Lina Johansson
I have spent over 30 years working in the movement and circus world, as a circus performer, specialising in group acrobatics, and as choreographer, movement director and director – working with cross-artform collaborations mixing high physicality into film, fashion, theatre and opera. Collaborator includes Dior, Royal Shakespeare Company, Garsington Opera, Edinburgh International Festival, Shona Heath and BBC. I was also one of the original founder of Mimbre; a female-led company that creates acrobatic theatre production which has reached over a hundred-thousand audiences nationally and internationally.
In the last few years I have expanded my focus to physicality in a much broader sense; how do we look after our bodies for long-term health and how can we work inclusively with different abled bodies? In 2025 I gained a Level 3 Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor Qualification (Level 4 EQF) and I am now actively looking at how I can mix the latest research around strength as we age, with the the creative approach from circus and dance and the physical knowledge I hold in my body; to make strength building more exciting and supportive for everyone.
I am always interested in collaborative projects pushing what physicality can be and look like in new directions, both artistically and scientifically. I thrive on curiosity and new challenges and am always open to a chat about new ideas!
About Me
I have been a physical mover my whole life, starting with running in the woods of Sweden, which got me into athletics, followed by some teenage boxing years and then by chance into circus, which I fell in love with. This brought me to London and Cuba for training and then across the world performing and touring.
Over the years I have taken inspiration from many additional movement forms; capoeira, contemporary dance, movement theories like Alexander Technique and Fighting Monkey and my work with Daryl Beeton and Rick Rogers around creative and physical approaches to inclusive practice.
My main interests, in both arts, strength and life, is to build connections and communities; collaborative practices where you can learn and be challenged; to create beauty and joy in the everyday and to create inclusive and accessible spaces where every one has a chance to play, dream and grow!
Contact me to connect or to talk about potential ways of working together!