Dez Hoskins
Dez Hoskins is a co-founder of Head Over Heels. She comes from a background of theater and musical performance as well as a short time in gymnastics. Dez is involved with varying styles of dance such as belly dance and pop and lock through Bohemian Underground, modern and jazz through Smiling Lune, as well as swing and hip hop. Dez learned acrobatics and body balancing by working with Spencer Faust supplemented by classes through Xelias School for Aerial Arts. She is currently studying at Xelias, learning Spanish web and silks, with her main focus being trapeze. She has been performing as a street performer at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival since 2002, as well as at various locations around Minnesota. She taught acrobatics at BurlesqueMN and is currently teaching classes at Dance N' Magic studio in St. Paul.
Spencer Faust
Spencer Faust co-founded the acrobatic troupes Cheap Entertainment in 2008 and Head Over Heels with Dez Hoskins in 2010. Spencer was a performer, board member and technical director for Unhinged Theater. Spencer received his Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts from the University of Minnesota. While at the U of M Spencer studied aspects of physical performance under Minneapolis performer Bob Rosen, L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq graduate Luverne Seifert, and Theatre de la Jeune Lune founder Barbara Berlovitz. He also studied acrobatics, body balancing, aerial arts and object manipulation with Sean and Meg Emery, owners and founders of Xelias School for Aerial Arts. Spencer studied break dancing under Battlecatz members Slim, Atlas and B-boy Embryo and popping under Dancing Dave; he has been dancing for ten years. Spencer has twenty years of onstage performance experience, including several main stage shows at the University of Minnesota, multiple performances with Xperimental Theater, three separate Minnesota Fringe Festival productions and seven years as a street performer at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Spencer has been teaching acrobatics and body balancing for four years, including teaching classes with BurlesqueMN studio. He currently teaches classes at Dance N' Magic studio in St. Paul.
Stayce Petraborg
Stayce Petraborg is Head Over Heels' newest member, joining the troupe in early Spring 2013. Stayce comes from a strong dance and performance background. With 10+ years of dance experience and stage performance, her strengths reside in hip hop and technical forms of dance. Stayce is also well-versed in theatre and circus performance, having studied under Sean and Meg Emery, owners and founders of Xelias School for Aerial Arts, for a semester at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Her main focus in circus is in Silks and Spanish Web. She also joined Circus Juventas: All Youth Performing Circus for a year with owners and founders Dan and Betty Butler, focusing significantly on dance as a circus performance with small emphasis on Silks and Contortion. She received dance solos and senior dance positions in their iconic senior summer show short months after joining.
Stayce is a former student of Dez and Spencer's and learned all knowledge of body balancing and acrobatics from their instruction in Spring of 2012. She will be present at Minnesota Renaissance Festival as a street performer with Head Over Heels for her first season!
Currently, Stayce is continuing to pursue her Bachelor of Science in Apparel Design at the University of Minnesota as well as strengthen her image as a costumer designer.
Stayce is a former student of Dez and Spencer's and learned all knowledge of body balancing and acrobatics from their instruction in Spring of 2012. She will be present at Minnesota Renaissance Festival as a street performer with Head Over Heels for her first season!
Currently, Stayce is continuing to pursue her Bachelor of Science in Apparel Design at the University of Minnesota as well as strengthen her image as a costumer designer.