What we're doing, where we're going, what we're watching and what we like.
A busy few weeks! The run-up to Christmas is always a busy time of year for circus, with lots of events and parties, and this year seems to be extra full with shows and workshops. Over the past few weeks we have taught half term workshops, a Scout Circus Badge workshop, welcomed new aerial students, performed for Halloween and corporate parties, and are just about to start the bonfire night events.
Jon has been busy with the Gandinis and his solo performances, in Poole and in London, whilst rehearsing for the Circus Space Scratch Night - an evening where performers can show each other their new work and receive feedback to help them develop it further.
Katie and Leyla dangled amongst the chandeliers at the Hilton Hotel Park Lane for the Microscope Ball to raise money for a muscular dystrophy charity, also wearing some amazing zebra costumes on stilts to welcome guests to the circus themed event. Katie then joined Swamp Circus in Wales, where they performed a show and taught workshops to young people in the valleys. On her return, she performed in Vinopolis for the first time, at a private Halloween event, performing two silks acts in the great hall, which was an amazing space to climb in.
Tomorrow we go to Telford for a fireworks display, then on Saturday you can catch us at King's College School, Wimbledon, where we will be stilt walking and fire performing with Swamp either side of the stunning display. If you've never been before, go this year!
Then in a couple of weeks, Maddy will be performing in Madame Pain's Boudoir Circus at The Hangar in Woolwich, which also should not be missed! (4th November 2010).
IYAF 2010 VIDEOS!!! Next year's festival will take place 1st-18th July, so make sure you keep those dates free!
There will be an all-ages fundraiser at The Rose Theatre, Kingston, on 6th November. So come along if you want a great night out and to support the International Youth Arts Festival 2011.
Circus classes in Surbiton We have moved our classes to Hollyfield School! Now we are closer to the train station and have a car park to ourselves just off Lamberts Road. Moving to Hollyfield means that our Youth Circus on Fridays can now run for a longer time of 2 hours, so that we can get lots more training done, and we have now expanded our classes to Tuesdays too. You can learn to juggle with Jon, one of the country's top jugglers!!! in the Juggling Club, or become an aerialist with Katie, Maddy or Rachel in a small class with lots of attention.
We had our first sessions in the school this week, where we got used to the new facilities and put up more aerial equipment than ever before. So join us over the next few weeks and months as we settle into our new space, and be a part of suburbia's newest and most exciting circus school! If you've missed the beginning of term we can still teach you on the current courses. (25th September 2010).
September travels This week Katie has been performing in Amsterdam whilst Jon has been enjoying juggling in Italy.
Katie joined Viva Aerial Dance in a group silks performance at a Wind Power launch, which saw four aerialists suspended from the top of a former cylindrical gasworks building, with flag dance on stilts from The Wrong Size below. It was Katie's first visit to Amsterdam, and the show was a success with beautiful choreography from Michele Laine and Desiree Kongerod to the company's original music.
Meanwhile Jon has been teaching and performing in Italy for the second time this year. Originally going with the Gandini's, Jon is now regularly invited to perform his solo acts and to teach masterclasses in his own right.
Ambient aerial acrobatics Katie went to the Eden Project with aerialist Debbie Porter in June to perform freestyle in the tropical biome as guests at a private event strolled through the gardens. Here is a video of the relaxing, tranquil and beautiful mood created by ambient aerial entertainment. (September 2010).
Parkour at Ham Youth Club A few of us from Circus Suburbia Youth Circus have been going to parkour in Ham, Thursday nights 4-6pm. It's really fun and a great challenge as you overcome fears of hurling yourself over objects, as well as challenging yourself physically. (June 2010).
Friday 11th June........Today we returned to youth circus classes after the half term, and had a new toy to play with - a doubles static trapeze! We are only in our 7th week so are still early on in our youth circus journey, but already Olivia and Isla managed the candlestick! Three weeks to go until the Picnic with the Circus event, and we're excited to see what we will have at the end of our 10 week introduction to circus skills course. Our young people are working really hard and getting stronger every week, so come and see us perform on Kingston Fairfield at 7pm on 11th July.
Ham House celebrations..........well this is the first picture from our day celebrating Ham House's 400th birthday. We spent the afternoon in the sunshine doing acrobatics, a bit of juggling, stilt walking, attempting to unicycle, and even had a go at parkour thanks to the Ham Youth Club Parkour guys. We then joined the procession along the mile walk to Ham House, where Tiffany did a great job getting to grips with the unicycle, we had some beautiful club swinging girls, and Jordanna and Annie made it all the way on stilts. That's some hard core stilt walking! Hopefully we'll get some more pictures up soon.
Welcome to Circus Suburbia's blog! The first post is about our trip to Ham, in Surrey, to celebrate Ham House's 400th birthday. We'll be joining the community celebrations on Sunday 23rd May, although things will also be happening on Ham Common on the Saturday too, in case you want to go along.
Students from St Mary's University have organised the event to celebrate 400 years of the National Trust property, and have even written a story around the song Happy Birthday. Animals, clocks and birthday songs will feature, but apart from that, the plot is a surprise.
Katie will be on Ham Common from about midday onSunday with juggling equipment, a unicycle and some stilts. Our Friday night Youth Circus is invited to join her for some extra practise in acrobatics and juggling on the grass, the chance to show any skills which you've learned or are learning to a supportive community audience, and the highlight - performing in the procession at 6pm, from Ham Common (TW10) to Ham House.
Pack a picnic and have some circus fun on Sunday afternoon. Friends and family welcome. Procession finishes about 6.45pm. Singing, eating and celebrating finishes around 9pm.