April monthly newsletter Training news Outreach Update End Of Year Show agm moment of the Month contact us Training news CIRCUS DAY We had a great turnout for Circus Day. Thanks to everyone for rocking up and to those who contributed to the FEAST. As well as a stack of info about the Training Program, there were updates regarding the Artistic and Outreach arms of the Women’s Circus. We welcomed our new Music Trainer, Irine Vela, and said “au revoir” to New Woman Régine Breyton, who attended Circus Day just hours before leaving for the airport to return to Quebec. The Music Group gave outgoing Music trainers Bec Matthews and Sarah Ward a fitting send off with a “concert” of their work from Term 1, accompanied by a trio balance routine by Staja Hobsbawn, Emily Ross and Bianca Sciarretta. There were also performances by members of the Performance and Acro 3 classes, both entertaining and exciting previews of what we may see in our Show and Tell at the end of term. SHORT COURSES With Whip Cracking and Clowning both already underway, we have received some great feedback about this term’s Short Courses. There are still some places available in the short courses being held later in the term: COURSE NAME Chinese Pole Group Bike TRAINER Teresa Blake Annie Fayzdaughter DAY/TIME Sat 2-4pm Sat 4-6pm DATES May 17-31 June 7-21 Remember, these courses are open to ALL women, not just members of the Women’s Circus. If you, or somebody you know, are interested, please contact the office. 2008 Artistic Program The plans for the Women’s Circus 2008 Artistic Program are well under way and this year the aim is to include the participant base involved in the Training and Outreach programs in a major public performance to be held at the North Melbourne Town Hall in the final week of November this year. Under the Artistic Direction of Nadja Kostich the theme is focused on Women’s Suffrage because this theme is distinctly relevant and significant for our organisation and our partners to voice. By developing and presenting an original, relevant and dynamic work as part of the 100 Year Commemoration of Victorian Women’s Suffrage, in particular the campaigns of the Women’s Suffrage League, the artistic program will connect younger generations women with their history, and give voice to past and contemporary women’s struggles, as well as link Women’s Circus and its participants in to the wider network celebrating Victorian Women’s Suffrage. Nadja will be conducting two Creative Development Workshops on Sunday 18 May and Sunday 8 June from 1pm – 3.30pm to brainstorm and workshop ideas. If you are a training member and would like to be involved please submit an Expressions of Interest Form which you can collect from the office or ask your Trainer. In addition, as the result of the huge success of the “Show & Tell” performance last year, two more of these have been scheduled for 2008. The dates (to be confirmed) are Sunday 29 June and Sunday 21 September. Please note these in your diaries now and we will keep you posted! OUTREACH UPDATE Last month has many exciting events. Firstly we facilitated a vibrant session with some young people from the Mirabel Foundation. The session was going brilliantly until the Drill Hall roof blew off… but there are hopes that the kids will return in the future, potentially for a longer-term project. We also headed out to Sunbury to present a speech about the wonderful work of the Women’s Circus to the Macedon Ranges Focus Group. The response was apparently fantastic, with many of the attendees wanting to know more about how they could have the Circus involved in their communities. Two of our team did a day-trip to Swan Hill to rove at a dinner for Doctors and their families hosted by Mallee General Practice. I’ve heard the audience was very responsive and the girls had a chance to try out some new tricks with one another. Finally, four of us headed out to Keilor to facilitate a session for Mt. St. Joseph’s Girls’ College. All of the students had a chance to laugh whilst running away from bees, perform amazing new tricks and then chase their hula hoops down the hill, amaze themselves with the pyramids they could build, and challenge their hand-eye coordination with their new-found juggling skills. The day was a great success and we’ve been asked to return later in the year. A few of our longer-term programs have also started up again. Gilmore Girls is back in action, with students’ laughter filling up the Drill Hall every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There are excellent levels of student participation this year, with even the most unwilling participants getting up and giving things a go. Our six trainers have been working extremely hard to keep the program creative, fresh, challenging and fun. The Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Eating Disorders Unit trains in the space each Tuesday under the gentle guidance of Jenny, and within the next few weeks I will be having a discussion with the head of the unit to see how we can incorporate this project into some of the wider circus events, such as the end-of-year show. In the next few months, we’re heading out to speak about the Women’s Circus at the famous Zonta Club, which is a club that works to advance the status of women worldwide. We’re hoping the speech can turn into a longer-term, more meaningful partnership. The Australian Education Union’s Women’s Conference will be blessed with the presence of two of our trainers, who have been presented with the challenging task of facilitating a stilt-walking/hula hooping workshop with a Show and Tell outcome within two hours. Luckily two of our best are on the project, so I have confidence they’ll fly with the challenge! We’ll also be welcoming the Women About program to the Women’s Circus for a taste-testing session in May. The program participants are women who have recently left the prison system and are about to complete their case management plans, so this is a partnership I am working to develop further. Two stiltwalkers and their ground supporters will be heading to perform at the Victorian Council Of Social Services’ Exhibition Launch in the city. The exhibition will promote careers in the community sector, so it’s a perfect thing for us to be involved in. Melbourne City Mission has also booked us in for a basic skills workshop in the Drill Hall for some of the young people with whom they work. They work with particularly marginalized and disadvantaged communities, so the potential difference that our work can make is significant. Finally, Mt. St. Joseph’s have asked us to return to facilitate further sessions in June and August. Busy times! Women’s Circus Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting which is open to all paid Members of the Women’s Circus will be held at the Drill Hall, 395 Barkly Street, Footscray on Monday 19 May at 6pm. Moment of the Month April was a very eventful month, in fact it was such a huge month for the Women’s Circus that we blew the roof off. Well not us, the wind! When our Sky lights blew away and the rest of the roof threatened to go with it, Maralann our courageous book keeper, who was busy with the accounts calmly got off her seat, popped up the ladder and effortlessly covered the trapeze to protect it from the oncoming rain. She was then swiftly back to the accounts. Go Maralann!