Circus skills have great potential to engage young people and adults and provide a unique platform to explore learners’ creativity.  As an art form, circus combines aerobic exercise, physical fitness and flexibility with the creative imaginations of the participants. 

We have found that circus appeals to a wide range of people.  Within the umbrella of the circus arts come a wide range of disciplines including acrobatics, clowning, juggling, balance and aerial work.  This means that it can accommodate all learning styles because of the range of activities it encompasses. This breadth of skill also allows each person the opportunity to explore a specialist subject that they can excel in.  This is a real strength as each person’s talent is equally valued and each individual has a chance to shine.  For the best circus you need different people:  strong reliable people to create a solid base, fearless people to fly through the air and imaginative types to create a framework for it all. 

In particular, learning circus skills is an exciting experience for young people due to the inherent ‘fear factor’ associated with it and the fact that it harnesses risk taking in a safe environment, often cited as an integral part of a young person’s development. For adults, circus skills mean a return to childhood games – swinging, throwing and balancing and for everyone, circus is a leveling activity where we can explore our personal strengths.

 

Feedback from a workshop for a group of 11 – 14 year olds which aimed to develop their risk taking and communication skills:

‘It was a fantastic day. We all want to run away to the circus. The staff were very professional and patient with the young people and clear in their delivery. I was amazed at how well they were able to support each other and take risks in a safe way.'