Born in 1978 in Jimma, Ethiopia, Tedros Girmaye has been performing circus, theatre and dance around the world for the past 15 years, including for Cirque du Soleil, Circus Ethiopia and Gandini Juggling, first performing in the latter’s Smashed in September 2012.

He grew up playing and competing in several sport activities, including gymnastics, for school and regions in Ethiopia. After he completed his secondary schooling he moved to Addis Ababa and joined MTSE theatre company/school for 4 years, where he learned and performed theatre and traditional dance, including appearances with the most popular Ethiopian singer Aster Awoke.

He appeared as a dancer and actor in Tewodros (Ethiopian National Theatre, directed by Abate Mekuria). In 2002 he moved to the UK to study further performing arts, at Hammersmith College, and between 2007–9 studied at the National Centre for Circus Arts from which he received the foundation degree.