The Foundation Course in Circus Arts, Full time or Part Time Intensive, is for disciplined and creative individuals who wish to learn new skills in Circus Arts. Knowledge of aerial or acrobatic skills is not a necessary prerequisite however; you will need to have some form of body awareness and fitness to participate.
Students will develop the foundations of circus arts within a safe and structured group environment. The Focus area will be aerial circus with ground-based circus. Importance is also given to gaining strength, increasing flexibility and preventing injury. Each week students will also receive special creative workshops to help them further their creativity in circus and act development.
As the course progresses there is more emphasis on act creation and performance skills, leading to an end of course show.
Program Focus
- Essential aerial technique
- Good conditioning practice, aerial strength and developing your range of movement
- Posture alignment to boost performance, stability and reduce injury.
- Transitions and root positions
- Understanding momentum, rotation and power transfers on the aerial equipment
- Manipulating your centre of gravity to achieve balance and control
- Controlling and mastering the four aerial elements - falling, balance, suspension and hanging!!
- Increasing your aerial vocabulary
Class Descriptions
| Aerial Conditioning | A structured set of Aerial specific exercises that will improve Strength, Balance and Technique. |
| Aerial Skill | Understanding, correcting and learning new or existing moves, drops and positions. |
| Workshop | Industry professional artist will hold workshops such as Clowning, Theatre, The business of Circus, Movement, Dance, and Etcetera |
| Stretch + Flexibility | Improving the body’s flexibility and stretching to prevent injury and improve aerial skill |
| Aerial Creation | At this Time students will get one on one time with the instructor to help understand specific moves they are working on. |
| Aerial Presentation | Each Week the students are given a set performance task they are to work on and present at the end of the week in front of the class. This might be a group of individual task. |
| Tumbling + Handstands | Students will learn the fundamentals of hand balancing and basic tumbling focusing on core strength, spacial awareness and control. |
Example Time Table
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 - 6:15 pm | Warm Up | Warm Up | Workshop | Warm Up | Warm Up |
| 6:15 - 6:45 pm | Tumbling + Handstands | Tumbling + Handstands | Workshop | Tumbling + Handstands | Tumbling + Handstands |
| 6:50 - 8:10 pm | Aerial Conditioning | Aerial Skill | Aerial Creation | Aerial Skill | Aerial Presentation |
| 8:10 - 8:30 pm | Stretch + Flexibility | Stretch + Flexibility | Stretch + Flexibility | Stretch + Flexibility | Stretch + Flexibility |
**Note that the class structure may change however the times will stay the same.
Audition Structure
Potential candidates can apply by sending an email answering a few questions (below). This will be followed by a short individual physical fitness/skill test that will include basic aerial and ground conditioning exercises. All auditions will be held at Underground Circus Studios.
Program Lead
Program Instructors
Willy Wagtail is a Sydney based aerialist who specialises in Corde Lisse (rope), Doubles, tissue (silks), straps and Trapeze. Willy Wagtail Paired with Will Davis as “The Two Flying Williams” were the 2014 Winners of Circus Maximus, The United Kingdoms largest Circus Competition.
With a background in Spring board diving and horse back stunt riding, Willy Wagtail has long been fascinated by physical performance and the danger of circus. He professionally trained at Gravity Circus Centre in the full time course mastering in aerial Rope and Doubles.
Willy has performed at many of the most famous venues and theatres in the UK such as, Udderbelly on Southbank (London), Jackson’s Lane Theatre (London), Gravity Circus Centre (London), Glastonbury Festival, Cafe de Paris (London), The Aeronaut (London), and for ‘Flashparty’ in Zurich (Switzerland).
Peter Boulanger
Artistic Director, TUC
Ninon Parent
Head Trainer, TUC
Join the next Foundation Course in Circus Arts…
The Advanced Aerial Intensive course will take students that already have a good understanding of Aerial circus (Silk/Rope Specific) who would like to further develop their skills to a professional, performance ready level within a safe and structured group environment.
The focus will be on gaining strength, increasing flexibility, improving current Skills/technique in the air and readying students for future auditions or shows. Importance is also given to Injury prevention training. Each week students will be learning various aerial conditioning moves along with workshops to help them further their creativity in circus and act development.
Students will also get instruction and techniques for exploring unique aerial apparatuses. As the course progresses there is more emphasis on act creation and performance skills, leading to an end of course show. Students will be given weekly assignments to work on that may include short performances in front of their class and teachers. Students will have the chance to get feedback as well as giving feedback to each other.
Program Focus
- Essential aerial technique
- Good conditioning practice, aerial strength and developing your range of movement
- Posture alignment to boost performance, stability and reduce injury.
- Transitions and root positions
- Understanding momentum, rotation and power transfers on the aerial equipment
- Manipulating your centre of gravity to achieve balance and control
- Controlling and mastering the four aerial elements - falling, balance, suspension and hanging!!
- Increasing your aerial vocabulary
- Act Development
Class Descriptions
| Aerial Conditioning | A structured set of Aerial specific exercises that will improve Strength, Balance and Technique. |
| Aerial Skill | Understanding, correcting and learning new or existing moves, drops and positions. |
| Workshop | Industry professional artist will hold workshops such as Clowning, Theatre, The business of Circus, Movement, Dance, and Etcetera |
| Stretch + Flexibility | Improving the body’s flexibility and stretching to prevent injury and improve aerial skill |
| Aerial Focus | At this Time students will get one on one time with the instructor to help understand specific moves they are working on. |
| Aerial Presentation | Each Week the students are given a set performance task they are to work on and present at the end of the week in front of the class. This might be a group of individual task. |
Example Time Table
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 - 6:15 pm | Warm Up | Warm Up | Workshop | Warm Up | Warm Up |
| 6:15 - 6:45 pm | Aerial Conditioning | Aerial Conditioning | Workshop | Aerial Skill | Aerial Focus |
| 6:50 - 8:10 pm | Aerial Skill | Aerial Skill | Aerial Skill | Presentation Prep | Aerial Presentation |
| 8:10 - 8:30 pm | Stretch + Flexibility | Stretch + Flexibility | Stretch + Flexibility | Stretch + Flexibility | Stretch + Flexibility |
**Note that the class structure may change however the times will stay the same.
Audition Structure
Students will be required to pass a physical fitness test that will include basic aerial and ground conditioning exercises. Professional level course participants are required to perform a 2-minuet presentation in the Air. Each course will take a Maximum of 8 Students.
Program Lead
Program Instructors
Willy Wagtail is a Sydney based aerialist who specialises in Corde Lisse (rope), Doubles, tissue (silks), straps and Trapeze. Willy Wagtail Paired with Will Davis as “The Two Flying Williams” were the 2014 Winners of Circus Maximus, The United Kingdoms largest Circus Competition.
With a background in Spring board diving and horse back stunt riding, Willy Wagtail has long been fascinated by physical performance and the danger of circus. He professionally trained at Gravity Circus Centre in the full time course mastering in aerial Rope and Doubles.
Willy has performed at many of the most famous venues and theatres in the UK such as, Udderbelly on Southbank (London), Jackson’s Lane Theatre (London), Gravity Circus Centre (London), Glastonbury Festival, Cafe de Paris (London), The Aeronaut (London), and for ‘Flashparty’ in Zurich (Switzerland).
Peter Boulanger
Artistic Director, TUC
Ninon Parent
Head Trainer, TUC