Amy Han
Amy started her training in 2009, when a friend encouraged her to join a class. She had no idea what parkour was at the time, but her first impression was positive: she loved the challenge of finding her own way over obstacles.
Amy has never been a ‘sporty’ person, but she fell in love with parkour because it demands so much of her mental attention, pushing her to be a better version of herself, as well as being physically challenging. She also loves that it feels like play when so much of life often feels structured and rule-based.
Outside of parkour, Amy is an author and the founder of Creative Write-it, which runs creative writing workshops for young people in Melbourne.
Matthew ‘Chippa’ Campbell
Chippa started training parkour in 2004, and has been training and sharing his skills ever since. As one of the co-founders of the Australian Parkour Association, Chippa has been heavily involved in the development and growth of the Australian parkour community, and was its President for six years. Currently he is President of Melbourne Parkour.
In his training and classes, Chippa often draws upon his experience in the army (infantry and commandoes) and martial arts, as well as his background as a personal trainer and stunt professional.
Parkour encompasses many things Chippa finds important: learning to use your body, being healthy and strong (in mind and body), and using these skills to help others, which he does mostly through teaching.
Romain Hassa
Romain started parkour in early 2013, while also training in capoeira, gymnastics, tricking, breakdancing, contemporary dance, and ballet.
What he enjoys the most about parkour is the mental and physical strength it develops. This encourages a level of creativity and confidence that can transfer to many aspects of both other styles of movement, and life in general.
Romain studied a Masters in Exercise Rehab. However, after realising that his passion was overall movement, hedecided to study a Diploma of Dance, which he will pursue in 2016.
Outside of parkour and dance training, Romain also works as a dance teacher and gymnastics coach.
Mike ‘Smo’ Snow
Smo started parkour at the age of 15 in 2007, after training both gymnastics and breakdancing for five years. Through parkour, he met guys who were both stuntmen and parkour instructors, and decided he wanted to follow the same path. He graded as a stuntman in 2010, and has since worked on various Australian and American feature films, TV series, TV commercials and live shows, including Gallipoli (TV series, 2014), King Kong (live theatre, 2013 – 2014), and I, Frankenstein(feature film, 2012).
Smo likes that parkour isn’t competitive; that the focus of the movement is on practicality instead of aesthetics, and that the philosophy behind it comes from somewhere not driven by ego and selfishness. Physically, his favourite aspect of parkour training is climbing: he’s always loved climbing, but not in gyms with a rope and harness, so parkour gives a good reason to climb outdoors the way he likes to climb.
More information about Smo’s list of credits and appearances can be found at www.mikesnow.com.au