Kingston Circus Arts
1377 Midland Avenue, unit 460 K7P 2W5 Kingston, ON, Canada

Online conditioning and flexibility classes with Jane Kirby are starting next week! Details will be posted tonight. Have a great weekend!

Hello All! Starting this week Jane Kirby will be offering a digital Zoom conditioning/flexibility class. Register ASAP by emailing [email protected]. This 3 week session will is created by and featuring Jane Kirby and will be running Mondays 5-6pm or Tuesdays 8:30-9:30am. It's $45+hst (Total $50.85), sliding scale with scholarships available for Deaf, Mad, Sick Disabled and QTBIPOC folx.... Jane is an aerialist with over a decade of experience training, performing teaching circus arts. The class will focus on flexibility and conditioning exercises to help you maintain your strength and mobility for aerial work while training at home. It will include roughly 40 minutes of conditioning and 20 minutes of flexibility exercises, with a focus on maintaining core strength and exercises that translate directly to skills in the air. No equipment is necessary and exercises can be modified for different bodies and skill levels. Are you as excited as we are?! Then quick, email to sign up now! [Image description: Jane, a white woman with a long blonde ponytail wearing a black dress, leans out from a rope. She hangs from one arm, with one leg bent and the other extended with the foot secured to the rope.]

Hi Everyone, The new lockdown measures mean that classes are on hold for the month of April. The new session was supposed to start in May. We have decided to create the new schedule as planned, and if you were signed up in the current one, you will be credited for the remaining classes in the current schedule. The new schedule will be out soon with fun new classes like Family Circus, dance classes and juggling. We'll also have the full details about summer camps out soon. We ...continue to appreciate your patience and support during this unprecedented time. If you are enrolled in the current session, there will be an online workshop this Wednesday, April 7th at 5pm to share exercises that you can do at home to maintain some of your aerial strength. Please send us an email if you would like to attend and a Zoom link will be sent to you. Please know that we are thinking of you and can't wait to get back to 'hanging out' again soon. From the Kingston Circus Arts Team

We’re planning summer camps for ages 4-12. We will likely do every other week in July/August. Do you have requests? Let us know as soon as possible. Info will be released in the next few weeks.

Fit 2 Fly Apparel made us a clothing line! Ethically made clothing in Tkaronto/Toronto. 5% goes to Black Lives Matter Canada and KCA students get a 5% discount with the code KingstonCircusShop5 https://www.fit2fly.ca/collections/kingston-circus-arts

Making shapes and starting to create routines in the fabric/trapeze class. [A photo collage with four pictures. Two students are suspended and wrapped in ropes that hang from the ceiling with a metal bar between the ropes at the bottom. Two students are wrapped in fabric that hangs from the ceiling. All of them are in upside down arches positions.]

#Trapeze @lifewithgutz @_.maeveness_ @t_guld [A photo collage with three circus students in the air, suspended from two ropes that hang from the ceiling with a metal bar connecting them at the bottom, also known as a trapeze. One is upright with hands and legs free, one is upside down and arched and one is upside down with legs split]

Fun times in the aerial bars class! [A photo collage with four white women hanging in various positions from metal circles and bars that are suspended from the ceiling. One woman is a below knee amputee]

@lucabean2000 it’s always great working with you! [Luca, white, wears a face mask and hangs on fabric in a loop that hangs from above. The fabric is spread and Luca’s feet are held in folds of the fabric, his legs are in splits.]

Training with people in the space again! Yay! Classes start this week and there are still a few spots. @kingston_circus_arts #Katarokwi #Kingston #YGKCircus #Ae...rialArts #YGK [A video of Erin on bright fabric that hangs from the ceiling. She is white, has medium length red hair with bangs and no lower legs. She climbs, wraps her legs, twists, arches, rolls, hangs upside down, quickly drops sideways to hang by her elbow and thigh wraps] See more

Reopening news and new schedule: https://mailchi.mp/3ae0c9/reopening-and-new-circus-schedule

Hi Everyone! With the recent announcement, we will be re-opening soon! We have some rigging to do and then we’ll begin classes. Stay tuned for more info! So excited to share space with you all again. Also...huge thank you to everyone in the community who has supported us. SO appreciated!

Thank you so much to Talia Pennachetti for setting up this amazing silent auction and to everyone in the community for helping out https://www.facebook.com/donate/486752212310503/?fundraiser_source=external_url

[Six photos of students at Kingston Circus Arts. They are in various shapes, suspended in the air from large metal hoops that hang from above and two ropes with a bar between them at the bottom, aka trapeze]

This is hard to share. Wishing the best for all small businesses and everyone who is having a hard time right now. https://gofund.me/bd8a2ddb Big thank you to Carrie, Hope, Talia and all of the others who are trying to keep our space going.

Introduction to Traditional Hoop Dance with Terrance Littletent. Monday, December 14. 6-8pm $55 plus hst total $62.15. One scholarship spot available with priority given to QTBIPOC. Spots are limited. Max 10 people in the space and masks are required. Email [email protected] to sign up or send us a dm. ... Terrance Littletent is from the Kawacatoose Cree Nation and born in Regina, Saskatchewan. Much of his traditional teachings were inherited through his family and elders, singers and dancers, storytellers and academics. Terrance is an accomplished Grass and Hoop Dancer who has traveled across Canada, the United States, and overseas, sharing his gift of song, dance, and narrative, in humble way. At the age of 6, Terrance had already been introduced to the traditional techniques and movement skills used to create his own dance choreography. By the age of 8, Terrance’s uncle; Kirby Littletent, presented him with the gift of the hoop, which inspired Terrance to continue his uncle’s legacy of sharing the ways of their people. 11 years later, Terrance became recognized as a World-Renowned Hoop Dancer. As an educator, producer, and performer, Terrance continues to find ways to bridge traditional and contemporary dance and music styles. The workshop includes: A video with instructions on how to make your hoops. Pow Wow Aerobics warm up (created by Terrance). The story of the hoop. History of the Hoop Dance. Explanation of the five background teachings. The Five stages of Life incorporated within the Hoop Dance. Working through movements as a group and in partners. Demonstration of Hoop Dance performance. [A photo of Terrance, a Cree, on the beach with water and the sky in the background. He gazes down and wears what is called an outfit or regalia with bright neon designs patterns to reflect the beautiful colourful flowers of the prairies and he has various hoops on his arms and legs. The design is of the full eagle ready to take its famous flight.]

Thank you so much for sharing this amazing introduction to traditional hoop dance with us Terrance Littletent. We can’t wait for the next one. Details about a public workshop in December will also be released soon. [A 52 second long video collage without sound of a traditional hoop dance workshop taught by Terrance Littletent, a Cree. The video takes place in a circus studio, Kingston Circus Arts, and includes several photos. The first is Terrance explaining his colourful out...fit with skulls and lightening bolts and discussing cultural appropriation. After that are photos of students learning shapes and movements from Terrance. Two students are Black, seven are white and two are lower limb amputees (one not in the photos). Two sisters do a hoop dance to showcase some of the teachings, two new friends showcase some synchronized hoop dance: one is Black and one is white. The video ends with several clips of his performance that include movements and shapes that Terrance makes, dressed in his outfit, with up to 17 hoops. The last photo at the end is a shirt that Terrance had printed for each student: a white silhouette of himself holding several hoops that make the shape of Mother Earth. Red text reads Respect] See more

Great day with Josh Lyon, Filmmaker, akaflk productions filming for Heidi Latsky Dance.

Great last day of the session! The new session starts next week and we still have a few spots. Covid info: Students wear masks until they get to their spot and if everyone is comfortable, as per the guidelines in our city, they take their masks off at their spot only. Everyone is over two meters apart at all times. Contact us for the rest of our covid-19 protocols. [A video at a circus studio with colourful sets of fabric that hang from the ceiling. Six people are in the air wrapped in separate fabrics. They begin upright and rotate forward, synchronized, completing a half rotation. They land in a crescent moon shape.]

Hi All. Here is the upcoming schedule that starts next week. We still have a few spots left and we are thinking about adding an aerial hoop class on Monday or Thursday evenings. http://www.kingstoncircusarts.com/class-schedule/

Great last day of the session! The new session starts next week and we still have a few spots. Covid info: Students wear masks until they get to their spot and if everyone is comfortable, as per the guidelines in our city, they take their masks off at their spot only. Everyone is over two meters apart at all times. Contact us for the rest of our covid-19 protocols. [A video at a circus studio with colourful sets of fabric that hang from the ceiling. Six people are in the air wrapped in separate fabrics. They begin upright and rotate forward, synchronized, completing a half rotation. They land in a crescent moon shape.]

Hi All! We have implemented a scholarship program...two spaces in each class session for BIPOC folx and one for someone in the Mad, Deaf and Disability community. This session all of the spots are taken and we gave away an extra. We realize that times are tough with the pandemic but wanted to ask if anyone can contribute...this can be financially or through volunteering. Moving forward, we also plan to offer scholarship residency programs. We want to thank you so much for helping to build an amazing community!

@a.bob.huckabone and Hannah. Great stuff tonight! [A video of two people with white skin in a circus studio. They are suspended in the air, wrapped on separate fabric that hangs from the ceiling. They start upright and tip forward to land upside down with arched backs.]

Thank you for the photo David Simon @sandboxphotovideo. Thanks for having us @electriccircuits @queensuisabel! @aerial.heili @jazzy_537 @andidoingthings @erinballcircus and Carolyn. [A dark photo with blue and pink ambient performance lights. Five performers with white skin surround a hoop that is suspended in the air from above. They all wear shiny masks, lights in their hair and have shiny outfits. Four of them stand, two on either sides of the hoop and one sits in the middle, under the hoop with two prosthetic legs that have lights on them.]

Our fall session starts this week and we still have some spots available. We also have two scholarships for racialized folx and one for someone in the Disability community. Check it out: http://www.kingstoncircusarts.com/class-schedule/

We are open for self-led training (no beginners, sorry), private lessons and small private groups. Please contact us for more info. The fall schedule/plans will be released in a few weeks.

Intro to American Sign Language Culture for Performers with Leah Riddell. Hosted by the Circus Kingston Collective Deaf | Advocate | Entrepreneur | Teacher | A...rtist On-line working session of 2 hours Zoom, video conferencing with powerpoint Deaf presenter/teacher ASL/English Interpreter provided Opportunity for questions Opportunity to learn ASL specific to performers/artists and learn about Deaf culture June 25. 3-5pm EDT Max 20 participants. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/aDfxofWwtqCjHVfMA Huge thank you to the Kingston Arts Council and Ontario Arts Council - Conseil des arts de l'Ontario for your generous support. [Headshot photo of Leah, she has short dark hair and white skin. She wears a dark dress shirt. Above her is the text: Intro to American Sign Language Culture for Performers with Leah Riddell.]

[CALL FOR PERFORMERS/COLLABORATORS The Circus Kingston Collective is looking for self-identified women or gender non-conforming indigenous performing artist(s) to join us in a research-creation project focused on women’s and gender non-conforming histories in Kingston. You would be responsible for researching and choosing a historical character (real or fictional based on real events) or story and creating an experimental online piece in collaboration with the rest of the col...lective. The online piece may be used as a starting point for a larger public circus performance in the future. We are interested in hearing from indigenous poets, musicians, theatre artists, dancers, circus artists, and other performers. Artists from the disability community are especially encouraged to apply. The selected artist will be paid an honoraria of $1000. One paragraph expressions of interest should be forwarded to [email protected] by June 10th, along with a CV and/or sample of your work if possible. Shortlisted individuals may be contacted for a casual audition/interview.] See more

Outdoor hoop classes. Bring your own hoop (get in touch if you need one). Max 4 people. $15 plus hst ($16.95). Location tbd - will be wheelchair accessible. Please sign up at least 24 hours ahead. Friday, May 22 11-11:50am Outdoor Hooping - Ages 14+... 12-12:50pm Outdoor Hooping Ages 7- 13 Wednesday, May 27 10-10:50 Outdoor Hooping Ages 14+ 11-11:50am Outdoor Hooping Ages 7- 13 5-5:50pm Outdoor Hooping Ages 14+

Photos are starting to trickle in from the February showcase. Thank you @mbeast40 ! @horridhenhen @erinballcircus Wishing you all well! Hopefully we’ll be back soon. [A black and white photo. Erin and Lavie are side-by-side. Lavie speaks into a microphone and reads from an iPad. Erin looks at her and smiles]

Send us a DM if you want online movement/circus classes. Most days at 9am and 5pm EST. Flexibility Conditioning Handstands... Hooping Poi Acro with objects or people you live with. $15 per class or pay-what-you-can. If you are registered in classes for March/April and online classes are of interest, please get in touch.

Safety for Circus at Home: In this time when you may not be able to do circus at your regular school, studio, gym, or program, please make sure to keep safety a...s a top priority! Great activities for home include juggling and object manipulation, strengthening exercises, stretching, dance and movement practice, costume and makeup design, etc. Many circus organizations who are currently closed are offering online classes via video call, both group and private. Circus students should be advised that aerial arts practice without supervision by a qualified instructor, proper equipment and safety precautions, and professionally installed rigging on a structure cleared by an engineer for human lifting and aerial arts loads is not safe! Home rigging is not recommended. Rigging from trees is not recommended. Rigging equipment from or inverting on a pull-up bar is not recommended. And please keep in mind, now is especially not the time to risk injuries that may require medical care! Stay safe and circus on! Tara Jacob