National Circus Conference takes off

Dec 08, 2006

A unique circus conference and performance event was recently held in Wollongong's Stuart Park featuring major artists from the international circus industry who mixed with leading academics to talk danger – artistic, political and practical – in Australia’s booming circus arts.

It was presented by the University of Wollongong, Circus Monoxide and the Australian Circus and Physical Theatre Association.

UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton officially opened the Australian National Circus Conference along with Wollongong Lord Mayor, Cr Alex Darling; the Canadian Consul-General, Mr Richard Kohler; and local elder, Auntie Mary Davis. It was followed by an opening address by Anni Davey from Circus Oz, and a heart-in-mouth circus performance by Circus Monoxide.

Another feature event was a major session on the impact of Canadian circuses on the world from Cirque du Soleil to small independent companies. The event was sponsored by the Government of Canada and the Association for Canadian Studies in Australia and New Zealand. Canadian guest speakers included Professor Emeritus Paul Bouissac from the University of Toronto, and Professor Jamie Skidmore from Memorial University in Newfoundland.

Open to local audiences and with the inimitable Drew Fairley as MC, the 'final act' featured death defying feats by the Illawarra’s own emerging circus stars, from women’s circus troupe Circus WOW, children’s circus ‘Half High’ and POG, object manipulators extraordinaire. Punters were also treated to hilarious and dangerous acts by students from the National Institute of Circus Arts from Melbourne, the Flying Fruit Fly Circus from Albury, Aerialize in Sydney, Brewarrina Youth Circus, Circus Monoxide cast members, and artists from Canada, New Zealand, Brisbane, Perth and Cairns.

Conference speakers included an exciting mix of industry ‘heavy weights’ and academic leaders from Circus Oz, the Flying Fruit Fly Circus, Legs on the Wall, Circus Monoxide, Aerialize, the National Institute of Circus Arts, Erth Visual and Physical Theatre, The University of Wollongong, La Trobe University, Charles Sturt University–Bathurst, Donna Jackson, Paul Woodhead, Antonella Casella, Kim Kaos, Simone O’Brien, Kate Reid, Jane Mullet, Shep Huntley, Scott Wright, Tiger ‘Lil, Noel Tovey, James Skidmore (Memorial University, Newfoundland), Tamara Campbell, Michael Cohen, Scott Grayland, Imogen Kelly, Annabelle Lines, Peta Tait, Simone O’Brien, Richard Broome and Paul Bouissac (University of Toronto).

The 2006 National Circus Conference in Wollongong was supported by:

The University of Wollongong (the Centre for Canadian-Australian Studies, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Creative Arts and the Office of Community and Partnerships), Circus Monoxide, the Australian Circus and Physical Theatre Association, the Government of Canada, Legs on the Wall, the Association for Canadian Studies in Australia and New Zealand, the City of Wollongong, Cultural Services and the Office of the Lord Mayor, Dymocks, the Wollongong City Gallery and the South Coast Writers Centre.