Contortionist, Aerialist & Dancer | Vanessa Quist (Luke's mum)

WOW, what an amazing adventure this was! Never did I expect to make it through to the final. To stand on that iconic stage where dreams come true, it's truly indescribable 🤩. I was also the youngest solo artist at 11 years old, that is crrrrrazy! I've truly enjoyed the creative process thinking up original themes and different routines for that necessary element of surprise to secure a place in the next round. And all in record time as well; through each phase, the props, the music and costumes somehow all came together and slotted in so perfectly. Thank you @pixieleknot and @imagescostumes for all of your amazing support! Without you, this would not have been possible 💕 Plus of course, my devoted mum for managing everything behind the scenes. She is my emotional support, my biggest fan, my social media manager, my photographer and videograoher, my cook, my secretary, my stylist, my chauffeur, my travel agent and @soldejaneiro purchaser 🤪 Holding the attention of the audience and the judges has given me such a thrill, I know this is what I want to do when I grow up. It might not necessarily be exclusively contortion, but it might be in aerial acrobatics, acting or dance, who knows what the future holds..... I'm so excited I have been given this opportunity, and I will be forever grateful as I'm sure this will help shape my future path. My sincerest congratulations to the superstar winners of Holland's Got Talent 2023: @showduo_rik_aimee ⭐️🇳🇱 💪🏋‍♂️ Rik & Aimee, you are such an inspiration for the current future generations, and I wish you every success in your future showbusiness endeavours and aspirations! You truly deserve this title and trophy! ❤️ Huge congrats to runners up @ironxcompany 💃 and @matthijs.van.delft 🎸 too. You both create such a magical world doing what you do; you transport us elsewhere during that glorious moment. Keep up your amazing work! 💕 We made it to the final guys. We are all winners. So proud! 🤜⭐️🤛 @amilia_showteam @raoelnoijenofficial @ironxcompany @matthijs.van.delft @womanair_duo @dc_passion_ @grynkova_alina , and Rachella. 🇳🇱⭐️🇳🇱⭐️🇳🇱⭐️🇳🇱 #HollandsGotTalent #HGT #hollandsgottalent2023 #talentshow

For the semi-final, with the advantage of the beautiful staging, I wanted to tell a story in a Cirque du Soleil 'aesthetic'. Contortion is often seen and associated as 'freakish'. As fun as that is at times, I wanted to demonstrate how beautiful and elegant this art form can be as well. So this was my chance 🙏 Never ever did I expect to go through to the final. We kept a potential aerial silks act in my back pocket should I make it through, but when I met the amazing @womanair_duo during the semi-final, I knew I could never dream to match their level! 🤩 As you would naturally expect, I've read a few comments on X (Twitter) asking how a child with (I quote) 'obviously too much cartilage' can be considered a 'talent' when it looks to be a physical abnormality or disease which should not be celebrated'. I wonder whether they hold the same view for athletes, ballet dancers and gymnasts, to name a few, who push their bodies to extremes. Any sport carries certain risks with it; it comes with the territory. That doesn't mean I'm careless with my back flexibility. To the contrary. Also, I don't demonstrate any of the symptoms that would indicate Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Hopefully, that clears up those concerns as well. Whether I have talent, I shall leave up to you to decide 😃. But in my heart, I know I've trained hard to reach this level, even if I was born with a natural ability, and I absolutely LOVE doing what I do. That is all that matters. Contortion has enriched my life, opening my eyes to dance and aerial acrobatics too. As a boy, I found it difficult to find my 'place' at first, as my flexibility was discouraged at gymnastics. But I didn't want to do what all the boys traditionally do 💪, I wanted to do what the girls did! ❤️ You must not be scared of your body, but embrace what it can do for you. I'm actually convinced that if you keep up your flexibility, it will benefit you later in life as well 🥨. Keep on developing and improving yourself, set those goals, and you will be much happier for it! Be like a caterpillar (don't they eat and sleep a lot?! 🤣). 🐛🦋 #HollandsGotTalent #hollandsgottalent2023 #rtl4 #youngtalent #HGT #imagescostumes

As a 'refresher', I thought I repost my previous performances in time for the final on Friday. Also, I want to pin these to my feed in a better format (best viewed by rotating your phone though, not your head 🤣). Reflecting back, it's the audition that is the hardest to balance. It's the one routine you have the most time to prepare for, so in theory, it's your chance to show yourself in the best way possible. But you don't want to give everything away, just in case you are successful in getting through to the next round, yet you want to convince everyone that you can offer enough diversity for the show. So it's important to plan ahead. Also, the audition shows you in your 'raw' form as there is no extra staging or special lighting to add to the performance. Your music choice becomes even more important for that reason to help set the mood, especially the tempo, as 2 minutes flies by! And... dress to impress in an effort to stand out! 😃 🙏 Thank you @pixieleknot for helping me with this routine and for training me in this very niche discipline. I'm so grateful to you! 🙏 Thank you @imagescostumes for making the mix and match fabric and design creations a reality. When you feel you look the part, you grow in confidence! 🙏 Thank you @hollandsgottalent production team and @rtl.nl for this amazing opportunity. Everyone made us feel so very welcome, I cannot praise you enough! ⭐️🇳🇱⭐️🇳🇱⭐️🇳🇱⭐️ #hgt2023 #HGT #hollandsgottalent2023 #HollandsGotTalent #talentshow

I honestly love you guys so much. We have almost sold out of all cards already! I hope to create some new designs soon, but for now, I'm going to be quite busy writing for my current orders. Please check out my remaining cards, if you are interested too, as I wouldn't want you to miss out! They all feature other photographs by @nickmolnarphotography inside as well as on the back of the card. Thank you all so much for your support! 🤩 #contortionist #boycontortionist #londonphotography

Jumping into a fresh week! Go for it, whatever the challenge might be! Happy Monday 😃 📸 by @mickeywestphoto 💙 by @imagescostumes #contortionist #londonphotography #jumpforjoy #boysdancetoo #imagescostumes #imagesambassador

During zoom class with @pixieleknot , wearing leggings by @imagescostumes 🌞 Wishing you a great fresh week ahead!! #contortionist #boycontortionist #flexible __people #extremeflexibility

Have been walking around with a huge smile on my face all day as @najah_emani asked me to dance with her on her choreography at the end of the lesson 🤩 Thank you so much!🙏 Your dances are always sooooo much fun!! ❤️ Thank you @starrkiely for filming and the encouragement 😍 #streetdance #diversitystudios #boysdancetoo

Here is some more behind the scenes footage at Britain's Got Talent following my audition last January 😃 Wearing @imagescostumes 🦖💚 Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead!! 🌞 #imagescostumes #britainsgottalent #bgt #bgtaudition #contortion #contortionist #boycontortionist #imagesambassador #flexible __people #cirquedusoleil #instacirque #youngtalent

Like a droplet 💧 📸 by @pluckphotography 🪡 by @imagescostumes #imagescostumes #aerialcircus #aerialist #aerialacrobatics #aerialacrobat #aerialphotography #bendyback #backbend #circusskills #cirquegram #cirquedusoleil #flexibleback #flexibility #extremeflexibility #pluckphotography #aerialsilks

The 150 years old Cutty Sark has survived heavy seas, war, neglect, fire and old age to be here in Greenwich. Trivia: it has also been known as Ferreira for twenty-seven years and following another exchange of ownership, as Maria do Amparo for a number of months. It has travelled the equivalent of two and a half voyages to the moon and back. 🌎🚢🌛 📸 by @nickmolnarphotography Wearing @imagescostumes 💚 #imagescostumes #cuttysark #everydayyoulearnsomethingnew #greenwich #contortionist #extremeflexibility #backbend #bendyback #youngtalent #youngcontortionist #flexible __people #circuskids #cirqueduinsta

Fancy a 'day out' in London? Come and join me on my travels to a Flying Trapeze lesson at @gorillacircus_fts where I met my buddy @bendytobias ✨️ My video will go 'live' in just under two hours. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel 🙏 and click the notification bell 🔔😃 #flyingtrapeze #dayoutinlondon #londonunderground

Hopping on the Tyla trend with my own twist 🌪 #boysdancetoo #tyladance