Continuing the circus legacy in Stoke-On-Trent
In 2023 and 2024, we partnered with New Vic Theatre for our Circus Comes Home programme. Together, we ran an exciting circus summer school in Stoke-on-Trent. These schools give young people a chance to try different circus skills in the place where modern circus was invented.
At Re:stoke and New Vic Theatre, young people explored a range of circus arts, with our experienced teachers guiding them through partner acro, solo acro, mini trampoline, and air track skills. The programme also included creative movement, juggling, and even short film-making. We focused on making these classes accessible and enjoyable, particularly welcoming young people who might not have had the opportunity to try these skills before.
Our mission for the circus summer school goes beyond teaching circus tricks – we want to cultivate courage and creativity in the younger members of this local community. By participating in our circus summer school, children and teens can: explore their creativity through movement and performance, discover their own strength and potential, develop teamwork and communication skills and boost self-esteem and body awareness
Stoke-on-Trent holds a special place in circus history as the hometown of Philip Astley, the father of modern circus. Our summer school aims to keep this legacy alive by inspiring a new generation of circus enthusiasts. Through the programme, we see young people discovering their own strength and potential. The circus summer school programme is not about training aspiring acrobats, but about shaping confident individuals who dare to dream big and help others do the same.
If you like the idea of trying out new circus skills in a supportive environment, we also offer Circus Flavours events that are open to the public and completely free. These taster sessions give you a chance to sample various circus skills in a supportive environment. Check out our Circus Flavours page for upcoming dates and join us for a taste of circus magic.
