Feature image: Deposit Photos.
Jonathan “Jono” Tilley has swung from trapezes across Asia, performed acrobatics in Europe, and abseiled down buildings in Adelaide. Now, he is using those skills to teach older South Australians something many have not attempted since childhood: how to roll.
The former trapeze artist has created a circus academy specifically for people aged over 50, helping participants regain confidence in their bodies while learning practical movement, tumbling, and circus skills.
The idea came after Jono was in a motorbike accident in 2009, when he was struck head-on by a car.
“I managed to roll as I hit the ground, and I didn’t break any bones,” he said.
“That was the first wake-up call. Knowing how to roll and having it as muscle memory helped me when I went flying through the air, so surely it was something other adults should learn.”
While rolling often comes naturally to children, Jono said it becomes an increasingly unfamiliar movement as people grow older.
He believes many adults begin avoiding physical challenges because they are worried about falling, becoming injured or finding themselves in a position they cannot safely recover from.
“We’ve got an ageing population, and nobody teaches roll dynamics once you get over a certain age,” he said.
“I realised there was a huge need to build resilience. After people reach a certain age, they can stop doing these exercises or learning new things because they’re afraid they’ll hurt themselves.”
Having spent years training stunt performers, acrobats and parkour artists, Jono decided he could adapt his experience to help older adults move with greater confidence.
He has now been running the classes for two years from the South Australian Circus Centre, where his own circus journey began.
Jono first trained at the centre through its well-known Cirkidz program before continuing as an adult while working full-time as an electrical engineer.
However, he quickly realised engineering was not the career for him.
“Just on a whim, I thought I’d apply for a job with Club Med in Thailand, and I got accepted,” he said.
Within four weeks, he had sold his belongings, resigned from his job and moved to Thailand to train as a trapeze artist.
The decision led to several years travelling and performing throughout Asia and Europe. He also taught at circus schools and developed experience across acrobatics and other performance disciplines.
Jono returned to Adelaide about a decade ago and took on the role of artist development coordinator at the South Australian Circus Centre, bringing his career back to where it had started.
He now divides his time between teaching and working as a rope access technician, abseiling down city buildings to complete painting, repairs and sign installations.
Despite the dramatic nature of his work, Jono said teaching has always been one of the most rewarding parts of his career.
“I’ve always loved the little victories and helping people achieve things they didn’t think they were capable of,” he said.
The academy offers three class levels, each designed around participants’ ages, abilities and confidence.
Confidence Through Circus is the entry-level program and is primarily aimed at people aged over 60. It focuses on strengthening the body, preparing participants to roll and introducing the basic movements needed to do so safely.
The next level, Fit and Ready to Roll, is aimed at people aged over 55. Along with practical rolling skills, the program begins introducing participants to a wider range of circus activities.
“That’s the first class where we start branching out into other circus skills and giving everyone a taste of different things,” Jono said.
His most advanced program, Circus and Acro 50 Plus, is designed for participants ready to explore tumbling, trampoline skills, handstands and other forms of acrobatics.
Some participants arrive with backgrounds in gymnastics or sport, while others have not taken part in structured physical activity since childhood.
“It’s about getting people back to skills they might have had as a child,” Jono said.
“I’ve had ex-gymnasts, people who have never done gymnastics and people who haven’t done anything really physical since they were kids.”
Rather than expecting participants to perform dangerous tricks, Jono said the classes are about gradually expanding what people believe they can do.
By building strength, practising unfamiliar movements and learning how to recover from the ground, he hopes participants will feel safer and more capable in their everyday lives.
“The goal is to help people feel safe, expand their comfort zone and achieve things they never thought they were capable of,” he said.
