm has helped him excel at recruiting talented artists, practitioners, and organizers into our programs.
Little Legume, Artistic Director
Superhero and clown, Little L loves everything organic! As soon as she heard about Vegetable Circus, she knew this was the circus for her. Little L is a circus hooper, face painter and stilt walker. If she’s not dancing inside a hula hoop, she’s inventing the delicious snacks using the organic ingredients.
Her favorite smoothie consists of bananas, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and grape juice. Try it!
Justine Pattantyus, Marketing Director
Justine graduated from Simmons College in 2008 with a BA in Management. She has a passion for marketing, circus, and all things healthy! Juice joined the Vegetable Circus in 2010, and performs in stage shows, writes show material, and supports our outreach efforts. Juice is also an avid juggler and her favorite vegetable is kale.
Zach Fischer, Regional Program Director – Oakland, CA
Zach Fischer began his veggie circus career as a fledgling little squash in Boston. Although a long time student of movement, getting mixed up with Hot Soup spun his life in a new direction, helping kids gain skills and confidence through circus. He also runs a parkour and urban movement program at Kinetic Arts Center, in Oakland, California. The Great Zachini has studied Capoeira in New York, Zen Martial Arts in Chicago, Circus Arts in Boston, and Acrobatics in the Bay Area. It’s his hope to keep expanding, in parallel, his knowledge of the world and the body’s capacity for movement. The Great Zachini would like to remind everyone that you are what you eat, from the organs in your body, to the hair on your head. With good food, we can make ourselves better people.
Sara Phoenix, Regional Program Director – Raleigh, NC
Sara Phoenix is all about the whimsy. A herstory of performance art and a flare for bringing bright magic and sparkly awe into form has landed her in the world of circus arts. Wielding her trusty hoop, Sara Phoenix lives to inspire hope, healing and laughter. Her trip the light fantastic fire, flow and aerial art weaves a web of cosmic intention. With her love of community and group-work, Sara Phoenix is the founder of Phoenix Rising Productions, and initiated the formation of The Eclectic Circus Collective. She also initiated the formation of a local triangle chapter of The Vegetable Cirus. She currently has studio construction underway to bring Raleigh its very own school for the Circus Arts, Cirque de Vol Studios. She believes in the healing nature of food when grown and consumed naturally. And the importance of living with intention and mindfulness. She loves raw green smoothies, children, dancing, and you!