Transforming Lives Through the Joy of Circus: the C3crew - Coraki Community Circus

PO Box 295 Mullumbimby NSW 2482 Ph / fax: 02 6684 3038 [email protected] www.spaghetticircus.com ABN: 91 799 501 592

Media Release

Media contact Alice Cadwell Date 24 Feb 2015 Phone 02 6684 3038 Mobile 0415 534 971 Email [email protected] Transforming lives through the joy of circus: the C3Crew - Coraki Community Circus

Spaghetti Circus is gathering circus artists of all ages and sizes from Murwillumbah to Yamba to share the love of Circus over February and March at the Coraki Public School. From budding beginners to peak local circus professionals, Spaghetti Circus will work with 100 pupils and school staff to create an exciting performance event, the ‘C3Crew: Wylde Syde’ on Friday March 27, 5pm.

‘Featuring music, dance, circus and hip hop, it will be a colourful and lively event hosted for parents, friends and family and a great way to showcase new skills and entertain the community. We are really excited about this project finally coming to fruition’ says Jacquie Levy, project director, National Institute of Circus Arts graduate and Transitions Teacher at Coraki Public School.

‘I approached Spaghetti Circus last year with the initial idea because we wanted run a social circus project to prevent some of the more at risk students from disengaging. Circus can be a powerful way to do that. It is a great way for kids to have fun, set goals and experience success. This is really important for well being and happiness.’ Jacquie says.

Coraki, population 1400, is a small town south of Lismore NSW, facing familiar regional issues of economic hardship, low job rates and unemployment.

‘The school has a ratio of 50:50 Indigenous to non-Indigenous students and while the project focuses on increasing Indigenous participation, the C3Crew is about everyone getting involved, having fun and learning new skills.’ Jacquie says. ‘We have developed some Bundjalung body part language cards so we can all learn new skills together. It's been a great buzz so far.’

Spaghetti Circus has curated a highly experienced team of artists to work on the project: Spaghetti founder Leonie Mills, flying trapeze artist and Spaghetti trainer Li Pawson, local rope specialist and social worker Lou Harwood and emerging circus artist Elsie Smith - an Indigenous dancer and hip hop artist in her own right. All are passionate about the transformative power of circus.

‘This project was a perfect fit with our desire to support local Indigenous arts and social circus initiatives’ says Spaghetti Circus Creative Director, Simone O’Brien. ‘We are thrilled to be partnering with such dedicated artists and are happy that we can offer Elsie a trainee trainer position for the project. Lou has been mentoring Elsie for a while so it is great to be able to connect up, offer support and have some fun.’

The C3Crew is part of Spaghetti’s commitment to connecting with Indigenous culture in the Northern Rivers region. ‘For Spaghetti, this project is a great way for regional Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people, to build pathways into the performing arts. We were very fortunate to secure philanthropic funding to pilot the project and are determined to see it continue. We believe in long-term solutions and strengthening local networks. We are keen to seek further funding and ongoing ways to ensure the project’s success now and into the future. Feel free to get in touch.’