Installment Three Meet the Instructor Alisa Walton

Alisa Walton

Alisa Walton made her stage debut at the age of three as the only little turning top to fall down on her bottom in front of an audience, and a television camera.

Professionally trained at two of Canada’s finest dance schools, the School of Dance, Ottawa and The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, it was really evident (especially when Miss Franca kept getting her mixed up with Anne Ditchburn) that even though she could dance, she should act.

Things began to look up and after graduating the full time Conservatory Programme of the School Of Physical Theatre (Toronto, Canada, London England). Walton has performed on stages as prestigious as the National Arts Centre and Young People’s Theatre, but also in dangerous places such as stilt dancing on hilltops in the British Virgin Islands.  Once she improvised cold turkey for a group of old school Moscow Circus clowns in a salon in Paris… that was scarier than being 50 feet up in a harness.  Any aspirations to do serious roles have always been dashed by Walton’s infectious ability to send things up.  Her version of the Dying Swan was actually STOLEN by a famous Russian clown. That’s o.k. she’ll send him some corrections, he was doing it wrong… As part of the GEMINI award winning cast of TVO’s long running Series Polka Dot Shorts Walton created the live version of the character Marigold, bringing the beloved rag doll to life for the shows eight seasons.   Polka Dot Shorts continues to air, now in it’s 21^st year!  With some of the same cast she also created the character Socks the Monkey in Corus/Nelvana’s Series Elliot Moose is on the  Loose. This show is also still on the air.

Walton’s circus work includes stilt dancing, and work as a Ringmaster and Lead Clown.  She can perform Aerial bungee, hammock, and is working on mastering German Wheel.

Walton is the Founder and Artistic Director of Crow’s Feet Physical Theatre.  In this role she is keenly aware that she is only as good as the team she works with.

As a physical performer, Walton’s work has been described as Virtuoso…she credits good training and every one of her teachers for this.  Walton is known for her dedication, attention to detail, and exacting expectations of herself and her colleagues.  She also uses her early experience of falling on her bottom in front of lots of people as a metaphor for creating good theatre…