Solo Circus

Solo Circus, aka Mark Russell provides quality, well planned circus skills workshops and shows for primary schools, secondary schools and youth groups nationwide. He offers a flexible and adaptable service suitable for single class or whole school groups. This can incorporate a day or a week long programme, ensuring everyone has fun and gets to learn circus skills in a positive, enjoyable and safe environment.

“The circus skills workshop has been an extremely successful addition to our youth development programme for vulnerable young people. Mark understood the needs of our group and has been flexible and responsive in his approach to designing and running the workshops over the past 3 years. He is a lively and engaging performer, quickly establishing a positive rapport with our young people and holding their attention through his demonstrations and group sessions. I would highly recommend the Solo Circus workshops as a way of engaging young people, developing their sense of achievement and having lots of fun at the same time.” Previous client

Circus skills workshops are a great addition to the school day for pupils and teachers alike. They can be incorporated as part of a health week to encourage exercise, as stand alone sessions or incorporated within the P.E. curriculum. Workshops are usually divided into short 30 minute sessions. During each session a single circus skill is taught to the whole group at the same time.This really helps to aid learning by not over challenging attention spans and focusing on learning one skill at a time. During a typical two hour circus workshop four skills can be taught, for example, ball juggling, plate spinning, diabolo and tight rope. Alternatively, some schools opt to have four one hour sessions each with a different group learning two skills.

Learning circus skills is an engaging and inclusive activity for all ages and abilities that will spread a feel good factor around your school. It is a non competitive activity, which is equally appealing to pupils who dislike more conventional physical/sporting activities. Circus skills can instil a genuine sense of achievement from the first minute to the last as skills are learnt in incremental steps. It can also improve concentration and co-ordination and develop discipline, encouraging perseverance through mastering repetitive actions.

All workshops include fun demonstrations throughout, in which Mark uses his teaching and performance expertise to make activities educational and fun.

Workshop design depends on your specific needs, how many children are present and over what time period. Mark generally structures the day to include two hours of circus skills in the morning and the same again in the afternoon with up to 30 participants per circus workshop but he can be flexible either way to some degree.

Circus skills workshops are both educational and fun and can bring together people of different ages with different backgrounds and varied skill levels. Solo circus can cater for all ages and abilities from absolute beginners to advanced jugglers who wish to enhance their skills. Circus skills offered to schools include Ball and Club juggling, Devil Sticks, Hula Hoop, Diabolo, Plate Spinning, Object Balancing (on hand, chin, nose and head), Cigar Boxes, Wire Walking or Tight Rope walking, Stilt walking and Unicycling/pedal-go and mini bicycles.