We are delighted to offer Galway Community Circus members the opportunity to participate in special workshops as part of our Mayhem Youth Circus Festival on Saturday, 25th of May 2024.
If you are currently a member and attend weekly circus classes at Galway Community Circus, these events are for you.
In-Class Activities for Members
During the festival week, we offer special in-class activities and events for our Youth Circus membership.
17-23 and 28 May
Galway Community Circus Youth Members (Shantalla and Tuam)
Circus classes during our Mayhem Youth Circus Festival are extra special! Our Flea and Junior Circus classes will be open for parents/guardians and siblings to join in or watch.
Our Tweenie, Senior, and Youth Aerial (Punchinello) classes will be prepping to perform in Scratch Night. Senior Circus class members can bring a friend on 28 May.
Aerial Masterclass with Isabel Van Maele and Juliette O'Donnell (for ages 12-17 years)
Date: Saturday, 25th May
Time: 9:30-10:10am, 10:10-10:50am, and 10:50-11:30am
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to workshop start time to warm up.
Cost: Pre-book for €5
Spaces: 4 spaces available in each block (12 spaces total)
Location: Father Burke Park
For: Youth Aerial (Punchinello) Class
We are delighted to offer members of our Youth Aerial (Punchinello) an aerial masterclass with circus trainers Isabel Van Maele and Juliette O'Donnell.
Isabel has been teaching circus since 1993 and is a member of the pedagogical staff at Cirkus in Beweging (a youth circus school in Leuven, Belgium). Following her masters degree in physical education she started circus training at the École de Cirque de Bruxelles (ECB). Since 2000, Isabel has helped coach future aerial trainers at ECB. She coordinates the “Flemish Basic Circus” trainer program (BIC), she is co-author of the book “Circus School” and writer of the “Guidelines for Trainers Development Program Youth Circus” published by Kunstfactor, NL. In 2012-14 she participated in the CATE programme, which resulted in the online available European model for basic circus training. She has given trainer weekends in Italy, Spain, Finland and Switzerland.
Juliette O'Donnell, 22, is a French-Irish tutor and trapeze artist with Galway Community Circus. Her educational journey encompasses a Diploma in Drama and Theatre, a Bachelor's in Arts, a Higher Diploma Masters in Psychology focusing on pedagogy for intellectual disabilities, and the completion of the BOOST Professional Circus Training Course with the Dublin Circus Project. With diverse teaching experiences, from leading trapeze workshops for the Irish Youth Aerial Exchange to participating in the ERASMUS+ 'Circus Transformation' (CTF) programme, Juliette is a multifaceted tutor with a wealth of in-class and academic experience.
Clowning Masterclass with Fraser Hooper (for ages 12-17 years)
Date: Saturday, 25th May
Time: 10am - 1pm
Cost: Pre-book for €5
Spaces: 30 spaces available
Location: St. Joseph's Community Centre
*This workshop is now open to the public*
We are delighted to offer our members a clowning masterclass with professional clown Fraser Hooper! Fraser is a popular clown teacher at Circus Schools and Theatre Festivals worldwide and for 12 years was the regular clown tutor at The National School for Circus Arts in London. Now resident in New Zealand he juggles his year performing and teaching around the world.
All his workshops are based on rhythm and play and he teaches how to craft improvisations into comic routines. For younger students he uses lots of simple physical games that are about connecting, responding and listening to each other. He encourages playful strategies that embrace failure as much as success and the students quickly learn how to make room for their friends to succeed. Fraser has a huge library of clown books and clown related films which provide an invaluable resource for every class.
This workshop is supported by Galway City Council and Creative Ireland.
Youth Funambulism Workshops (for ages 10-17 years)
Date: Saturday, 25th May
Time: 1-3pm
Cost: Pre-book for €5
Spaces: 8 spaces available
Location: Father Burke Park
We're delighted to offer funambulism workshops for youth members aged 10-17 years! Funambulism is the art of tightwire walking while using a balancing pole. It's an activity that people of all ages and fitness levels can master, with a little patience and trust in themselves. Funambulism is also a powerful mindfulness tool that promotes mental and physical wellbeing. Beginners are welcome!
Adult Funambulism Workshops (for ages 18+)
Date: Saturday, 25th May
Time: 4-6pm
Cost: Pre-book for €5
Spaces: 8 spaces available
Location: Father Burke Park
We're delighted to offer funambulism workshops for adult members aged 18+! Funambulism is the art of tightwire walking while using a balancing pole. It's an activity that people of all ages and fitness levels can master, with a little patience and trust in themselves. Funambulism is also a powerful mindfulness tool that promotes mental and physical wellbeing. Beginners are welcome!
Scratch Night
Sunday, 26 May | 7pm | St. Joseph's Community Centre
Limited spaces for parents/guardians only
FREE
Booking info coming soon
Scratch Night is a cabaret-style performance, where our members will perform a sequence or routine of their own creation. It offers a safe and welcoming atmosphere and aims to provide a fun space to get know each other and become immersed in the world of circus. The Mayhem Youth Circus Festival Scratch Night will feature performers from Galway Community Circus, In Your Space Circus and Circusful as part of the Circus Explored Youth Exchange.
Due to capacity issues, we can only offer tickets to parents/guardians of the performers at this time.
As part of the Mayhem Youth Circus Festival, we will also be hosting Circus in the Park on Sunday, 26 May which is open to the public. Featuring circus workshops and two shows by professional clown Fraser Hooper, there's something for everyone to enjoy! Members and their families are very welcome to join us! You can see the details of Circus in the Park by clicking the button below.