Circus Children's Club!

On Monday and Tuesday in termtime we hold circus classes for 6 - 18 year olds across Sussex, check below for locations. We cover skills such as hooping, diabolo, stilt walking, tightrope walking, juggling, staff and poi spinning as well as equipment making and performance skills.

We're a community based after school club offering children in Worthing and Burgess Hill the opportunity to learn new skills in a fun environment, as well as offering workshops in basic to advance skills and work towards certificates in many different skills.

As well as structured learning we offer the chance for independent play and exploration with all our equipment, giving children time to develop in their own time and with supporting learning.

Teaching children aged from 6 - 18 years circus skills for fun and professional training (and younger by special request). Our after school sessions and workshops help build confidence both learning independently and as a team, as well as teaching circus skills, tricks and performance techniques.

Current After School Course Dates!

Free first taster session, then £5 drop in Burgess Hill

Tuesdays @ The Park Centre, Park Road, Burgess Hill

Termtime                                           4:30 - 5:30

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Worthing CircusSeen:

Monday and Tuesdays @ Sidney Walter Centre from 4:15 - 5:45

free first drop in session then £6 per class.

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Children can work towards individual achievement qualifications in all our trained skills including:

                                  Poi spinning         Contact staff and spinning      Diablo

                                  Hula Hooping      Plate Spinning                             Tightrope Walking

                                  Juggling                 Devil Sticks                                    Slack Rope 

                                  Stilt Walking        Balloon modelling                      and much more!!

Age range for after school club and workshops

4 - 6 years - Encouraged to explore all the equipment through play, we have various obstacle course games and activities to help young children become familiar with the various ways to use the equipment and gain confidence whilst working on their basic motor skills.

7 - 11 years - Whilst maintaining the games and fun we also move onto specific skill and trick learning. Working through our books towards certificates these children gain confidence with the equipment and create mini 'shows' to help their performance techniques and team work.

11 - 18 years - More specific skill training concentrating on perfecting basic through to advanced tricks as well as performance skills - slowly move over to glow and when older onto the fire equipment with our fully trained instructors on hand. Skill swapping is encouraged and option to train as a instructor volunteer.

18+ years - Always welcome to come along and skill swap with the other adults and children and also to help out with instructing if you can spare the time!

Our Teaching Methodology

For all the children that come through our classes and workshops we base the majority of their learning through play, hence all children are encouraged to explore the equipment in whatever manner they choose (safely!). We will demonstrate "correct" use of each piece of circus equipment but actively let each child find their own way with the use of as much imagination as possible! By doing this it helps their basic motor skills and problem solving skills for each activity. Also an important element in circus performance is originality and when an imagination is allowed to run wild truely amazing skills can be developed that most adults wouldn't have even considered, due to our natural inclination to want to do everything properly! Of course we are always on hand to make sure their experimentation is always done as safely as possible and to answer any questions they may have.

For the older children that are picking up the basics quickly or may even be familiar with some activities already (we have some star diablo spinners at the moment!) then we help them develop their skills by teaching them new tricks, and also encourage them to become familiar with the other equipment usage so they can get more of a broad range of abilities. Through working around their favourite skill we help them explore new ways to perform their tricks involving the other equipment, showing them where skills can "carry over" to other performance activities, as well as helping with basic performance etiquette and building up their confidence with mini performances each class.

All our young circus stars can aim for special certificates in each discipline by working through their Circus Brighton Achievement Booklets. Then at the end of each term any certificates achieved will be presented alongside their own performance demonstrating what they've learnt that term/workshop. Booklets are used in our after school clubs but can be made available at any booked individual workshops if required.

We work using encouragement to bring out the best in every child and the knowledge that freedom of individual and joint exploration of our equipment creates true performance masterpieces and builds confidence in all our young stars. (Also the bribe of chocolate works wonders...........)

Any questions about our teaching style please email us! We also provide more structured lessons where suited.

Call us for more information on 0800 433 4618 or email by clicking the link below: