Staff INSET day.   October 19 th 2007.   Led by Will Ashwell.   Juggling, Poi, Plate Spinning, Diablo and Devil Sticks

Staff comments

"The workshop for staff was great.  Now I really feel that when we get the equipment in the playground I've got some basic skills and will be able to help the children.  It was great fun too.  And the instructor (Will) will be brilliant working with the younger children - in fact he'd be great with the older kids too!"  

Yr 5 & 6 class teacher/Deputy Head

"The workshop was good fun and professional with a reliable, good method of teaching that met our needs"

YR 1&2 Class Teacher

"The feedback was all positive.  There was a lot of laughter at the workshop, and I also feel quite confident now about helping children in the playground.  Will (Ashwell) pitched it just right - it was fast paced, but at the same time provided enough opportunity to understand the basic skills and have a go."   

Whole school activity day. November 21 st 2007.   Presentation by Will Ashwell and Kate Wright to whole school plus workshops with each class in Juggling, Plate Spinning and Devil Sticks (Key Stage 1) and Poi (Key Stage 2)

Hi Philippa, we had a good day today.  Will and Kate are great.  Please pass on my positive feedback.

Firle School Circus Project Co-ordinator

Firle Church of England Primary School has set aside a budget to hold a year long, whole school 'Innovation Project'.   In the 2006/7 academic year, this was Music.   2007/8 will be Circus - a decision made by the staff of the school. This is another demonstration of the acknowledgement of Circus as an art form alongside music, theatre, dance, creative writing, the visual and digital arts and poetry.   When I was growing up in the SE of England in the 1970's, we learnt the recorder, had a visit by a professional percussionist, did English country dancing, saw a children's theatre company and performed in our own play.   We did not learn to juggle, hula hoop or perform with poi once a week during what should have been a normal school lessons.   The children at Firle Primary school will be doing exactly that as will their parents, the teachers and the school governors.   BandBazi will be in the school for 61 hours over the 6 month period plus a performance at the end of the project for friends and family.

Firle Primary sees their Circus Skills project, named Circus McGurkus after a Dr Seuss children's book, as an investment in the lives of its pupils.   The performing arts - where circus now has an equal place - is recognised as being a way to assist learning and enrich the lives of those who participate in it.   Circus in particular is acknowledged to be a performing art that:

suits all learning styles and has the ability to develop:

• social and communication skills, self esteem and team work
• physical and mental agility
• problem solving and creative thinking
• learning in artform-specific skills
• ability to concentrate

'Airborne': mapping of youth circus activity in the UK

  Arts Council England

Leila Jancovich 2007

If you would like a similar project to happen at your school, please contact Philippa Vafadari on 07951 477918 or email mail@bandbazi.co.uk .   Other skills offered include trapeze and rope, hula hoop and acrobalance.   We tailor the project to meet your needs at either secondary or primary school level.

Pupil comments:

It was fun and I liked doing one particular move.   Some of it was quite hard but I enjoyed it. (11 years old)

I don't like it when the poi hit me, but I like Kate a lot because she's always helping. It's really fun learning poi! (aged 10)

It's fun and cool to learn new skills (aged 9)

It's exciting and you never get bored (aged 8)

Me doing devil sticks, Diablo and plate spinning (aged 7)