Russel Joel Hekster ia a singer, comedian and entertainer through and through. He began performing as a small child and was involved in musical theatre from the age of nine.

In 1993 he graduated from the Theater Academy of the University of Cape Town as an actor after four years of study. He also graduated as PRM (Public Relations Officer) after his three year study of Communications, PR and Psychology.

He has had years of experience with different theatre groups such as TEA Company, Guys & Dolls, Intermezzo and Down Stage West as an actor, comedian, director and artistic director. He has also  been Lead Vocalists in bands ranging from two piece to five and nine instruments, such as Jack ‘n Joe, Open Mind, Jamento and The Bandstand. Russ has built an international career as an artist having performed in The Netherlands, France, Zwitserland, England, Germany, Belgium, Singapore, Australia and South-Africa.

He appears regularly on television in film, t.v. series and adverts. He has played various parts in GTST, Onderweg naar Morgen, Van Spijk, Koppels, Deadline as well as Spangen, Gotcha, Boobytrap, Dichter op de Zee Dijk, and ad campagnes for Knorr, Lays chips,  Hans Anders, Its and Versatel. He also sang live on radio RTL FM with Stenders Vroeg Op and on Knooppunt Kranenbarg of the NCRV during de FIFA Football World Cup in juli 2010.

Russ is used to performing for audiences numbering from 40, to 200, 3000 and 25 000 people and has appeared in programs for various events with artists such as Skik, Acda and De Munnik, Jort Kelder, Albert Verlinde, Big John Russel, Gordon, Tatjana, Belle Perez, Treintje Oosterhuis, Marco Borsato, Lee Towers, Wolter Kroes, Jamento and The Band Stand in locations such as the Comedy Café Amsterdam, Toomler, De Nieuwe Luxor Theater, Ahoy, Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam, The Beatrix Theater, Angel Studios, De Gelredome, Kurhouse Hotel, Holland Casino and The Efteling. In his film and television career Russ has worked with accomplished actors and directors such as Derek De Lint, Moniek van de Ven, Dick Maas and briefly spoke with William Hurt and Steven Spielberg.

Russ is a charismatic and energetic artist with many talents. He loves to bring people closer to their own playfulness and true nature often released by the laughter of comedy and emotion of music. Russ performs both in fluent Dutch and English, with a little French and German.

TRAINING

Russel, after completing his first studies in Communication, PR and Psychology, began giving and leading trainings and workshops. Not only in theatre, improvisation and acting skills, but also in Personal Development, Life Coaching, Communication, Conflict Management, Team Building and Aggression Management for Psychiatry and Hospital Health Care Services. Russel has utilized techniques such as The Belbin Roles and Holtslag Aggression Management. But he has also developed his own training method based on an eclectic approach from within Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy and Experiential Disciplined Indepthpractice. With RelativEnergy® Practice Russel has answered the needs and questions of his trainees deeply and effectively within his training. He is a deeply sincere and highly responsive trainer to the deeper and broader issues of trainees, and creates a very safe , open and dynamic environment for trainees to face challenges. Most importantly, Russ continues to put his method into practice himself within his own process.

CLIENTS

Training with Comedy – The BBC

    IBB Amsterdam, Parijs Juwelier

    KLM City Hopper

    Ministry of Social Affairs, Sport and Health - Health

    Inspection

    VriesVers Platform:

    Ad van Geloven van Mora

    Albert Heijn

    Aviko

    C1000

    Iglo

    Super De Boer

    Unilever

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Training, Communication, Team Building & Aggression Management

    AXA

    Alliander

    Belastingdienst Apeldoorn

    Bushmills

    DKDB

    De Garage

    Docters, Docters’ Assistants and Nurses at various Dutch    

    Hostpitals

    Finata Bank

    HEMA

    Hogeschool Windesheim

    Kamp Design

    Ministry of Social Affairs, Sport and Health - Health

    Inspection

    Municipality Amsterdam Noord

    Municipality of Lijdschendam/Voorburg

    Nuon

    Psychiatrists and Psychiatric Assistants at various Dutch    

    Psychiatric Institutions

    Shell

    VHU

    Valma TurtleWax

Entertainment

    ABN AMRO Bank

    AKD Prinsen

    Akzo Nobel

    BLUEWATER

    Bilderberg Hotel Kasteel ‘t Kerckebosch

    Bird & Bird

    Bonn & Mees

    Bovémij Verzekeringen

    Contined

    Hellevoetse Ondernemers- 2Hondjes

    D & C

    Deloitte

    De Garage

    DeltaLinqs

    DHL Express

    Dichter op de Zeedijk(Bioscoop)

    Direct Wonen

    European Space Agency

    Dr Harald Rettig

    Duchene & Boertje, Nice, Fr.

    Elsevier

    Erasmus Universiteit

    European Pattent Office 30 Yr GALA

    Fier Holdings BV

    GTST(TV)

    Municipality Oud Beijerland

    Municipality Rotterdam

    Municipality Spijkenisse

    General Logistic System BV

    Guess Jewelry/IBB

    Hans Anders(TV)

    Hi (TV)

    Holland Casino

    Hyundai Merchent Marine

    Interpolis verzekeringen

    ING Bank

    Isobouw

    Its(TV)

    KLM Cityhopper

    KLM

    Knorr  (Unilever) (TV)

    Koninklijke De Ruijter

    Koppels(TV)

    Kristal Convide

    Lays (Pepsi)(TV)

    Lee Towers

    Lloyd’s Register

    Maxeda Groep

    Medeco

    Ministerie Binnenlandse Zaken

    Ministerie Verkeer en Waterstaat

    Missing Link(Bioscoop)

    Novartis Pharma

    Nuon/Continuon/Alliander

    Nutricia

    OBR & Veilig Ondernemen

    Ohra(TV)

    Onderweg Naar Morgen(TV)

    PON

    Philips lighting

    Phillips CE

    Politie Hollands Midden

    Praxis

    Price Waterhouse Coopers

    Rabo Bank

    Radbout University

    Rechtbank Rotterdam

    Reijm

    Rutges

    Shell

    Skik & Acda & De Munnik (zingen voor 3 000 mensen)

    Smit Berging

    Standard Bank South Africa

    Stork NV

    Suki

    Technip

    TNT

     VEB

    VU Kanker Kliniek Amsterdam

    Van Spijk(TV)

    Versatel    (Internet Film)

    Vitesse (zingen voor 26 000 mensen)

    Vuurzee(TV)

    WCC-Group

    Xerox

    Zadkine College

    Zeeman (zingen voor 6 000 mensen)