About us
Dixie Dansercoer
Polar explorer, author, director, public speaker, photographer, father, ...
Dixie Dansercoer (born in Nieuwpoort, Belgium, in 1962) is a Flemish polar explorer with almost twenty years of experience in polar travel.
Dansercoer has already been to the poles on 34 occasions, for personal or guided expeditions, photo and film productions and lectures aboard polar cruises. His impressive list of achievements has earned him the title of ‘Master Guide’ in the newly established IPGA platform (International Polar Guides Association). Dixie Dansercoer is one of only four people to have crossed the complete Arctic Ocean and the Antarctic continent.
In 2012, together with Sam Deltour, Dansercoer broke the world record for the longest non-motorised expedition on the South Pole. On skis, and assisted by a kite, the pair travelled at least 5013km. Today, Dansercoer happily shares his extensive knowledge by giving lectures and guiding aspiring polar explorers in the Arctic regions. He is the only polar guide who can provide expedition material for twelve expedition members, in both the Arctic (Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen) and the Antarctic (Novo airbase).
As an author, Dixie Dansercoer has written sixteen books about polar expeditions and the parallels with company life. His most recent, ‘Polar Exploration – A practical handbook for North and South Pole expeditions’, was published by Cicerone Publishers (UK) in 2012.
Julie Brown
Julie Brown (born in Detroit, Michigan, USA, in 1964), is married to Dixie Dansercoer. Together, they have four children (Jasper, Evelien, Thijs en Robin).
In 1999 the couple established the company Polar Circles. Brown was guided by Dansercoer and Rudy Van Snick in their ascent of Mount Vinson in Antarctica in 2000, and was the communications manager in the basecamp in Nome, Alaska, during the Bering Strait Odyssey in 2005.
At present, Brown continues to serve as the communication manager for Polar Circles, providing solid follow-up from the back office (blogs, contact with families, etc.).
Willy Wouters
Willy Wouters has guided out-of-the-ordinary travels on Iceland and in the High Arctic Alpine mountains since 1982. He is full to the brim with ‘the northern feeling’ and loves to assist nature lovers in experiencing one of the last true wildernesses.
Wouters established the fundamentals of the PolarExperience concept with Dixie Dansercoer. Together, they used their years of experience in the north and south polar regions to create polar expeditions suitable for all nature lovers and polar enthusiasts. The goal is to initiate them in the techniques of polar travel and to experience the overwhelming natural beauty of the polar regions.
Luc Maes
Luc Maes is the General Manager at ZuiDERhuiS and takes care of legal and insurance concerns for PolarExperience.
Stefan Maes
Stefan Maes has been an indispensable member of the Polar Circles team for more than three years. His expertise is not restricted to the business aspects, but extends to the ice as well. He has the rare gift of being able to manage unusually complex situations, ensuring everything runs as smoothly as possible, before, during and after heavy expeditions.
His love for nature and passion for polar exploration have lead Polar Circles to incorporate several novel initiatives. They have proven successful from one end of the world to the other.
Frank Neels
A passion for the far north and pristine areas brought Frank Neels (born in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1970) to the doors of ZuiDERhuiS a few years ago.
As the product manager at ZuiDERHuiS Laplandreizen, where the focus lies on winter adventures and husky expeditions, Iceland and Spitsbergen are as familiar to Neels as old friends.
At PolarExperience, Neels is involved in the planning and follow-up of every step of the expeditions, from the initial request to the successful return.
Kristel De Blezer
Kristel De Blezer is responsible for marketing and the digital platform at ZuiDERhuiS.
Anne-Sophie Van Hove
Anne-Sophie Van Hove is a travel expert within the ZuiDERHuiS IJslandreizen team. A travel marketer at heart, with a love for all things social and online. She is not just one of our Iceland specialists with a preference for the more sportive work, but also the whizz-kid who keeps our website up and running.
© 2016 PolarExperience
Kortedagsteeg 13-15, 9000 Ghent
+32 (9) 267 02 44 - polarexperience@zuiderhuis.be
