What is pedagogy circus?

Definition of circus pedagogy

Finding one proper definition of circus pedagogy is a difficult task considering complexity of educational areas which comprise it. This field appears in different contexts and develops in various directions. For this reason, it is capable of meeting individual needs of children and youth and communicating something more than just pure circus art.
Circus pedagogy combines performing of physical activities found in a circus and making use of artistic skills with educational content and objectives. In contrast to professional performances on stage, this approach is more about fun and hobby in practising circus skills as well as self-presentation (or alternatively, presentation of one's skills) in front of other people.

What is circus pedagogy?

Circus pedagogy is by no means educating young circus artists as the very name might suggest. This working method is rather about developing personality of trained individuals, teaching and helping them to master the so called key competences (such as e.g. ability to learn, effective communication, effective team work, creative problem-solving) as well as teaching them principles, rules and social values. It is also about supporting one's physical development, which is a highly important aspect in young people's lives.
What is more, encouraging children and youth to try such an attractive method of self-expression and self-development contributes to development of courage and their natural need to improve their character by looking for fruitful activities. It means continuous discovering of new challenges and using the acquired skills in a creative way, instead of wasting time watching television or playing the computer.

Circus pedagogy as a spectrum of various educational fields

Circus pedagogy comprises such elements as e.g. sports, movement therapy, experiencing, fascination, learning, education, integration and fun. It gets schools, parents and communities involved in its activities. Its theoretical grounds have been provided by numerous sciences. Kiphard pointed five areas to which circus pedagogy pertains:

1. Motopedagogy/mototherapy (gathering basic psychomotor experiences)

2. Sports pedagogy (involving a specific technical learning process)

3. Pedagogy of survival (circus as a fascination and adventure)

4. Pedagogy of play (playing of circus roles, "acting as")

5. Social pedagogy (interaction, communication, working in a group)

Emergence and development of circus pedagogy

The first circus project for children and youth that earned international acclaim was started in about 1917 in Boys Town. Father Flanagan founded a village for orphaned children and created a group which with the help of artistic achievements provided entertainment for the residents and informed about expansion of the project.

In 1956 in Spain, father Silva established Benposta, a small community of children and youth. Besides school education, different projects were organized to enable financing of the idea. One of such projects was Los Muchachos children and youth circus established in 1965.

The oldest European youth circus with underlying pedagogical objectives was established in the Netherlands by Last-Ter Haar, who noticed that children love taking different kinds of risks such as e.g. crossing the busiest streets or balancing on the rails of a bridge. Upon this discovery, she established Elleboog circus for under advantaged children and youth coming from dysfunctional environments.

In the 1970's, the circus became the focus of important social and cultural discussions. According to Zacharias, it comprised a kind of new type of "aesthetic upbringing" focused on active experiencing and social creativity. The circus turned into a centre for working with children and youth. Its major focus was educational as well as cultural and aesthetic understanding of the circus work with children and youth and by the children themselves.

Circus and circus pedogogy

Table below shows differences between traditional circus and circus performed as part of circus pedagogy projects.

By: Monika Kalinowska, Mirosław Urban

References:

1.Bardell, Bettina (1992): Circus - Bewegungskünste - mit Kindern. Moers.

2.Kiphard, Ernst Jonny (1997): Pädagogische und therapeutische Aspekte des Zirkusspiels. w: ZIEGENSPECK, Jörg (Hg.): Zirkuspädagogik. Grundsätze - Beispiele - Anregungen. Lüneburg,

3.Kiphard, Ernst Jonny (1982): Kinderzirkus- eine Möglichkeit milieugeschädigter Kinder und Jugendlicher. w: Motorik, H.4

4.Novena, Denis (1998): Interview. In: LAG Spiel und Theater Berlin e.V. (Hg.). "ZIRKUS OLE". Material zur Zirkuspädagogik. Dokumentation zur Fachtagung II und III 1998. Berlin

5.Peters Burgo, Hannes (1994): La ciudad de los Muchachos. In : Kaskade. Europäische Jonglierzeitschrift

6.Schnapp Sibylle, Zacharias Wolfgang (Hg.) (2000): Zirkuslust. Zirkus macht stark und ist mehr... . Zur kulturpädagogischen Aktualität einer Zirkuspädagogik.

7.Zacharias, Wolfgang (2000a): Zirkus ist mehr... . Über die kulturelle, ästhetische, pädagogische Aktualität von Zirkuskultur und Zirkuslust. w: Schnapp Sibylle, Zacharias Wolfgang (Hg.): Zirkuslust. Zirkus macht stark und ist mehr... . Zur kulturpädagogischen Aktualität einer Zirkuspädagogik. Unna

8.WARD, Steve (1998): Vortrag. In: LAG Spiel und Theater Berlin e.V. (Hg.). "ZIRKUS OLE". Material zur Zirkuspädagogik. Dokumentation zur Fachtagung II und III 1999, Berlin