Ralph Öllinger (b. 1989) is a multidisciplinary performance artist with a focus on ball manipulation and partner acrobatics. Originally from Austria, his curiosity for circus arts led him to the renowned Codarts University of the Arts in Rotterdam, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Circus Arts in 2016.
In 2017, Ralph premiered his first full-length solo show, “The Madman,” marking the beginning of a unique artistic journey. Always driven by a passion for interdisciplinary collaboration, he has created works such as “The Sound of Circles” with double bass player Marko Hristoskov, and “PopPOPpoP” with diabolo artist Stefan Bauer.
Beyond performing, Ralph is also active as a choreographer and workshop facilitator, sharing his expertise across various circus disciplines. In 2019, he completed a Master's degree in Interdisciplinary Choreography through a joint program between Codarts Rotterdam and Fontys Tilburg.
His artistic path has brought him to prestigious stages, including the Salzburger Festspiele and Bregenzer Festspiele, where he contributed as circus captain, stuntman, and opera double. In 2021, Ralph presented “Hommage an den Ball”, a series of pop-up performances in public spaces. Through this project, he began exploring the poetic figure of the white clown—a discovery that would shape his future work.
In 2023, Ralph premiered “Pierre Roman and the Whale on the Beach,” a poetic circus performance tracing the life of a white clown—graceful, nostalgic, and quietly profound. With over 100 performances to date, Ralph continues to breathe new life into this timeless figure: a white clown navigating a fast-changing world, searching for belonging and beauty.
Through expressive movement, juggling, and object manipulation, Ralph Öllinger invites audiences to reflect, remember, and reconnect.
Circus performance references:
2012 REalice EKH(AT), Walhalla Theatre(NL), Kunsthall Rotterdam(NL), Poortgebouw openstage(NL), Pöchlarner Juggling Convention(AT)
2013 Congress for education Den Haag(NL), Full Moon Babylon(NL), Poortgebouw openstage(NL), Juggling on Ice(A), The Big Day (NL)
2014 Company Domestica - Lof&Lust(NL), Poortgebouw openstage(NL), Flow Festival(A), Feldkirchner Straßen Spektakel(A), Pinzgauer Juggling Convention(A), Oude 35 Jaar!(NL), Opening Rotterdam Central Station(NL)
2015 Theater op de Markt with Crirque du reve (Be), Kunsthall Rotterdam(NL), Traiskirchen Erstaufnahme Center (A), Diedom Utrecht (NL), Danish Juggling Convention (DK), 24 uur Cultuur (NL), The Big Day (NL), Culture Club Euratsfeld(A), Rotterdam Circusstadt Festival(NL), Ridderzaal Den Haag(NL)
2016 Willem de Koonigen Academy (NL), Maastheater (NL), Vertigo (NL), FullMoon Babylon (NL), Performance Bar Rotterdam (NL), ITS Festival (NL), Oude Luxer Theater (NL),Burgkino Wien(AT), MINT Rotterdam (NL), DansAtelier Rotterdam (NL), Circunstruction Rotterdam (NL), NICE meeting Gschwend(DE), Festival Circolo (NL), Winterfest Salzburg (AT), Stationsplein Rotterdam (NL)
2017 Stadtteather Bruck an der Leitha (AT), Circusstad Festival Rotterdam (NL), LAMES St.Pölten (AT), Steppenwolf St. Pölten(AT), NICE Linz(AT), Schikanender (AT), Pygmalion Theater (AT), Butterfield & Robinson (NL), Streetlive Festival Vienna (AT), Salon Sardine (AT), Freies Theater Innsbruck (AT), Winterfest Salzburg (AT) 5th.Performance Art Festival im Urhof20 (AT)
2018 Die Originale at the Berliner Festpiele (D), Pflasterspektakel Linz (AT), Feldkirchner Straßenspekatel (AT), The Magic Flute at Salzburger Festspiele (AT), Grazer Akrobatik Convention (AT), Katapult Berlin (D), Kumst Strasshof (AT), Vollmondvaritie Dornbirn (AT), FullMoon Babylon Rotterdam (NL), Public Space Rotterdam (NL),STRTFSTVL Utrecht (NL), Butterfield & Robinson (NL), Open Performance Academy Rotterdam (NL)
2019 Tanzhafen Festival Linz(AT), Bregenzer Festspiele (AT), Redsapata (AT), Circo di Strada (NL), Tadaa! (LV)(EST), KASKADE (AT), Winterfest Salzburg (AT), Muziekgebouw Amsterdam (NL), Streetlife Festival Vienna (AT), Grazer Akrobatik Convention (AT), Codarts Rotterdam (NL)
2020 Wiener Teppich (AT), A Circus for Trees (AT), Kultursommer Wien (AT), Pride of Kleinkunst-Day (AT), Boiler Room Sessions (NL), Craft Choreography (AT), On the Edge (AT), Bill Commercial (AT)
2021 Bregenzer Festspiele (AT), Spectacle müssen seyn (AT), Hommage an den Ball (AT), circus:researched (AT), Moria Protest Camp (AT), Veda Hof (AT), ON THE EDGE (AT), Grazer Akrospähre (AT), Sonnenstein LOFT (AT)
2022 Little French Quarter (AT), Krapoldi Festival(AT), Imaginarius(PT), Usedom Festival (DE), Kultursommer Wien (AT), Zirkuswelt Graz (AT), Flaniermarkt in der Naubaugasse (AT), High Quality Events (DE), Raw Matters Festival (AT), Zirkusparty Oida! (AT), Momoki (AT), Filderstädter Weihnachtszirkus (DE), Kliscope (AT)
2023 Tour through 12 retirement homes in Rotterdam (NL), Circusstad Festival Rotterdam (NL), Zirkustheater-Festival Dresden(D), Klima- Krätzl Fest Vienna(AT), Shopping Horn(AT), Kultursommer Wien(AT), 10 different care homes in Austria(AT) Theater Ole(AT)
2024 Circustage Kufstein(AT) 40 performances at care homes(AT), Circustad Festival Rotterdam(NL), 10 performances at care homes in Rotterdam(NL), Juggler at Salzburger Festspiele – Don Giovanni(AT), Theater an het Vriethof (NL), Stories of Trencien(SK)
2025 Tour through 23 retirement homes until April 2025 in Austria.
