Sunday, April 28, 2013

Circus West on a roll
from:  dublophotonews.com.au
Written by  Kerry Ellen
Sunday, 28 April 2013
As the April school holidays draw to a close, so do school holiday arts workshops. Teaming up with Circus West, Orana Arts visited eight communities across the region, delivering circus skills training to almost 150 children. In the process we learned why the school-based circus arts program is still so successful 22 years after its inception at West Dubbo Primary School.

School teacher, circus arts trainer and former gymnastics instructor, Paul Woodhead, is the man at the helm of Circus West. Paul started teaching at West Dubbo Primary School in 1989 and was immediately involved in gymnastics training. Realising the sport required a high level of athleticism which, by nature, excluded a lot of students, Paul’s goal was to develop a more inclusive gym program.
Circus West was born after Paul attended a summer circus camp for youth based in the troubled Irish city of Belfast. The aim was to get kids from across the community to work together using circus as a medium. Paul saw the potential for a similar model to be used back home as an alternative Physical Education program with some guiding principles that could also assist in breaking up negative behaviour patterns.

The Circus West model has evolved and expanded over time but according to Paul the ethos of the program has always been about two things.
read more:
http://dubbophotonews.com.au/index.php/dpn/categories/arts-entertainment/item/1118-circus-west-on-a-roll

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