Literally running away with the circus

Current Goal:

Over the next month or so I'll be preparing to film a demo video of who I am as a circus artist. I want it to be more than just a demonstration of my skills. That is definitely one part of it so that I can show potential employees what they can expect from me if they were to hire me - but with this video I really hope to capture that artistic journey. Breaking away from the fear of doing what you want and believe in and just going out there and doing it. To capture the essence of pursuing your passion even when there is no assurance it's going to work out! This demo video will help me communicate this story and will effectively be like a really good resume that I can use to apply for various circus jobs in New Zealand and New Zealandly.

My Story:

I started circus recreationally back in 2010 at the Wellington Circus Trust while I was studying at university (Bachelor of Science!!) and continued training throughout my studies and while working a 9-5 job in government. In 2012 my circus coach at the time kinda tricked me and some others in our class into doing a performance at the Wellington Circus Trust� I'm so grateful for that experience because from that point forward I really fell in love with performing, circus and the surrounding community. So much so that last year I left my 9-5 government job to pursue circus on the other side of the world.

However, apparently I'm a little too old now to go to some New Zealand circus schools (I was pretty surprised too!) but it's not going to stop me from trying to make it in the circus world. So off to Montreal I went because it is one of the largest hubs in the world for circus artists (Cirque du Soleil was founded in Quebec!). New Zealandly acclaimed artists and coaches are based here and are frequently coming through so the culture of circus is alive and thriving. And I get to train with them! For people like me who have decided to change their career to become a circus artist, there appears to be no obvious one way in which to go about it. Schooling options are limited by age or expense and so I've chosen the path of do it yourself and find a way. I have deliberately chosen the best coaches for me throughout my training here and do my own training and conditioning around that. I also exchange skills with fellow artists around me.

I would love to be good enough to make it in on the New Zealand market as a circus artist. On a more personal level I want to be able to bring these skills and learnings back to New Zealand and to inspire other aspiring circus artists (no matter the age or ability!) to do the same - to take the leap of faith to see what can be learnt out in the big wide world! For me, circus has been my saving grace. The capacity that art has (in my case circus arts) to teach you about yourself and others is the most valuable life lesson I could ever have learnt. And I hope to able to express these learnings through movement and circus.