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Check out our FALL CLASSES!

Registration is OPEN.

READ BEFORE YOU REGISTER

FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION

 

CIRCUS

Fall 2024 Schedule

 

If you are unsure about which class to register your child in, please reach out to us via email or through the 'contact us' link on our website.

Caveat for SSCG Circus Classes:

Success in the circus arts is not obtained in one class or even over a series of classes.  Circus skills are acquired through discipline and commitment over time.  With society’s obsession with instant gratification, participants will, at the very least, realize the motto of ‘getting out what you put in’. 

Rather than focussing on the mastery of skills, our students will be offered the chance to learn the Salt Spring Circus and Gymnastics' core values of participation, patience, practice, perseverance and a positive mindset in order to progress in the circus arts.

Good fitness levels are an advantage, but grit, a positive attitude and a growth mindset are required to progress in this program.  Please ensure all registrants understand that learning in these programs is much more than just mastering the circus skills.  We hope all participants will walk away with life skills that will give them increased confidence, fortitude and resilience.

Circus Kids

Ages 7-11

This class is for  young learners wanting to explore the circus arts. Participants will be introduced to playful but capacity-building conditioning techniques and basic movements/poses on a collection of circus equipment. Students will be exposed to a variety of props and aerial apparatus, acro-balance, clowning and other circus equipment. We will focus on nurturing participant creativity, teamwork, strength and resilience while practicing safe ways to move and explore.  This class will be physically challenging but the students will build the strength required to expand; as bodies learn in different ways the progressions will meet the students at their capacity. This class will focus on what students are able to do within  strengths, interests and fitness levels, while building connections with others

 

 

Circus Fundamentals 

Ages 11+

This is an introduction to a variety of circus disciplines, where students will learn conditioning techniques and basic movements on a collection of aerial apparatus and circus equipment. Whether participants have a bit of circus experience or are just starting out, this class will offer foundational skills that pay attention to injury prevention and set students up to safely learn and move on to an intermediate level. Depending on participants’ own physical threshold, students will learn a series of movements and poses on a variety of equipment, such as hammocks, dance trapeze, lyra hoop, cube, german wheel, unicycles, props and partner/group acrobatics, with occasional silks workshops. There is no prerequisite, however, the class will be physically challenging.  Students of all ages will learn about their own capacity and the class will focus on how to progress from where each individual is at.

 

Intermediate Circus

Age 11+

This is an intermediate level circus class geared toward motivated learners, with previous experience in acro, props and apparatus.  Participants will further their conditioning techniques and prepare for a variety of circus disciplines.  Students will rotate through stations that develop their skills on a collection of aerial apparatus, including trapeze, hammocks, lyra, occasional silk workshops, partner and group acrobatics, props, unicycles and handstands. Prerequisites require participants to have solid aerial skills, where students can already demonstrate stamina and skill using aerial gear. This includes climbing safely, inverts, pull ups and holding their body weight for an extended period of time while in the air. Students will be supported within their own capacity, and given tools to improve a variety of circus crafts while building supportive connections with classmates.

Intermediate Circus prerequisite-

  • Circus Fundamentals or prior circus training,

  • Participants in this class must:

    • have an understanding of the fitness workout completed prior to using each type of equipment

    • have full knowledge of all safety protocols for all apparatus, 

    • know all warmup routines for all apparatus, 

    • be aware of and committed to the cultural focus of circus (P’s), 

    • juggle a 3 ball cascade or is close to this ability.