Mount Eliza’s queen of stilt-walking, Leonie Deavin, has welcomed a special new member to her team of towering performers - her teenage daughter Jazmin.

Leonie and her team at stilt entertaining company Nova Star Productions have graced many of the Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne’s most glamorous events over the past two decades, from festivals and carnivals to gala balls, launch events, sporting events and special celebrations. They regularly perform interstate too.

You’ve seen them in their show-stopping costumes at the annual Main Street Mornington Festival, the Mornington Australia Day Parade, the annual Orphans of Ghana Ball and more. Leonie has been a regular at the Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, the Moomba Parade and the Melbourne Cup Day Parade, to name a few.

Little did we know, 13-year-old Jazmin has been waiting in the wings for years, quietly practising on modified stilts, hoping to follow in Mum’s footsteps. “She’s been asking for quite a few years and now that her foot is as big as mine she can fit into my stilts,” Leonie explains. “She had little ones, 1 foot, and was playing in those for about three years.”

On September 13, Jazmin officially stepped out for the first time, on modified .6m stilts (Mum’s are .9m) at the glamorous Fields of Fashion Spring Charity Luncheon and Race Day, held at Mornington Racecourse. She appeared at the Main Street Mornington Festival on October 15 and there’s more to come this summer.

Jazmin is a natural performer. She’s skilled at musical theatre, dancing, singing and even hula hoop! For Mum, the Fields of Fashion debut was a proud moment. “It’s lovely. I switch from being Mum to being a performer when I’m working and it’s really nice to be someone else with her. Jaz just wants to make people smile, as well as enjoy life.”

More at novastarproductions.com.au