A GROUP of plate-spinning, trapezing, juggling Canberra kids are set to hit the road and showcase their circus skills in regional areas.
Warehouse Circus manager Aleshia Flanagan says the tour is the first of its kind for the 20-year-old circus.
“The tour group is working towards the show which is a respectful tribute to the traditional travelling circus,” she says.
The tour will take place in October and cover Albury, Junee, Cootamundra, Quandialla, Young and Yass visiting schools, youth groups and performing in town halls.
About 120 students participate in the Warehouse Circus’ after-school program, with children coming from a range of backgrounds.
“Some of the kids who come to us are a bit on the fringes and it’s a good fit for them because circus is a bit like that,” Aleshia says.
“If you’re not great at competitive sports you can come to circus and take it as far as you want to. Instead of being the kid in your class who doesn’t participate, be the only kid in your class who can juggle.”
Aleshia says the biggest success stories come from students with behavioural problems.
“Some students are just badly behaved and don’t want to do anything, but we have the best success with those kids. You take a kid who is destructive and wants to do dangerous things and put them in a controlled environment and give them activities to do which have an element of danger to them and they thrive.”
Aleshia says one of the best things about her job is the positive stories from parents.
Some students have “a whole range of issues” when they start at Warehouse Circus and it’s those kids that find the experience particularly rewarding, she says.
“They really feel like they fit in and that they have found a place where they belong.
Aleshia has been managing the Warehouse Circus for about a year and says the circus will be expanding during the next year with a wider range of programs.
“We have just introduced a new “Tiny Tots” class for three to five-year-olds, which we are hoping will be popular,” she says.
More information at 6260 3626 or warehousecircus.org.au
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