Westside Circus Public Program offers circus classes for children and adults of all ages.

Participants learn a wide range of circus skills including manipulation - juggling, diablo, hula hoop; acrobalance - human pyramids and double balances; aerials - trapeze, cloudswing, rope; tumbling; handstands; performance skills and more. As a 'social circus' we value the promotion of confidence, self expression, teamwork and leadership skills as much as we value the acquisition of circus skills. Our Circus Trainers are skilled in teaching circus and in creating a group culture where everybody is included and can develop their potential.

Join Westside Circus’ newest 3-5 year old classes, the Hop, Tick Tock and Rainbow Team! Our circus classes for 3-5 year olds provide an opportunity for children and a significant adult in their lives to play and learn together. Both the 'big person' and 'little person' are actively involved in all the games and circus activities. Each week is themed (e.g. Magical World, Clown Day, PJ Party, Disguise Day, Pirate Day) which informs the content of the games and creative activities for the class.

Each class includes free play and exploration with scarves, hoops, juggling balls and other manipulation equipment, creative name games, a range of activities teaching body shapes, physical skills, balances between adult and child and introduction to circus skills.

5-7 year old classes include free play with manipulation equipment, creative games, foundation tumbling skills, introduction to aerial equipment, movement games and a circuit. These fast paced classes involve team, encouraging responsibility, trust and inclusiveness. Each week the classes are themed allowing the participants to dress up and enter a new, exciting and playful world.

Classes for 8 to 12 year olds cater for young people who are beginners to circus, as well as providing opportunities for ongoing participants to build on their existing skills.

The class includes creative games, teambuilding activities, warm up such as revision of body shapes and conditioning exercises, and of course a range of circus skills such as manipulation (i.e. juggling, diablo, hula hoop), acrobalance, tumbling, and aerials. Participants are challenged in a fun atmosphere to build trust, take risks in a safe environment, build friendships within the group and develop confidence in their physical and creative skills.

Westside Crew and Westside Co are social circus classes for young people aged 13-17 years. Classes usually start with fun creative games which warm up bodies, build trust between participants, and promote co-operation and ensemble work. These games lead into a warm up which includes strength and flexibility conditioning and basic acrobatic skills. Some time is dedicated to learning a certain circus activity such as aerials, juggling, acrobalance or performance skills.

Call Emma on (03) 9482 2088 or email to secure your spot today!

Westside Circus School Program
The Westside Circus School Program provides innovative and accessible circus workshops and programs to schools and TAFE colleges across Victoria.  Our incursions and excursions are perfect for orientation, teambuilding, camps, and as an addition to drama, dance and physical education curriculums.

Westside Circus also develops and delivers circus programs aimed at addressing issues such as disconnection from school, poor body image, unsafe risk taking and bullying. Our circus programs build competencies such as teamwork, personal goal setting, leadership, problem solving and a healthy sense of self.

Circus addresses a range of Victorian Essential Learning Standards and our circus in schools programs are regularly funded by the Department of Education and student wellbeing programs such as the School Focused Youth Service Brokerage Program.

Community Program
The Westside Circus Community Program provides innovative and accessible circus programs to community organisations working with people of diverse ages (3-70 years), abilities and from different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Our one-off circus workshops provide new experiences, teambuilding, exciting challenges and fun. They are popular at local community events and festivals where they bring people together and add fun, colour and movement.

Past and current partners include the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency, YWCA, Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, Kingston City Council, Concern Australia, City of Brimbank, City of Casey, Darebin Community Health, City of Moreland, Melbourne City Mission, Lighthouse Foundation, City of Melbourne, Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, City of Wyndham, Noahs Ark, Melbourne Legacy, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Frankston Arts Centre.

Refugee Program
Westside Circus has been involved in delivering large-scale circus programs to refugee and newly-arrived young people since 2004. Through projects such as Positive Settlement, the Welcome Place, Jumpjet and now Homecoming, we are using circus as the tool to explore personal growth and self-expression, as well as linking these young people to broader support networks in the community.

The Westside Circus youth performance troupe, Behind The Wall (BTW), in association with teenage participants from Songlines Aboriginal Music and Collingwood Alternative School (CAS) proudly present Lost & Found: a new physical theatre production combining circus, original music and film in unexpected and delightful ways.

With this project, the three organisations involved will continue to work towards their common purpose: to help young people to reach their full potential. Lost & Found will build on the momentum of previous joint projects such as the Westside/CAS short film Cirque du City and the Westside/Songlines school re-engagement project The Two of Us. Lost & Found will provide an opportunity for up to 30 young people aged 13-17 from three diverse groups to come together in a creative, supported atmosphere to make inspiring theatre.

While the Behind The Wall circus troupe will perform live, the CAS students will contribute new film shot on the streets of Melbourne and indigenous young people working with Songlines will produce a dynamic recorded soundscape.

The Lost & Found office is a central place where people deposit found items or reconnect with things that have been lost. Sometimes the feeling of loss and emptiness takes us on a journey of discovery to new opportunities filled with the most unlikely of things. Find your sense of humour or lose yourself in wonder when you visit the office of Lost & Found.

Directed by George Filev (Physical Theatre creator, previous credits include STOMP, The Great Moscow Circus, Strange Fruit, the World Economic Forum & the 15th Asian Games.)

Filev said, “Everyone has some experience with loss and discovery. What sets this show apart is the exciting combination and rare opportunity for three diverse youth groups to collaborate and create a new work, linked by a common theme. This extends the possibilities of community circus and the outcome is an innovative and special event not to be missed.”

Musical Director, Lee “Sonnyboy” Morgan is from the Gunditjmara Kirrae Whurrong clan from south west Victoria. He has performed with some of Australia’s most highly regarded musical artists, including Midnight Oil, Archie Roach & Ruby Hunter, Paul Kelly, Yothu Yindi, Gangajang, Jon Stevens (Noiseworks) and Guy Sebastian.

Lost & Found is a ground-breaking project which will have very exciting outcomes for both participants and audiences.

Creative Producer: Lena Cirillo
Artistic Director: George Filev
Circus Director: Luke O’Connor
Musical Director: Lee Morgan (Songlines Aboriginal Music)
Guest Choreographer: Trudy Radburn
Costume Designer: Amanda Fairbanks
Lighting Designer/Prod Manager: Dori Dragon
Education Facilitator: Peter Baldwin (Collingwood Alternative School)

This project is proudly supported by Gasworks Arts Park, Newsboys Foundation, Besen Family Foundation and the City of Yarra
 

SUITABLE FOR: Young people, their friends and families