Based in Asheville, NC, Unifire Theatre is a one-of-a-kind performance that blends theater with fire arts from around the globe. Each stunning show tells a story that is woven with fire and enhanced by expert choreography and costuming. The troupe is committed to bringing you a spectacularly visual story while preserving the art of fire manipulation and dance. The result is an incredible experience that is both breathtaking and enlightening. You will be astounded at the skill of these artists as they spin, juggle, breathe, toss, and eat fire while remaining completely unscathed.
Formerly known as Djinntana, the troupe has been working together for years honing their art and now performs at festivals and events throughout the southeast. Unifire can perform for large events as well as weddings and birthdays. Some shows are fun and playful and suitable for all ages while others are an expression of the darker, sultry side of fire that has fascinated man through the ages. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime event!
A note on safety: Although we enjoy dancing with fire, safety is a primary concern of everyone at Unifire. We employ people at every show who are highly trained to ensure the safety of our performers and our audience.
Each fire tool is inspected by our Safety Coordinator and the performer before each use. We work closely with the local fire departments and have never been denied a fire permit. Because we focus so much on safety, we have never had any serious injuries or accidents, and our performances exceed the safety recommendations of the National Organization for Fire Performers.
So without further ado, we now introduce . . .
The Players of Unifire Theatre
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Liam
Liam is the patriarch of Unifire and the troupe depends upon his wisdom and experience when it comes to safety and knowledge of fire performance. Liam is trained in the arts of stiltwalking, fire whip, fire swords and costuming. He is an accomplished percussionist that can be seen playing with the local music and belly dancing troupe Baraka Mundi, of which he has been a part of since the turn of the century. You can email Liam at liam@unifiredance.com.
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Celeste
Celeste moved to Asheville at the end of 2003, having fallen deeply in love with the mountains, the city and its freaky inhabitants. By day she plays Architect in a local firm designing mountain dream homes. By night she often finds herself dancing with fire. Having a Dragon spirit and a passion for entertaining people, Celeste took quickly to the Flame and its power to amaze and delight. She specializes in fire bellydance, fire fans, and fire costuming, and is the troupe’s official healer of minor cuts, burns and abrasions. Celeste can also be seen with the Blue Ridge Rollergirls. You can email Celeste at celeste@unifiredance.com.
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Daniel
Daniel began his performance career at age 15 as a bicycle freestyle rider doing shows with the Pedal Power Trick Team. Since that time he has performed in numerous plays, poetry slams, and film. He has played percussion in the bands Green Grass Jubilee, K3 and Bandliter. He got his start with fire while playing drums with Michael Saab (www.moderngypsies.com). A two-time Teacher of the Year, Daniel works with special needs middle school students which he describes as a lot like juggling flaming torches. Daniel’s blend of creativity and originality have helped create a truly unique fire show that has featured him performing as a clown or with one of his original fire toys such as the “Buckets of Death” or the fire mop. Daniel juggles and fire breathes in addition to using staff, double staff, devil sticks and fire jump rope. In addition to performing with Unifire, he works with a local vaudeville, cabaret, burlesque troupe dubbed “The Seduction Sideshow”. You can email Daniel at sneakymcfly@gmail.com
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Laura
Laura aka Lulubird has been a part of the Unifire family since the summer of 2005 finding her first connection to the Flame in keeping her friends safe. Certainly happy to protect her friends anytime, she has branched out in her input to the troupe through her storytelling skills. Having shared yarns at numerous music and arts festivals across the Southeast she debuted as a voice for fire performance of a Unifire original creation tale at the fall 2005 Lake Eden Arts Festival in Black Mountain, NC. Now she performs with fire staffs, costuming, lotus palms, hulahoop, sword, and poi and continues to elevate and grow in her relationship with the Flame and her fire family. She may be reached via email at lululovesstories@gmail.com.
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Cody
Cody Louise embodies grace in all she does with fire art. Since 2004 fire has been an important element in her creative expression. She has performed with numerous tools including poi, staff, fans, hoops, fire eating, and costuming. Her keen sense of rhythm and movement enhances her refined tool skills and completes the whole of the fire dance. Her venue repertoire lists the Lake Eden Arts Festival, the Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival, the Trinumeral Festivals, and the Hemlock Fest. Aside from twirling balls of fire her life focuses primarily as a nurturing mother to beautiful Caroleina. Her artist talents range from silversmithing (mostly jewelry) to cosmetology. She truly shines as a bright star in Unifire Theater and wherever she goes. Also be sure to check out Cody’s Wedding Creations.
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Chris
All the way from the Y.O. (Aka Yonkers NY) Chris picked up his first pair of poi at the age of 14. He quickly found his home studying in many mixed fire oriented martial arts including staffs, swords, whips, poi, axes, manrikigusari, and the dart. Specializing mainly in mask making and quad-stilt creature constructions, he finds himself always creating more complex and elaborate Dragon Costumes (because a dragon suit that can trample your car simply isn’t enough) You can check him on facebook or contact him at livingreiki@yahoo.com
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Aastral Fire
Aastral Fyre is a true mountain fire faerie, embracing the art of fire dance, theater and costuming since 2000. Her relationship with fire as art is deeply rooted in her lifelong pursuit of movement, dance and personification of alter ego’s on stage! A co-founder of Asheville’s first fire troupe Tranceform Venus; Aastral has a wide variety of fire skills that include poi, staff, jump rope, fire eating and breathing, wearable fire art, fans and of course respect for the element and all that it teaches her. Always aware that the first order of fire dancing is doing it safely Aastral spent her time learning about safety before learning about performing. Aastral resides on a deep forest mountain top and spends her free time doing carpentry on her personal haven, periodically surfacing to play with fire and go to school! Aastral has performed extensively in the Southeast including 5 years of LEAF festivals both spring and fall! You can reach Aastral at aastralfyre@gmail.com
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Sizzla!
Sizzla! (also known as Creatrix “Iz” Web) has been dancing and performing circus arts for over a decade, has been involved in fire shows as a fire safety for almost two decades, and has been involved in the performing arts her whole life. After running away to join the circus at age 29, she found herself in the mountains of North Carolina, hanging out with members of Unifire’s predecessors, Djintanna and The Surreal Sirkus, learning to light her hula hoops and belly dance costumes on fire. She has been a Unifire member for over five years, performing fire dance, hula hoops, and other miscellaneous props.
In the past, Iz has been a member of the Suhaila Dance Company and Bal Anat, Zippo’s Festival Circus, the Accidental Circus, the Surreal Sirkus, and was the “Lovely Assistant” to Paolo Garbanzo for many years.
Iz is a founding member of the Asheville, NC Living Arts collective The Landing; she is the Creative Director of the newly formed Clan Destiny Family Circus; and she spends a lot of time putting together the “MAZe” (Mobile Autonomous Zone) project. A prolific multimedia artist specializing in “trash” art and digital art, she is currently working on the Return of Free Water project, and is writing a memoir of when she narrowly escaped her career of corporate slavery to run away to join a circus. She recently received her teacher’s certification in Circus Yoga, and is excited to share Circus Yoga with people of all ages.
Her advice to youngsters? Stop watching television! You’ll be amazed at how much free time you have to do cool things!
