Griffini Show (Red and Black)
A 30-minute feast of riveting entertainment for all ages. Griffini juggles anything, anywhere and incorporates audience participation, unicycling, an “eight legged levitation” and other feats of utter stupidity before the great finale of riding atop a gargantuan unicycle and juggling flames of fire!
Audience: Family/Adults
Duration: 30 minutes (10-15 minute performances also available)
Space: 6m deep X 6m wide X 4m high
Boiler suit (man in a boiler suit)
Eight legged levitation - four audience members, one performer and a lot of stomach strength
Audience: Family/Adults
Duration: 10 minutes
Space: 4 X 4metres
Fire Show
Two performers take you on a jouney of fire in this club swinging, sword flinging, flame throwing routing. Choreographed to music using staff, clubs, poi, sword, fire eating and fire guns. This is especially for those who wish to be transfixed by a fantastic fire performance
Duration: 10 minutes
Space: 8 x 30 metres
N.B. This is strictly an outdoor show
*Free style fire twirlers also available for indoor or outdoor venues
Formal stilts
Dressed to please. Great characters for a ‘meet and greet’ to welcome guests at any event, function or party.
Up to three performers available
Special Unicycle Patrol
Severe budget cuts to the Police Force have halved the bicycle unit! Officers will be on the lookout for the flimsiest excuse to issue a fine to old and young alike and leave their subjects flabbergasted in disbelief at the new police laws.
Up to three performers available
Chefs
Let Boris Borsch and Strudel Stroganov tempt your palate. They cook anything, anywhere, anytime. Keep children in your sights at all times! SPICEY!
Up to three performers available
Juggler
Suave, sophisticated, savvy. Not to mention a talented juggler. Great for roving through crowds for a little extra flair and a bit of cheekiness! Also excellent for period events.
Up to two performers available
Black and White
Clef has formed a solo jazz band. Without the ability to play an instrument to save himself, he will leave the audience as confused as he is.
Christmas elf on stilts
Santas not so little helper. Bigger than life and still up to mischief.
Balloon Artists
Colourfully clad characters cleverly creating cute, crazy and captivating creatures from containers of air.
Pure Circus Fun
Learn circus skills and play circus games for the fun of it!
Duration: 1 to 4 hours
Skills to choose from:
- Juggling
- Unicycling
- Stilt walking
- Plate spinning
- Plate manipulation
- Staff twirling
- Poi spinning
- Rola bola
- Flower sticks
- Diabolo
Why learn circus skills?
- physically active – participants can make the activities as intense or as mild as they require.
- non-competitive – involves people who may be discouraged from participating in sports because of the fierce competition and alliances formed in many sporting activities. Participants may work alone, but are also encouraged to work together and help build each other’s skills.
- mentally challenging – by the very nature of juggling, both left and right hemispheres of the brain are simultaneously engaged. Trying to co-ordinate both arms (and legs) provides a great brain workout, which can have spill-over effects of improved ability to concentrate in other areas of learning. Other circus skills provide stimulating mental challenges also.
- improved self-esteem and self-confidence through learning skills that may once have been thought to be impossible.
- performance skills may be developed, along with their associated benefits.
- resourcefulness – not all circus props have to be professionally manufactured or expensive; many can be made home using ordinary objects.
- self-learning - breaking skills into smaller steps and then constructing these back into the complete picture, as well as learning how to use mistakes as important steps for learning.
- self discovery – the joy of playing with something new (or something already familiar) and finding different ways to use it.
- spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination may be improved through participation in many of the activities.
- experience a different aspect of the arts (or experience a part of the arts) for those that may not otherwise have the opportunity, or motivation.
Circus Workshops
Circus Elements have taught circus skills at many events, schools and other locations including festivals, community centres, and camps, and to people from age 4 to adult, abled and less-abled. Workshops can run as a “drop in” activity, or as a more structured workshop.
Circus Skills Available
- Juggling
- Unicycling
- Stilt walking
- Hoola hoops
- Adagio (acrobalance/human pyramids)
- Plate spinning
- Plate manipulation
- Diabolo
- Flower sticks
- Staff twirling (including fire twirling)
- Poi spinning
- Rola Bola
- Tumbling
- Mini tramp
Lesson Structure
Classes are available from 15 minutes to full day workshops. A 60 minute class typically includes:
- Clowning game - to loosen up, warm up the mind, and convey particular circus concepts
- Warm up and stretch – to warm up the body
- Circus skills – two or three of the below skills, taught in easy to understand steps, while still providing challenges
- Free time – participants are allowed to practice any of the skills they have learnt through the class or through the term
Details:
Number of participants: max 25
Duration: One off lessons (15min to a full day) to an eight week program
Facilities required: A well lit indoor area or a large sheltered area. If adagio, tumbling or mini tramp is taught, gymnastics mats and a mini tramp are also needed
Participant requirements: Clothing - comfortable shorts or trousers, closed shoes Long hair tied back recommended
Making circus props
Not all circus props have to be professionally manufactured or expensive; many can be made at school using ordinary objects. These include juggling balls, flower sticks, balance sticks, twirling staves & poi. An ideal complement to the circus skills workshop as it gives the participants the knowledge and experience in making props, with a tangible thing they can keep at the end (or contribute to the schools supply) for continued practice. This can either be integrated into the circus skills workshop or run as a separate workshop.
All equipment is supplied by Circus Elements, except gym mats and mini tramp, which are generally only required when teaching adagio and mini tramp.
The benefits of learning circus skills?
- physically active – participants can make the activities as intense or as mild as they require.
- non-competitive – involves those students that may be discouraged from participating in sports because of the fierce competition and alliances formed in many sporting activities. Students may work alone, but are also encouraged to work together and help build each other’s skills.
- mentally challenging – by the very nature of juggling, both left and right hemispheres of the brain are simultaneously engaged. Trying to co-ordinate both arms (and legs) provides a great brain workout, which can have spill-over effects of improved ability to concentrate in other areas of learning. Other circus skills provide stimulating mental challenges also.
- improved self-esteem and self-confidence through learning skills that may once have been thought to be impossible.
- performance skills may be developed, along with their associated benefits.
- resourcefulness – not all circus props have to be professionally manufactured or expensive; many can be made at school or home using ordinary objects.
- self-learning - breaking skills into smaller steps and then constructing these back into the complete picture, as well as learning how to use mistakes as important steps for learning.
- self discovery – the joy of playing with something new (or something already familiar) and finding different ways to use it.
- spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination may be improved through participation in many of the activities.
- experience a different aspect of the arts (or experience a part of the arts) for those that may not otherwise have the opportunity, or motivation.
Fire Show
Two performers take you on a jouney of fire in this club swinging, sword flinging, flame throwing routing. Choreographed to music using staff, clubs, poi, sword, fire eating and fire guns. This is especially for those who wish to be transfixed by a fantastic fire performance.
Duration: 10 minutes
Space required: 8 metres x 30 metres
N.B. This is strictly an outdoor show
Freestyle Fire
Fire performers improvise with a wide range of fire props including: fire twirling, fire juggling, fire sword, fire eating, fire guns.
Space required: At least 4 metres x 4 metres per performer
