2008 Faculty

Eduardo Dorticos Borges

Originally from Cuba, Eduardo has lived and breathed acrobatics since he left his family at age 8 to live and study at the Santa Clara Provincial School of Gymnastics. As a child, his mother would see him sitting alone on her front porch steps while the other children were playing and laughing outside. She asked him, “why are you bored?” to which he replied “I’m not bored. I’m dreaming about gymnastics”.

A childhood illness interrupted his training and 7 years passed without gymnastics. But he never stopped dreaming about it. In his late teens, he joined gymnastics again and was selected by the head of Cuba’s national team to live and train at the National School of Gymnastics. Within one year, Eduardo made the national team at the Olympic level, and competed intenationally for several years.

Upon retiring from gymnastics, Eduardo had his degree in Physical Education and spent 2 years teaching gymnastics at Garcia More in Havana. Then along with some of his old team mebers, he went to join the Cuban National Circus, where his specialty was Chinese poles, high bar, and hand to hand balancing.
While there he formed a troupe called the Los Flyers and they went to perform for the world-renowned Tropicana cabaret and besides performing a resident show in Havana, they were invited to compete in the International Circus festival of Monte Carlo presenting their Chinese poles act. Tropicana also toured throughout England, South America and, finally, Canada.

It was in Canada that Eduardo found his new home. He has since worked for top Canadian circus companies such as Cirque Sublime, Zero Gravity Circus, and Aerial Angels. In Oct 2007, he formed Dorticos Productions with his partner Sarah Scheunhage. They created “Cirque Fit”, teaching adult circus and fitness classes in Toronto. The company also provides cirque-style entertainment for corporate and private events. Combining dazzling acrobatics and expressive dance both in the air and on the ground, Sarah and Eduardo draw audiences into the awe-inspiring world of contemporary circus. Using their expertise in gymnastics, latin and contemporary dance, afro-Cuban rhythms, and professional circus training they have created a repertoire of sensuous, daring, and elegant acts which have delighted international audiences.

Performance Experience
- Tropicana Cabaret
- Resident Havana Show
- Royal Albert Hall, England
- Hummingbird Centre
- National Circus of Cuba
- Special invited guest of Prince Rainier to compete in the Circus Festival of Monte Carlo
- 5 city tour, Columbia
- 2 week guest appearance, University of Theatre, Medeyin, Columbia
- Cirque Sublime
- Zero Gravity Circus
- Aerial Angels
- Suspended Animation Circus
- Various corporate events in GTA district, with Dorticos Productions

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Sherri Atwood

As a third generation dance educator and choreographer, Sherri is passionate about sharing her love of dance with others, and seeing it enrich their lives the way it has hers. Sherri's education in tap, jazz, ballet, acrobatics, and modern have helped earn her multiple awards as a choreographer and teacher at local, National, and International competitions. Sherri was co-owner of Westside Dance and Gymnastics Academy in Tigard, Oregon for 14 years where she helped develop and direct one of the largest

Performing Companies in the Northwest. Sherri currently judges, choreographs and teaches master classes locally and nationally. She specializes in contortion acrobatic work, as well as jazz, tap, and adagio. She is an accredited teacher and member of Dance Masters of America, where she has been the recipient of the Sheri Gold Award for choreography excellence. Her students have danced all over the world, performing in New York, Europe, Japan, and gracing the stages of Disneyworld, Disneyland, and other theme parks and cruise ships.