Foundation Course in Circus Arts - 15 Week Intensive -
“I didn’t think it was possible to learn so much in such a short space of time. I had such a fantastic time and met so many lovely new friends along the way.” (Joss Wyre, Spring 2011)
www.aircraftcircus.com
AirCraft Circus | Foundation Course in Circus Arts 1 The Course
Who are we looking for? Passionate, disciplined and creative individuals. Knowlege of aerial or acrobatic skills is not a necessary prerequisite on the Foundation Course. However, you WILL need to be fit. You will also be required to audition in theatre, dance, acrobatic or circus related skills so some prior experience is advised. Auditions can also be purely skill based rather than “performed” if preferred.
The Foundation Course runs for 15 weeks, Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 5.00pm. Each day students will be taught up to 4 physical, creative and complementary classes:
Aerial Core - Static Trapeze, Hoop, Rope, Silks and Flying Trapeze. Acrobatic Core - Tumbling, Acrobalance, Handstands, Trampoline and Trampet. Equilibristics - Juggling, Hula Hoop, Unicycle, and Diablo. Specialist Skills (bi-weekly) - Tightwire, Chinese Pole, Straps, Doubles Trapeze, Bungee , Wall Running, Webspin and Stilts. Performance - Improvisation, Ensemble, Physical Theatre and Act Creation. Technical Skills - Rigging and Safety. Complimentary Skills - Yoga4Aerial, Conditioning, Flexibility and Theory.
The course has been designed to help students develop into professional artists within a safe and structured group environment. The Timetable has been created to build a solid foundation in the core disciplines of aerial and ground based acrobatics. Importance is also given to gaining strength, increasing flexibility and preventing injury. Unlike other courses AirCraft Circus also offers an introduction to the rigging of equipment and Tasters in Specialist Circus Skills such as Wall Running and Chinese Pole. As the Course progresses there will be more emphasis on Act Creation and performance skills, leading to an end of term show.
AirCraft Circus | Foundation Course in Circus Arts 2 Course Dates and Fees
Monday 3rd September - Friday 21st December 2012
Entry to the course is by AUDITION only.
The Audition will involve a tour of the space and an introduction with the AirCraft Circus Team. We will also assess applicants strength and flexibilty through a series of exercises and games. This will allow us to judge your suitability for the course and for you to gain a taste of what will be involved in the course.
You will be required to perform an informal 2 minute demo of your chosen skill. This could be aerial or ground-based in the medium of circus, dance, theatre or gymnastics.
There will follow a private interview with each applicant. This is your chance to discuss any queries or special concerns directly with the AirCraft Circus Team.
If you are interested in joining the course please send your CV and covering letter to Moira: [email protected]
Course Fees
The total cost of the course is £2700 weeks (£180 per week).
Payment plans are available to spread the cost of the course over the 15 weeks.
Upon acceptance a deposit of £270 required to secure your place.
Please note this is a private course, and as yet there is no funding available for individual applicants. The Team
Alex Frith Moira Campbell CEO Marketing Director
Specialities: Bungee, Wall Running, Stilts, Specialities: Static Trapeze, Doubles Trapeze, Silks, Acrobatics, Dance and Performance Skills Rope, Spanish Web, Aerial Hoop and Yoga
Originally from Australia, Alex Frith trained as Moira Campbell’s ethos is that any student with a professional dancer at The Victorian College enough passion, discipline and determination of the Arts in Melbourne and performed can become a circus artist. throughout the country for five years before putting down his ballet shoes and moving to Moira started out relatively late with aerial London in 1998. Joining The Central School of training at the age of 24. After studying at Speech and Drama and The Circus Space he The Circus Space in London, she left her expanded his skills to include acting, acrobatics, job in independent film as a producer and aerial, stilt walking and clowning. This gained screenwriter to follow her dream. Fired up him a place at The Millennium Dome as an with the idea of bringing circus to all, she ensemble performer for the coveted Central started teaching her classes in an old church in Show where his main skill was bungee stilts at Highgate but soon continued her business at 40 metres!! the original ‘Hangar’ in East London and The Synergy Centre in Oval. In 2001 he set up “AirCraft Circus”, his aerial acrobatic theatre company at The Hangar in Her love for teaching, performing and running Stratford which he built and ran with Nik Litton. cabarets developed and soon she moved in with Relocated in 2008, (after being bulldozed for 8 other circus maniacs at the original Hangar the 2012 Olympics), the phoenix rose from warehouse and married Alex Frith. With circus the ashes as “The Hangar Arts Trust”, a circus now her life she made the big jump to the new and theatre training space in Greenwich, South Hangar Arts Trust in Greenwich and became East London. He is Creative Director of AirCraft an equal partner in AirCraft Circus, taking on Circus and Chairman of The Hangar Arts Trust. the role of Marketing Director and Programme Manager. She currently runs and coordinates Alex has experience in stilt and conventional the Foundation Course, the AirCraft Adult puppet-building and is constantly working on Programme and the AirCraft Youth Circus. a myriad of projects from eclectic creations to corporate events. Alex has consulted, Alongside her passion for circus, Moira travelled choreographed and directed widely on many to India to train as a traditional yoga teacher large projects including the Lord of the Rings and came back so enthralled she named her in the West End and Canada, City of Dreams first child after the country - who at the tender with Dragone, The Shakespeare Globe, Motion age of three has performed no less then 12 House, Punch Drunk,The Royal Opera House times already! and Madame Pains Boudoir Circus. He is a specialist in flying performers for adverts, big scale theatre and circus.
AirCraft Circus | Foundation Course in Circus Arts 4 Lucy Francis-Litton Nik Litton Financial Director Technical Director
Specialities: Flying Trapeze, Cradle, Swinging Specialities: Equilibristics, Acrobatics, Cradle, Trapeze, Acrobalance And Flexibility Flying Trapeze and Rigging
Before circus, Lucy trained as a gymnast and Born and raised in Manchester, Nik spent most dancer in Norfolk, before becoming a national of his youth studying squash. In his late 20’s competitor for sports acrobatics and tumbling Nik decided it was time to take life a little more in the 1990’s. Aged 18 she moved to Leeds seriously and actually get himself a degree... in to study for a degree in Sports and Exercise Circus! Science at Beckett Park Campus (Leeds Metropolitan University). She became the British Nik moved to London in 1999 to attend the Masters Diving Champion for both 1m and 3m first ever ‘Circus Degree’ at The Circus Space spring board in 1998 and completed the set in Hoxton. It was here where he met his now with a gold for platform in 1999. wife Lucy Francis, and they formed a cradle and acrobalance duo. During the summer season of From Leeds she moved to London to train 2002 they performed with The Flying Dudes as Theatre Practice focusing on aerial circus skills part of their flying trapeze spectacle. and acrobatics in preparation for the Millennium Dome Central Show 2000. Since then Lucy has Nik continued to perform over the next few trained and performed many different circus years, also adding a Kids Clown Show to his aerial and acrobatic acts around the world repertoire, alongside teaching and rigging. He including Flying Trapeze and Cradle (Double has performed for Prince Charles, in the Royal Trouble, The Flying Dudes 2002), Swinging Opera House, P&O’s Arcadia launch show and Trapeze (Manumission, Ibiza), Acrobalance taught many celebrities how to fly. (Acrobats 2Xtreme) and hand balancing (Royal Opera House, Royal Albert Hall) He was a teacher for the London Youth Circus and Corporate programme at The Circus Space Alongside her performing Lucy is also a circus 2002 - 2009 and he has been rigging Circus trainer and choreographer with over 10 years since 2001. experience across a wide range of ages and disciplines. Before joining AirCraft Circus Lucy worked as one of the Aerial and Acrobatic Trainers for the Degree Students at The Circus Space and was also the Head Trainer and Choreographer for London Youth Circus.
AirCraft Circus | Foundation Course in Circus Arts 5 The Venue
AirCraft Circus is housed at the Hangar Arts Trust, an Arts Charity based in the Borough of Greenwich. The building boasts over 7000 ft2 training space, dedicated to the full continuum of circus arts training and associated practice.
In 2007, Aircraft Circus had to uproot from their previous home in Stratford due to the 2012 Olympic Stadium construction. Since then, HAT and AirCraft Circus have been building a big reputation south of the river.
The Aircraft Circus Foundation Course has attracted students across the UK, Europe, Middle East, USA and from a breadth of backgrounds. Since graduating in March 2010, students from the Foundation Course have gone on to begin successful careers in circus and related performance art professions.
Students from the Foundation Course performed in our in-house sold out show ‘Madame Pain’s Boudoir Circus’ and a variety of outdoor festivals during the summer season. In addition, AirCraft Circus runs a full Adult Evening Programme and Youth Circus.
AirCraft Circus | Foundation Course in Circus Arts 6 “The course has given me such a great platform of skills that I can now take with me and expand upon. I really feel like I know about all aspects of circus from performance, technique and training to rigging, networking and safety. Left me wanting more... a lot more!” (Kathryn Cooley, Spring 2011)
Aircraft Circus The Hangar Arts Trust (020) 3004 6173 Unit 7A, Mellish House, Harrington Way, www.aircraftcircus.com London SE18 5NR [email protected]
AirCraft Circus | Foundation Course in Circus Arts 7