Founders

Laurence Estève

Co-Founder and Managing Director

Laurence was born in 1961 in Rueil-Malmaison, France, and started her career as an internationally recognized athlete in Windsurfing and Artistic Snow Ski. After her high school diploma she studied Physical Education at university & collected numerous teachers' diplomas: gymnastic, sailing & windsurfing, swimming, and body building. In 1988 she finished her Masters in Science & Technology of Economy and Administration of Sports Institutions, University de Paris IX, Dauphine, Paris. After completing her MBA she worked extensively as a business administrator for numerous Club Med Holiday resorts around the world. There she met her future husband and Zip Zap Co-Founder Brent van Rensburg. Using her diverse talents, Laurence has managed the financial and managerial aspects of the organization, in addition to aiding in the artistic development of the ZIP ZAP shows.

Brent van Rensburg

Co-Founder and Artistic Director

Brent brings 30 years of experience and passion for the circus to training young performers from all walks of life. Born in 1961 in Cape Town, he started to learn daring aerial skills at the circus school, YMCA Observatory, Cape Town, from 1973 until 1978. For the next 15 years he performed internationally in Italy, Holland, Denmark, Norway, France, England, Monte Carlo and America. Due to an accident, he decided to leave the performing side and started as an acrobatic instructor at the Ringling Brothers Clown College in Florida for two years. Afterwards, he spent three years conducting circus workshops for Club Med Holiday Resorts. There he met his future wife and Co-Founder of the Zip Zap Circus School, Laurence Estève. In 1991 they turned 30 under a big top performing their flying trapeze act together for Circus Gruss in France. In 1992 Brent and Laurence returned to his native South Africa and founded Zip Zap. Together they have trained, choreographed, and directed all ZIP ZAP shows.

Brent has done a great deal of rigging and stunt work in addition to his ZIP ZAP responsibilities.

In June 2008, Brent was awarded the title of Men's Health Best Man 2008 (Public Service).

More recently, in April 2011, the immense value of Brent's work was recognised by his home town. He received the Mayor's Medal for Youth Affairs for his "great contribution towards developing youth affairs in South Africa." (picture by Carl Fourie: Mayor of Cape Town, Dan Plato, City Manager Achmat Ebrahim & Brent)