Funding Fun

"The transformative power of circus connects education, physical art and social development. Social Circus is more than teaching circus skills. It is a tool for transformation, discipline, creativity and artistic expression."

 The above statement comes from the Mobile Mini-Circus for Children (MMCC) website. MMCC is Social Circus program in Afghanistan that uses circus arts a tool for teaching social skills, overcoming trauma and developing essential capacities and the ability to take responsibility.

Not only do they offer workshops for children, but they also perform educational shows about essential themes such as hygiene, Peace, or traffic safety. Partnering with MACCA/UNOPS, for example, MMCC has produced performances geared toward teaching and protecting children from the dangers of landmines and unexploded ordnance, in ways they can easily and much better understand.

MMCC is currently raising funds for their next year of operations. They hope to cover the costs of costumes for rehearsal and performance, as well as covering equipment costs.

Right now, they're at $765 of their $6000 goal. If you're able to help and wish to contribute, you can make a donation here.

For more information about the Mobile Mini-Circus for Children, visit their website here.

More Excitement Than I Like

I love transport. It's one of my favourite parts of tour life. But the other day there was a little more excitement than I typically care for...

The good news is, that is not one of our cars. The bad news is, as we drove past, things started exploding. Fortunately, we could already see the firefighters en route in the distance. It's still pretty crazy, though!

Escape

No matter the circumstances, no matter the devastation, somehow, the human spirit survives. Year after year, conflict after conflict, stories of hope and humanity push their way through the horror and the rubble. One needn't look further than the Syria Parkour Club to see that.

Belly of the Beast

It's no secret that Cirque du Soleil has some pretty impressive tricks up its sleeve when it comes to the mechanics that make their permanent shows run. But just how much is really going on? Forbes magazine decided to find out. The resulting article provides an interesting look at what makes the beast tick.

A Little Bit of Lovely

Gracie Hanneford on Hagenback-Wallace in 1937. [source]

Mario Bros. Parkour

That's right, I said Mario Bros. Parkour. The only thing I can add to that statement is watch it. Watch it now!

Circus, Performance Art, What's the Difference?

This is an interesting article that appeared in The Wall Street Journal. As a contemporary circus artist, what I find most interesting about this article is the perception of contemporary circus by the author and the shift in attitude that occurs.

I'd wanted to be in the circus since I was a little kid. I didn't need to be convinced of anything and as such, it never occurred to me that people could dismiss the art form circus has become. Heck, I pretty much jumped in blind and was pleasantly surprised by just how rich circus culture is and how many different kinds of circus there are! But of course if you've only ever rolled your eyes at the idea of contemporary circus and dismissed it, how could you possibly know what it has to offer and see its merits?

Read the full article here.