The method of doing interactive circus activities in public space refers to the idea of a playful interaction and inspiring space transformation on the ground of an invitation to the Circus world. This is exactly the goal of Cabuwazi, that offers to kids and youngsters the possibility to get in touch with such a reality for more that 20 years .

The background

Since its beginning, circus has been an experience whereby the public space has been used as a context to invite people to witness and/or interact with a creative experience. The circus coming to town has always been a special occasion, where the community comes together to see the circus art as an inspiration to grow and feel the energy of a shared social experience. In the words of Ernest Hemingway, “the circus is an ‘ageless delight. Young or old, rich or poor, east or west, north or south, Circus reaches all of us.”

The context

Circus in public spaces can be adapted for various environments: parks, metros, squares, backyards, etc. The interactive character of the action in public space is important, so we don’t limit ourselves to a performance in public space, but actively involve the public in the activities. People experience a creative environment that invites them to also be artists. They can join in a playful dialogue of artistic creation and can learn concrete circus techniques, which give them the possibility to express themselves in a new way.

The flow

In all of the various contexts, we have a very similar flow:

• Preparation of the “magical” environment: with music, decoration, bubbles, a visual identity (costumes, face painting), a way of movement and communication of the hosting activists all help to create a magical atmosphere. The public entering this environment feels that the usual public setting has been transformed into something extraordinary. This wakes up the curiosity and openness to explore further – it stimulates our inner child’s wish to play together.
• Invitation to join the playful circus creation: the public is invited to try out different circus technics: they get access to the learning dimension, get personal guidance from the activists and the feeling of gratitude and specialness to be able to step inside this circus world.
• Integration of the public in the group of performers can be supported by changing the appearance of the people (body painting, giving costume pieces) who have joined the action, so they feel integrated as part of the circus group hosting and can feel empowered to share their new-born passion with others.
• Celebration of the common creation brings the feeling of belonging to a shared creative flow of an authentic emotional uplift, thereby through the connection with the circus activists, the public becomes part of a community, exchanging in the expressive language of the circus. This impact can be a huge inspiration to recognize a common cultural ground, where we share an identity and language far beyond any borders.
• Continuation is an important aspect to allow the public that has joined to be part of the ongoing circus family we are creating together. It can be a flyer for the open training, a contact to make the next action together or an invitation to meet for a reflection of the experience afterwards.



Circus is more than a place; it is a state of mind, a round one, where we all meet on an equal ground. It doesn’t matter what language you speak, how much you earn, if you are old or young – meeting in the circus reality offers an invitation to explore together the freedom of a playful creation in a community. In this experimental metaphor of life as such, through circus we can feel, recognise and share it together.

Find out more about Cabuwazi social Circus on the following links:

https://evscabuwazi.tumblr.com/

https://occupylearning.org/

www.facebook.com/cabuwazi/

L'articolo Circus in public space: the Cabuwazi experience proviene da Youth Networks.

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