Sunday, November 16, 2008

Aerial Antics, Youth Circus Vero Beach, Florida (From Jim Cole)


Aerial Antics Youth Circus, Vero Beach, FL, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

2008 Youth Circuses, the future Circus Fans of America!

Posted by Buckles at 11/16/2008 06:18:00 AM

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why not the future circus performers of America? Why the great disconnect between all of this youth activity and adult circus activity?

16 November, 2008 08:12
Anonymous said...

Most of these kids are school students who have enrolled in youth circus programs. It is a fun way for them to stay physically fit and enjoy circus.

Actually some of them do go on to become professional circus performers. There are also many retired circus performers now training in youth circuses.

There is no disconnect at all. The new CFA sponsored website www.circus4youth.org, is there to help make that connection between youth circus and the professional circus world.

Many of these youth circus kids are now CFA youth members, and some are writting articles for both the White Tops and the C4Y website.

16 November, 2008 09:17
Anonymous said...

I am working very hard at my circus school (Circus Day Foundation www.circusday.org) to correct this diconnect.

I teach my students circus history and traditions, we have a circus book and video library, I bring them to as many circuses as I can. Our top students work every year with one ring tent show Circus Flora. I encourage circus performers to come visit us.

When I went pro, it was like hacking my way through the jungle. There was no path and no one to show me the path. I would like to get more agents and producers interested in lookng to circus schools for new circus acts. One idea is to have youth circus performers make guest appearances with shows when they are in a town where there is a circus school.

I'm thrilled to say my students recently made their third appearance with Ringling Brothers--- an amazing experiecne for the kids and the RBBB personnel enjoyed it, as well. We also welcomed some guest teachers from Universoul circus. A few years ago, we performed at Cirque Du Soliel when they were here.

I am honored to have been invited to this year's Monte Carlo Circus Festival where I will be speaking to the World Circus Federation and the European Circus Association on Social Circus.

I would like to encourage all circus fans and circus perfomers to try to visit circus schools. Donate to them, if you can. In fact, you can go to www.americanyouthcircus.org to see if there is a circus school near you! Visit Jim Cole's great www.circus4youth.org!

I just had a visit on Friday by CFA Distict Director Eric Brown. I am in constnt contact with Jim Cole whose Circus4Youth project seeks to help with this disconnect.

Our school is inside St. Louis' City Museum. We are doing a show for the Showmen's League when they have their meeting here here in St. Louis later this month.

We need to build more bridges between the professional circus worls and the youth circus world. Bridges go both ways.

What can YOU do to help?
Jessica Hentoff

16 November, 2008 10:49
Anonymous said...

"Why not the future circus performers of America?"

Hmm, let's see why not.

Graduate college and go into a secure proffession at a $50,000 opening annual salary with health and retirement benefits OR sit by the phone all year in Sarasota hoping for a spot date, then travel 1,000 miles to work for a week before heading home to sit by the phone again.

Those silly kids don't know what they're missing.

16 November, 2008 12:47
warren said...

sawdust in the blood said: Hmm, let's see why not.

I spent seven years in college earning advanced degrees in molecular genetics then ran away and joined the circus. I did not get rich but I had a great life, met great friends, traveled, and entertained uncounted audience members as an acrobat, aerialist, human projectile, and bareback rider. Now I teach kids the skills of the circus but more importantly, teach them to believe in themselves, set goals, and work to achieve them. I'm not famous like Buckles, John Harriott, or a big wheel in CFA but I would not change my choices for any other options.

I'm not sure what the "disconnect" comment really means but the students where I teach go to shows, perform, meet the pros, admire them, and learn from them. Sure, few, if any, will continue to pro careers in performing althoush some do, they realize that what they learn from the circus community makes a difference in their lives so they can make a difference in the lives of others.

Warren Bacon

16 November, 2008 22:15

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