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Join The Circus

By Liz Arratoon
August 2005

Liz Arratoon has been circus correspondent of The Stage since 1994. She has also written for the American trade quarterly Spectacle, is the only dedicated circus critic to have been invited to sit on the Circus Arts Forum conference panel and was the first journalist on a British national to cover the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo.

How to join the circus

Because there are so many different disciplines within circus - both traditional and contemporary - it means there are many different types of people considering it as an option. This also means there are many different ways in and here I've outlined the main ones.

Born into it

It almost goes without saying that one of the best ways to join the circus must be to be born into a circus family or, better still, a circus dynasty. Then it's in your blood and you grow up in a circus environment, learning the ropes from your parents, grandparents etc, meeting people and making contacts.

Some people have been so keen to join the circus that they've simply taught themselves, or in the case of Gareth Ellis, who works on Zippo's Circus as Bippo the Clown, followed his dream. (You can read about him later). These people, though, have exceptional dedication and drive and with the industry having become so competitive, proper training is vital.

Touring Circus School

The Academy of Circus Arts run by Zippos Circus is the only travelling circus school where students over 18 years old can learn exactly what it's like to work in a traditional touring circus.

British circus director Martin Burton, who doubles as Zippo the Clown, and who started Zippos Circus more than 20 years ago, says:
"Since I joined the circus I have discovered circus is the most wonderful lifestyle of all. For me, appearing in the circus ring is living; the rest is just waiting. Young people should, if they can, train in acrobatics and dance. However, most people only start to dream of running away to a circus in their late teens. For this reason it's best to join a circus school.

The best schools are attached to a circus and the students train at the circus. Students who train in this way gain a love for the circus lifestyle, as well as an understanding of it. I notice very few students from building-based schools going into tenting circus, although there must be some who do. The majority of students from a school linked with a touring tenting circus do end up joining a circus and having a great career. Graduates from such schools will not be fully ready but will have enough skills to start on a small tenting show where they can practice for free and finish off developing their own great acts.

Accomplished circus artists will become part of a worldwide family, earn good wages, work hard, of course, and travel the world. It's achievable and many do it with the right initial training. 99% of Academy of Circus Arts students go on to work professionally in circus. This year our ACA end-of-course showcase will feature ten students who will have completed an intensive six-month course starting with basics and ending with all ten having their own act to showcase. The showcase will be in October, tickets are free from acircusart@global.net"

Two ACA students give their views.

Lou Beekenhuizen says
"I got into circus because I enjoy many of the skills presented in the circus ring, like juggling and comedy. I started out in theatre, but I wanted my life to go in a new direction. I chose this course because Zippo's is a well-respected circus in the UK. I had seen their shows and wanted to be a part of it."

Julie Johnson comments:
"I chose this course because I knew it would be an intense experience and would introduce me to all aspects of the circus - from performance and training to setting up the big-top and moving to a new town every week. It's been challenging but I am confident that when I finish the course I will have a wide range of really marketable circus skills."

ACA head trainer Ann Dorwin adds:
"I think what most students find so attractive about the ACA course is the total immersion in circus life. They live, work and perform on a touring circus show and learn everything from pounding the stakes to sewing their costumes to ensemble work to dealing with the public. Their experience here is an up-close education that simply can't be found in a studio setting. They find out very quickly if the circus lifestyle Is really for them."

Gareth 'Bippo' Ellis knew from a very young age where his future lay. He says:
"I went to Zippo's with my family to see the show when I was three. I told my mum and dad that was what I wanted to be when I grew up, a clown like Zippo! I'm not from a circus family so I needed all the help I could get. I joined Clowns International when I was six and started going to festivals in England. For every birthday and Christmas I wanted clown costumes, make-up and props.

I won Pontin's Young Entertainer of the Year for six to eight-year-olds when I was only just six. I was Clowns International Young Clown of the year when I was nine. For holidays I used to come with my family in our caravan to stay on Zippo's Circus. This was the best holiday because I could learn from the artists, trampolining, juggling, make-up and about circus life. The more I came on holiday the more I wanted to do it when I was older.

I went to clown festivals in Russia, Holland and England. I performed at a travel convention in Spain as part of Butlins relaunch when I was nine. My dad was made redundant from his job at British Gas and then he was offered a job at the circus, my mum became Zippo's PA. I could not be in the show because I was too young and also because I was still at school. Education during my secondary years was very different to normal. I have done distance learning which is where my school send me the work and teachers from the place we are in come and work with me in my caravan. It was difficult because I had to concentrate more and didn't have anyone to talk to. I went to Woodhey High School in Bury Lancashire, for just two months every winter.

I have just taken my GCSEs and will get my results soon. For the last two years I have been in the main touring show on Zippo's. It's hard work but great fun and I have the best people in Norman Barrett and Charlie Cairoli to teach me and help me with new gags. Norman and Charlie always encourage me to try new things and give advice on how to do things better. Another person who also gives me lots of encouragement and advice and who always listens and chats is Zippo himself. I think it is good to live on the circus as there is so much expertise around you and so many people there to help you and so many chances to try things, not only clowning but all the other things add together. Working as a clown you are learning all the time and each audience is different, gags get different reactions and I love to get good reactions. Zippo's has a history of good clowning and I hope I can keep on in that tradition.

It's a great life, different town each week, new people to meet and see if I can make them laugh. I like going to see friends on other circuses when we are close. It's interesting to see how other shows work. The best way to learn is to watch other people. Life is different every day, sometimes publicity, sometimes TV, sometimes parades, other days just shows. I can't think of anywhere I would rather be than living on Zippo's Circus."

Building-based Circus Schools

THE CIRCUS SPACE - LONDON
The main thing is to understand from the outset is that circus life on the road can be hard work. That's why a lot of young people prefer to go to a building-based circus school. In the UK the only such school providing a degree course is The Circus Space in London. Its programme director Charlie Holland - a former professional juggler himself - says: "We live in a world full of opportunity for versatile and professional circus performers. Our BA(Hons) Circus degree aims to develop the students' creative flair, performance ability and technical skills allowing them to work where they in choose to. The skills of the acrobat, juggler and aerialist are in demand in many places alongside the traditional circus ring. Former students of ours are with contemporary circuses such as Canada's Cirque du Soleil, France's Cirque Baroque and Welsh No Fit State Circus; in burlesque show La Clique in a magnificent mirrored wooden tent at the Edinburgh Festival, in Shakespeare's Pericles at the Globe Theatre and at outdoor events such as the Watch This Space season at London's National Theatre."

Many of its graduates and students also work in the corporate sector, where you can get good money for one-off gigs at parties or trade shows etc, or on the cabaret circuit. Remember, though, that you will be in a very competitive environment as so many people are now training in circus skills.

CIRCUS MANIACS
Victoria Carlin is a 21-year-old student at Circus Maniacs, another building-based circus school in Bristol, whose course director Jacqueline Welbourne won a prestigious Silver Clown at the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo.

Victoria says:
"I began performing at The Live Youth Theatre in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and started to juggle when I was about 16. After travelling round Australia, I learnt how to fire juggle and realised I could make a living from busking and corporate work.

After university, I moved to Spain with my boyfriend to work as performer in clubs and on the street. While our show was going very well, I wanted to improve my skill base, beginning acrobatics at Polichinelo Circus, Sheffield and increasing manipulation skills.

With an Arts Council grant, I have been able to begin a nine-month full-time course at Circus Maniacs, specialising in aerial and acrobatics. My relationship with aerial skills constantly changes. It scares me, but I love it and breaking each barrier of fear and conquering a 'bogey move' makes it all worthwhile.

At Circus Maniacs, we train 8.30am - 5pm five days a week and I chose to train here due to its emphasis on individual focused, fast-tracked training programmes; working to strengths and improving weaknesses. Here I can concentrate on individual creativity with a high tutor-to-student ratio. Students come from all artistic backgrounds so each of us brings something different to the course. Our projects are created freely in any direction we wish with choreographic support from the teaching team. We are treated uniquely on a one-to-one basis.

Eventually, I would like to work within an open-minded company which celebrates the diversity of circus while providing outreach work and involving the community. My greatest hope is for circus to be considered to be on the same level as dance and appreciated as an art form in the UK."

MORE INFO ON BUILDING-BASED CIRCUS SCHOOLS

For more professional circus schools, circus classes and advice check out the Circus Arts Forum website, and remember that once trained, a circus agent can help get you work. There are more international schools listed in Circus Yellow Pages on Russian website circusland.com. Although it hasn't been updated recently, the school information is good.

If your interest is in traditional, tenting circus it might also be worth considering living and working in Europe as traditional circus arts are generally more highly regarded there than in the UK. There are also many more travelling shows in Europe so more chance of work. Equally, for contemporary circus, Montreal, with the highly regarded Ecole Nationale de Cirque, Cirque du Soleil and Cirque Eloize is a hub for circus.

ATHLETES

Another way in is to come from a sports background. Many athletes at the end of their competitive years are turning to circus as a way of extending their careers. Companies such as Cirque du Soleil are interested in re-training top-level athletes - from disciplines such as gymnastics, trampolining, swimming, synchronised swimming, diving or acro-sport - as circus artists. Keep an eye on its website as auditions are held regularly world-wide. It is best to submit a request to audition to the casting department with a DVD or video of your act. Then if they like the look of you, you will be invited to audition. Prepare to spend a day undertaking a range of different activities, including performing your act. If you are extremely lucky, you could get straight into a show, or could go into training for a new one, but bear in mind that even if successful at audition, you can he held in their database for years, until they need you. And, the reality is that even though they have many shows all round the world and are constantly creating new ones, they might never need you.

Additionally, actors, dancers, singers and musicians can also find work in the circus through the same audition process. Riggers, lighting technicians, costume designers, make-up artists etc can also be in demand. If there is a circus company you admire, check its website for details of work.

RUNNING AWAY

Failing all that, the romantic notion of simply running away with a circus cannot be discounted!

Useful links

The Circus Arts Forum - www.circusarts.org.uk

Zippo's Circus - www.zipposcircus.co.uk

The Academy of Circus Arts - www.academycircusarts.co.uk

The Circus Space, London - www.thecircusspace.co.uk

Circus Maniacs, Bristol - www.circusmaniacs.com

Circomedia, Bristol - www.circomedia.com

Expressive Feat, Whitstable - www.exfeat.com

Cirque du Soleil, Montreal, Canada - www.cirquedusoleil.com

Ecole Nationale de Cirque, Montreal, Canada - www.enc.qc.ca

Centre National des Arts du Cirque, Chalons-en-Champagne, France - www.chalons-en-champagne.net

Ecole de Cirque de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland - www.ecoledecirque.ch

Circus Center, San Francisco, USA - www.circuscenter.org

Circus Yellow Pages - www.circusland.com