Run at Arena Joondalup during school terms, CirQuest Circus emphasises the process of learning and developing performance skills rather than the outcome, enabling the school to cater for a range of needs, strengths and interests.
The school is the flagship program of Disco Cantito Association, a not-for-profit community arts organisation started by Isobell Lyall and Dawn Pascoe in 2007.
Disco Cantito is Latin for “learning and playing” and Ms Lyall, who is also the circus school’s principal teacher, said that creed exemplified what she aimed to deliver.
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READ NOW“Social circus training has a positive effect on the development of the whole person in terms of social communication, problem-solving, planning skills, self-esteem and confidence and a sense of belonging to a community,” she said.
“I’m also an occupational therapist and this additional skill set definitely informs how we teach circus at CirQuest.
“I conduct regular training sessions with all our teachers not just in how to teach circus, but also how to include children who experience barriers to participation.”
Ms Lyall said the school was looking forward to adding trapeze and aerial silk to the program, which already included acrobatics, juggling, diabolo, flower sticks, hula-hoops, mini-trampoline, stilt walking and unicycle skills.
Classes run from 4pm on Mondays with an hour for five to eight-year-olds and an hour-and-a-half for those aged nine and older.
Visit www.cirquest.com.au, email disco.cantito@gmail.com or call 0408 626 941.