THE BALLOON MAN

Catapulting circus careers


 

Performers from Big Star Circus at the last Catapult Festival. 
MARYANNE JAQUES, ARTS OUTWEST
from: westernadvocate.com.au
11 Mar, 2012 


When the biennial Catapult Festival begins on March 28, many of the country’s best circus and physical theatre performers will have made the pilgrimage to Bathurst to share their skills, knowledge and the spirit of circus with young troupes and emerging talents. 
The national festival, always held in Bathurst, has developed a reputation for spring-boarding connections between young circus artists and playing an important part in the early careers of trainers and performers. 


“Before I moved here from Adelaide, this festival is what I knew Bathurst for,” festival coordinator Peta Johnson said. 


“Catapult has a massive reputation in the Australian circus community and is now the official national youth circus festival supported by ACAPTA, who are the Australian Circus and Physical Theatre Association.”


Boosting this focus on professional development, a new element in the 2012 festival is the “Merging Emerging Artists” project. 


With the backing of Festivals Australia, the project will support twelve young emerging circus and physical theatre artists from regional, remote and metropolitan Australia while they spend ten days together in Bathurst, prior to and during the Festival. 


“They will work with Simone Obrien from Legs On The Wall. The other director will be Kirk Page who is an indigenous circus/ physical theatre/ dance performer,” Ms Johsnon said. 


Catapult has also joined forces with the Aboriginal Performing Arts Program at Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre. Catapult will host a program titled “Circus Mob”, a gathering of Indigenous circus trainers and those with expertise working with indigenous groups during the festival.


This program will then launch a local, long-term Aboriginal circus and physical theatre troupe in the region. 


While the festival focuses on skill development and networking for Australia’s youth circus troupes, there are plenty of public performances for locals to enjoy. 


“Other special guests include hot new contemporary circus group Casus, who have just rocked out Byron Bay. They are currently at the Adelaide Fringe and they will end March at Catapult showing their new work Knee Deep at the Opening Performance of the Festival,” Ms Johnson said. 
read more:
http://www.westernadvocate.com.au/news/local/news/genera