Want to join the circus?
Friday 18 April 2008
Ever wanted to hang off a trapeze, walk a tight rope or juggle fire? n2k visited the Youth Programme at the Circus Space in London to find out more about circus skills and what it takes to be a performer. Watch the video.
New circus
Traditional circuses featured performing animals, clowns and cheesey big top music, alongside trapeze artists and acrobats.
The big change came in the 80s with the rise in popularity of Cirque Du Soleil – a Canadian troupe who performed a circus style known as ‘cirque nouveau’ or - new circus.
This is the type of circus most popular today, based completely around the skills of the performers.
Performers
Circus performers need to be committed as it is physically demanding work.
A circus performer usually:
- is physically fit
- has a lot of energy
- has good timing and co-ordination
- has confidence and self-motivation
- enjoys PE and dance
- likes performing in front of an audience.
Skills
The range of skills you can see at a circus are huge and can be anything from aerial to floor work. A few of the most common skills include:
Acrobatics – such as gymnastics, balancing and trapeze work, as well as a whole range of more specialised skills.
Trapeze – flying through the air from bars placed high up. Trapeze artists can move from trapeze to trapeze working with a ‘catcher’. There are many variations that don’t use bars as well.
Tightwire - the art of walking along a thin wire or rope. The more skilled you become, the higher the wire will be.
Stilt walking - Stilts are poles, with steps for the feet to stand on, or straps to attach them to the legs. Stilt walkers have to have balance!
Juggling – it’s not as easy as it looks!
Performance and dance – being a performer and being able to dance are very much part of any circus performance today.
Just for fun
There are spaces all over the country that offer classes in all sorts of circus skills. If you want to do it for fun, just check round your local area or have a look at the Circus Arts Forum.
If you decide you want to take it more seriously The Circus Space also offer a degree in Circus Arts as well as a Foundation course. The foundation course is two years long and you have to be 18 or over to apply. Once completed students can audition for the final year which leads to the degree. As well as the physical skills the courses also look at the business aspects – how to make a living out of your skills.
The Jobs4U careers database also has more info on career paths you can take.
