Bio

Born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, Adam danced to the beat of his own drum from a young age.  At 6 years old, he began studying theater and karate, and at 17 he left home to study theater intensively at the North Carolina School of the Arts. 

Since high school, his education has been marked by extensive traveling:  two years at Emerson College majoring in musical theater; six weeks at the American Dance Festival School, where he worked with Takuya Muramatsu on a Butoh premiere; a semester abroad in Europe; a month in Bali studying mask dancing; a summer in San Francisco falling in love with circus and two years of intensive training back at North Carolina School of the Arts. 

After graduating with a BFA in Directing under Gerald Freedman, Adam moved to Vermont to pursue his love of circus arts at the New England Center for Circus Arts, run by ex-Cirque du Soleil aerialists Elsie and Serenity Smith.  Upon completing the Professional Track and Teacher Training programs, Adam began traveling all over the United States seeking out circus coaches and developing a unique style of instruction based on combining his expressive theater and traditional circus training.

He settled in New York City in 2010, and is available for coaching, performance, or production work.

Artist Statement

I have always been interested in extremes, in the edges of things.    What does it mean when an artist is “cutting edge” or “edgy?” 

It means they are bold, doing something new and doing it well.  It means they have taken everything around them, absorbed it and spit out something that is very specifically THEIRS. 

Precision of expression is my goal in performing, directing or teaching.

As an artist I believe in the power of discipline and structure, of allowing creativity to flow through constraint.  Through struggle and constraint, we tap into greater levels of creativity and commitment.  Without structure and specificity, expression becomes barren and diffuse.  My work is to create exciting, poignant and accessible performances that touch, inspire and provoke.  I create art because I believe it is the only way people really learn.  I believe art changes and heals the world.

Mission

To be an indispensable and defining artist to my community.

*Indispensable:  my contributions are of practical worth, not just to other artists, but to the whole community.  If the community would not mourn the loss of my work, I am not doing my job.

*Defining:  The community is given new edges by my presence.  I will never be invisible, I will always be available, I will always speak my mind, and I will always listen when others speak their minds.

*My Community:  My neighborhood.  Circus people.  Theater people.  Dancers.  Artists.  My family.