Unique Circus Images.

 Here are some rare images that have been taken of unique acts through the 1800's.

Lady and the Serpent  

Russian Contortionist 

Lion Tamer 

Hippopotamus Trainer

Lion Trainer 

Clown with Hippopotamus Trainer

Knife Thrower with Assistant 

Knife Juggler 

Unicycle Rider. 

These images are treasured in the circus world as they reflect the life and atmosphere of what once was the age of a life time. Before WHS (Workplace Health & Safety) was brought into the picture, acts would perform amazing death defying tricks that would aww an audience to silence, this makes it harder for performers these days to impress the audiance to the standards that where set by the 1800's acts. 

Circus Products

Your one stop circus shop should be CircusShop.net. They supply Diablo's, Poi's, Juggling equipment, Stilts, Unicycles, Fire and Glow Gear, Circus Skill DVSs and Book and much more all at reasonable prices.
If your not sure what you want to buy they have a 'Popular' tab for your convenience. Be inspired and begin your circus life style with something easy like Poi, it is a quick and easy skill to perfect. It consists of balls at the end of string that you twirl around your body, similar to a gymnastic ribbon. The Poi's start from $15.
Of if your feeling adventurous learn the Diablo, now don't be fooled, there are many different types of diablos, for example: Beginner diabolos, professional diabolos, mini diabolos, fly bearing diabolos, fire diabolos, handsticks, string and LED diabolos. Do any of these sound like your cup of tea? These Diablo's start from $25.
Would you like to reach for the stars for real? Try their stilts. They start from $180.
Glow gear is quite a unique and is a killer at music festivals, would you like to get your hands on a LED Hackysack? well here is your chance, or would you like to browse their different LED products?

Warehouse Circus

Never fear those who live in Canberra, there is a circus school local to you too. Warehouse Circus is similar to Arealize, they run classes for all ages and skill levels. 

Dont be shy to call up even if you just have some inquiries, everyone who walks away from the classes states that they feel fitter and more enriched. 
'Warehouse Circus is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the mental and physical health of young people through the medium of social circus.
Warehouse Circus has been providing social circus classes in Canberra since 1990. We have a host of programs including core circus programs for beginner, intermediate and advanced performers, adult classes, school holiday programs, and workshops and performances for community festivals and other events.
We foster a co-operative environment rather than a competitive one, and aim to give everyone an opportunity to learn fun skills they can show off with. You will be amazed at what you can learn!' - Warehouse Circus. 

If you wish to contact Warehouse Circus click here. 

How To Make Your Own Juggling Balls.

This information is taken from The ABC Channel

1. Pour about half a cup of rice* into an empty water or soft drink bottle (if you don't have a funnel, make one from the top of a second bottle).
* The size of your juggling balls depends on the amount of rice you use.
2. Inflate a balloon to about the size of a grapefruit, twist the neck and stretch it over the neck of the bottle.
3. Turn the bottle upside down so all the rice falls into the inflated balloon – then remove the balloon from the bottle and let it deflate.
4. Cut the neck off the balloon – the rice will stay in the balloon.
5. Cut the neck off a second balloon and stretch it over the hole to seal the rice into your juggling ball.
You could use the ball like this, but they look heaps better if you add more balloons for some patterns and colour.
6. Cut the neck and a piece of the top off a third balloon and stretch it over the ball to get a single stripe of colour.
7. You can cut lots of very small holes in a balloon by pinching it between your finger and thumb and carefully cutting off the tips – remove the neck and stretch over a ball to make spotty patterns.
8. Done! You’ve just made some fantastic juggling balls … now all you have to do is learn how to juggle!

This is a quick and easy way to create juggling balls in your back yard with limited cleaning which is a plus. 

Interview With a Circus Beginner.

How did you hear about Aerialize?
When I was younger my mother places me in circus school as a way of learning unique skills, at the time I was also doing gymnastics, doing both at the same time helped me with my balance on both the trapeze and the balancing beam in gymnastics. And later in live i decided to go back and try it out again to see if i still loved it, so with a ten year gap of learning circus I went back and tried again.

What was your favourite apparatus?
My favourite was always the trapeze. It clicked best with my understanding of balance and moment, now don't get me wrong I love the silk as well but it doesn't have the same stability that trapeze offers and I enjoy the freedom that static trapeze gives.

What was the first thing you learnt at Aerialize?
Ha on the first day they got us to do the real basics, it was all bout the fundamental that we will have to lean to be able to do the more advances tricks. So we learnt how to juggle, keep a hula hoop up and we learnt to basic stretches that we where going to have to practice.

Do you enjoy the performance aspects of Aerialize? or do you just do it for leisure?
Oh I defiantly love the performing, it is what we work all year on some times, perfecting the tricks and learning new ones to impress the crowd. Its not just the performing that I love, its the whole environment that is created when everyone works together on one project and everything falls into place at the final moment. And after the final show is over everyone comes together in a momentous occasion to celebrate what once was.

What is your practice schedule?
Well I mostly attend the classes for the fitness and leisure and rarely participate in the performances, so my schedule consists of stretching every morning, attending class once a week and generally staying heathy.

Would you encourage others to attend the classes?
Oh yes defiantly, I have made some of my best friends during these classes and it is a great alternitive to  going to the gym every morning and you learn unique tricks and skills that you would not necessarily learn anywhere else.

Thank you, Sonia Hart for answering my questions.

Aertialize - Sydney Areal Theatre

For all you Sydney Siders out there who are interested in learning the basics such as acro-balance, acrobatics, hula hoops, juggling or if your up for some more advanced apparatuses such as  static trapeze, silks/tissue, Spanish web, Chinese Pole, contortion and more then I have the place for you.

Aerialize has courses that are held in a safe and comfortable environment for all ages and abilities. Students leave the classes knowing they have been tough by professional performers and instructors to ensure the safety and progress of the students capabilities. People attend these classes with different intentions, some wish to become professional performers and some attend for recreational purposes.

Aerialize run different kinds of programs such as 'Circus Skool' which is an eight week program that is run after school hours for all ages and abilities to attend, they evaluate your skill level and determine how they are best able to teach you the skills. It is a safe environment that ensures that if you have any physical constraints against your body they are able to teach you alternative ways of achieving the same skill.

Aerialize also have an annual show that the students work all term on perfecting their performances, anyone can come and watch the show. Each year there is a theme for the performance. It is a wonderful show that clearly displays the skills that the students have worked towards.

If you prefer the one on one treatment then listen up, classes last one hour and can accommodate 1-3 students at once. You have the control over what apparatus you with to learn making it easier for you to perfect your tricks and skills. The cost for these classes are cheaper the more people at tend the privet classes. One student - $85 each, two students - $100 an
d three students $120.

Now if your 16 and over and don't want to be surrounded by 12 year olds making a ruckus then you can enrol in the adult classes that are targeted at an apparatus or skill set or you can attend the all round class that teaches you the basics of everything. Or if you are Level 2+ you can attend the open training that is $15 per session where you can go in and practice on the already set up equipment at your free will.

To sign up for any of these classes Click Here. 

Circus Street Performers

Street performances such as "The Secret Circus" perform on a public platform to entertain large audiences in areas such as farmers markets and festivals. Most street performances follow themes, for example, this duo combines both circus acts and Mission Impossible music to create a interesting environment and engulfs the audience's attention. Circus performers must have something that sets them apart from all over street performers, for example, their style or particular trick.

Street performers don't always have such big audiences or crowd. Some work on a smaller scales such as: card illusionists, mimes, ventriloquists, jugglers and contortionists. 

Small scale acts, such as card illusionists and ventriloquists, rely on the audience to be engulfed by the trick.

How To Juggle 3 Balls For Beginners

This is a step to step video helping you beginners with the art of juggling. There are different styles of juggling that have developed over the years. Such as knife juggling, normal juggling, comic juggling and many more.