Foundation Course in Circus Arts
This course 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.
Circus Professional Intensive
This course will take students that already have a good understanding of Aerial circus who would like to further develop their skills to a professional, performance ready level. The focus will be on gaining strength, increasing flexibility, improving current Skills in the air and on the ground and preventing injury.
Each week students will also receive special creative workshops to help them further their creativity in circus and act development. The course will aim to develop students into professional Circus artist within a safe and structured group environment. Importance is also given to gaining strength, increasing flexibility and preventing injury. Unlike other courses Underground Circus gives students the chance to create and explore new aerial inventions never seen before.
As the course progresses there is more emphasis on act creation and performance skills, leading to an end of course show.
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
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.
Course Lead
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).