On Thursday we had a warm up with one of our male aerial teachers, and as I knelt on the floor beating my chest with my fists and flinging my own arm over my shoulder to hit myself on the back in something that looks (and feels) like self-flagellation, I started wondering, what is it about circus that's just so male?
I think most would agree that the traditional vision of a female within the circus is of a beautiful sequinned lady being thrown into the air by a burly man, or looking weightless and ethereal on a trapeze. Both of these women are clearly having a great time. But why are we lying to the world? The reality is that women in circus are covered in bruises and burns and smiling through gritted teeth, because these disciplines hurt. We train like we're in the army, and pride ourselves on how many chin-ups we can do, yet we're only confirming our gender difference by allowing men to set the rules. Even in contemporary circus women are physically working their knee high socks off to take over the male role of the base (myself included), yet this only furthers the idea that we define ourselves within the boundaries set out by our male counterparts. What are we doing in circus to speak of what it means to really be female - to be naturally curvy and soft, to be mothers and sisters, to run households and businesses and yet be subjected to the male gaze in everything we do?
And in case you're wondering, no, I don't have any answers. I just thought it was important to ask the questions.
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
A Catch Up
So I thought it was about time I posted some extra videos that I hadn't got round to yet. The first is our clowning presentation which took place at the end of last term. Our clowning intensive week was very rushed and so we're doing more this term, which I'm really happy about. I don't think this is the best clowning in the world, and don't feel that I've found my clown yet, but it's an interesting first attempt.
And the next is a presentation of an improvisation we'd been working on when we were studying half masks. I really love the way these masks lead you towards a character you'd never have come up with on your own, and the physicality that's inherent within this. Again, it's just a first attempt, but it was fun.
So for now it's back to portfolio practice - I'm trying to put together a series of audition style pieces to showcase what I feel I've learnt at Circomedia. So far there's a physical theatre piece about a job interview, and a dance/acro/hat manipulation piece which is entirely non-verbal, and will hopefully lead into another idea I've had for a one woman show. Exciting times are ahead...
Thursday, 5 April 2012
Sustainability
The Easter holidays are nearly over, and my thoughts are turning towards the third and final term of my time at Circomedia.
Work has already started coming in for when I'm back in Nottingham, which is fantastic, and I'm over the moon that people seem to be excited about what I've been learning. The question which is niggling at me though, is how to take this training, and carve a sustainable career from it. I know from past experience that careers in the Arts are unpredictable - that there will always be times when you're bombarded with work and others when the cupboard is bare. However, I need to make sure that the work that I'm being offered now and the 'buzz' there is about these new skills coming to the area doesn't fade away after a the first year or so.
Actors, eh? We're never bloody happy...
Work has already started coming in for when I'm back in Nottingham, which is fantastic, and I'm over the moon that people seem to be excited about what I've been learning. The question which is niggling at me though, is how to take this training, and carve a sustainable career from it. I know from past experience that careers in the Arts are unpredictable - that there will always be times when you're bombarded with work and others when the cupboard is bare. However, I need to make sure that the work that I'm being offered now and the 'buzz' there is about these new skills coming to the area doesn't fade away after a the first year or so.
Actors, eh? We're never bloody happy...
Friday, 16 March 2012
Being Injured
Being injured is rubbish. I just want that categorically and emphatically stated for the record.
To add insult to ankle injury, this week has been acro intensive week. That means that everyone who specialises in acro (yes, me) has had around 20 hours of taught acro time in addition to our normal lessons, where we would only normally have 4. Translated, that means a lot of sitting and watching and taking notes and making videos, when everyone else is having fun.
Don't get me wrong - my injury is not that bad. If I had a desk job it wouldn't even be a problem. However, when you have a whole day of classes learning to lindy hop, it's more of an issue.
So now I'm limping along the fine line of trying to be cautious and protect my ankle as much as possible in order for it to heal effectively, and trying not to be too scared to try things, to still push myself in order to squeeze every last drop of training as I can from the course. Last night I got the balance wrong by taking part in an extra rope class, and so today I've had to miss ballet. Rubbish.
There are always positives to be gained from any situation, and in this instance it's the opportunity the problem has given me to step back from 'doing' and think about creating instead. Rather than taking part in this Friday's presentation, where the group will showcase what we've learnt from the week, I'm helping Lisa, our very lovely acro teacher, actually devise the presentation and put it together. Every black cloud...
And on an altogether more positive note, here's a link to the blog of the New Perspectives Step Up ensemble, with whom I spent a day teaching circus based stuff in February. I think it's poetically written, and a nice summary of the day from the participants' point of view.
http://yourperspectives.wordpress.com/
Next blog is going to be more cheery. I promise.
To add insult to ankle injury, this week has been acro intensive week. That means that everyone who specialises in acro (yes, me) has had around 20 hours of taught acro time in addition to our normal lessons, where we would only normally have 4. Translated, that means a lot of sitting and watching and taking notes and making videos, when everyone else is having fun.
Don't get me wrong - my injury is not that bad. If I had a desk job it wouldn't even be a problem. However, when you have a whole day of classes learning to lindy hop, it's more of an issue.
So now I'm limping along the fine line of trying to be cautious and protect my ankle as much as possible in order for it to heal effectively, and trying not to be too scared to try things, to still push myself in order to squeeze every last drop of training as I can from the course. Last night I got the balance wrong by taking part in an extra rope class, and so today I've had to miss ballet. Rubbish.
There are always positives to be gained from any situation, and in this instance it's the opportunity the problem has given me to step back from 'doing' and think about creating instead. Rather than taking part in this Friday's presentation, where the group will showcase what we've learnt from the week, I'm helping Lisa, our very lovely acro teacher, actually devise the presentation and put it together. Every black cloud...
And on an altogether more positive note, here's a link to the blog of the New Perspectives Step Up ensemble, with whom I spent a day teaching circus based stuff in February. I think it's poetically written, and a nice summary of the day from the participants' point of view.
http://yourperspectives.wordpress.com/
Next blog is going to be more cheery. I promise.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Bloody Hell
Bloody Circus school.
Bloody ankles. Why do they have to be so flimsy anyway?
Yesterday, I dragged myself to school (I hadn't been very well over the weekend), specifically because I didn't want to miss our one tumbling lesson of the week. I love to tumble. Tumbling is what most people think of when you say acrobatics - back flips, headsprings and handsprings, somersaults and all that jazz. It's high impact. I had just started to feel a bit more like a normal human being and was having a great lesson - I'd just managed my first backward roll to handstand, which is a fairly simple move but I'd really been struggling with it and was being taught a cartwheel walkover, which is a great move, it looks really nice but is fairly easy to execute. Until... I'm not sure what went wrong but as I landed I seemed to crunch down on my ankle and ended up writhing on the floor in pain. And now, well, the writhing has stopped but the pain's still there. I can't walk very easily on it and just to add insult to injury my only way of getting to and from college every day is by bike. Hmmmm. Now if this was a normal job I would very happily take some time off, watch lots of Homes Under the Hammer and make myself generally comfortable on the sofa, but it's not, it's Circomedia and I want to be there. We're doing clowning at the moment! I can't miss clowning!
So I've got a physio appointment this afternoon. I shall wait for the verdict. But I am not a happy tumbler. And I still want to do a cartwheel walkover.
Bloody ankles. Why do they have to be so flimsy anyway?
Yesterday, I dragged myself to school (I hadn't been very well over the weekend), specifically because I didn't want to miss our one tumbling lesson of the week. I love to tumble. Tumbling is what most people think of when you say acrobatics - back flips, headsprings and handsprings, somersaults and all that jazz. It's high impact. I had just started to feel a bit more like a normal human being and was having a great lesson - I'd just managed my first backward roll to handstand, which is a fairly simple move but I'd really been struggling with it and was being taught a cartwheel walkover, which is a great move, it looks really nice but is fairly easy to execute. Until... I'm not sure what went wrong but as I landed I seemed to crunch down on my ankle and ended up writhing on the floor in pain. And now, well, the writhing has stopped but the pain's still there. I can't walk very easily on it and just to add insult to injury my only way of getting to and from college every day is by bike. Hmmmm. Now if this was a normal job I would very happily take some time off, watch lots of Homes Under the Hammer and make myself generally comfortable on the sofa, but it's not, it's Circomedia and I want to be there. We're doing clowning at the moment! I can't miss clowning!
So I've got a physio appointment this afternoon. I shall wait for the verdict. But I am not a happy tumbler. And I still want to do a cartwheel walkover.
Monday, 27 February 2012
Integration Week and Spring Project
Last week at Circomedia was Integration Week - and it was AMAZING! We had workshops which gave us tools with which to create our own choreographies, working from the pedestrian to abstract, workshops in musicality of movement with the lovely Anna Helena McLean, we learnt from Bim about how to discover the theatre-ness of circus, and learnt how to generate text with Adam Peck. I loved every second, but interestingly it really showed the differences between the students who are at Circomedia to explore creativity, and those who are here to train in the technical and skill elements of circus. I wonder why we define ourselves as one or the other, and where the true meeting point is?
And on a different note, here's the link to the video of my Spring Project. Obviously, as videos of live performances often can, it really lacks the atmosphere that was present on the night, but I think it's interesting as a work in progress. I'd like to take the idea further, but know that the finished product will look very different to what it is right now. As they say in the musical theatre world, I'm prepared to kill some babies to get there. Lovely analogy, eh?
http://youtu.be/FOnITdfnWkA
Monday, 20 February 2012
Week of Workshops
Half term has been and gone, and what a week it's been! It kicked off with 2 days of Creative Circus workshops on Monday and Tuesday, for children and Young People aged 8-16 years.
There were 29 participants over the 2 days, who all learnt elements of drama, acrobalance, manipulation, aerial silks, and brought them together in a devised task at the end of the day.
Many thanks to the lovely people at Lakeside Arts Centre for hosting the workshops, the Arts Council for their funding and the amazing Nikki Disney for her invaluable support. We had a great time!
Here's what some of the participants had to say:
"I felt confident because Cat and Nikki helped me and I knew everyone's name"
"It's something new and I really enjoyed it. Brill brill brill"
"It was so fun. I can now do a handstand!"
Watch this space for more workshop opportunities in May and July.
And on Sunday I joined forces with Ria Ashcroft to run a circus workshop for the New Perspectives training ensemble, called the Step Up Creatives. We had such a lovely day working with brave, talented young theatre makers, and can't wait to see how they use what they learnt from the day in their final show in June. You can read more and see lots of pictures from the day here:
And finally, I have started to get a little bit technological in my old age and have joined Twitter! You can follow me (get me, using all the lingo!) at @CatherineBoot. However, I have no idea why this blog entry has decided it wants to centre all of the text. Ah well! You can't win them all!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)