The CircusWorks Unconference ^expired

We are happy to announce that Dr Dean Kriellaars will be speaking at our next Unconference!
Dean is Scientific Director for CTRITAC at Ecole National du Cirque, Montreal

"Constructing Positive Challenges For Participants Using Physical Literacy"

The notion of "constructing positive challenges" will be introduced as a means of designing positive movement experiences for participants in circus or any other movement context. Using the physical literacy cycle as a guide, the importance of intentionally building confidence, connection, enjoyment along with movement competence will be discussed. The importance of engagement for all levels of abilities will be discussed using a blend of prescriptive and creativity progressions. In most cases, we construct circumstances for experiencing positive challenges, but it is also important to consider fostering the ability of individuals to self-organize and self-construct their own experiences.

Panel Discussion-Increasing Diversity in Youth Circus

Chaired by Sascha Goslin and featuring rope artist Sadiq Ali and Mel Stevens
There has been a lot of discussion over the years on how youth circus demographics tend to be white and middle class. There are exceptions, but on the whole we are aware there is a lack of diversity in our sector. Why is this, and what can we do to change it?

Sascha Goslin is a freelance producer, focusing on circus, outdoor and accessible shows. Presently creating a multi-sensory outdoor puppetry production. Since starting her career in the arts working at SeaChange Arts Sascha has worked for a wide range of different companies including NoFit State, Lost In Translation, Frozen Light, and others.
Passionate about circus, physical theatre, politics and inclusion, she believes that performance has the power to change people, perspectives and hopefully, the world.

Sadiq Ali is a mixed heritage circus artist. He holds a BA (Hons) in Circus Arts from London’s National Centre for Circus Arts and has subsequently toured internationally with contemporary circus company Ockham's Razor, worked extensively in cabaret and created his own devised works. Sadiq’s personal circus practice reflects largely on the intersections that he grew up in. Being a queer man from a Scottish Muslim family this has had a large influence on the work he creates. Exploring concepts such as faith, sexuality, addiction, queerness and HIV he combines his artistic practice with a desire for activism and social change.

Mel Stevens Has an aerial performance and teaching company, Aim to Fly. A Deaf, mobility-impaired Queer Bipoc artist, their first passion is laughter which is a common factor in Circus. Aerials are their therapy as well as first circus discipline. Currently working with Outdoor arts and film production as a new way forward in the current pandemic.

Gordon Tyler, a.k.a. Fiery Jack is the distributor of the Youth Juggling Academy awards scheme for Europe. He’s also the founder of Sport Juggling UK, the official UK affiliate of the World Juggling Federation, promoting sport juggling and uniting jugglers all over the world in a bid to get to the Olympics! He runs Fiery Jack's Circus School and Arts Centre in Cardiff and is now a digital safeguarding officer! He's been a juggling professional and entertainer for over 20 years. This week he will be discussing Sport Juggling and YJA awards, leading on to a numbers juggling workshop and giving a beginners description of the language of site swaps, which is an incredibly helpful tool for any workshop leader.