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Circus Skills

When Christina Aimerito walks into an audition, she calms her nerves by remembering there’s one thing she can do that most of her competitors can’t: hang upside down from a ceiling. For the past year, she’s been studying aerial arts-a blend of trapeze, rope swinging, and other high-flying stunts popularized by troupes such as Cirque du Soleil. “The confidence it gives you as an actor” is unparalleled, Aimerito says.

Performer Joel Jeske, meanwhile, finds his strength in being a goof. Whenever he appears in a stage comedy, cast members demand to know how he comes up with all his physical shtick. It’s all from clowning, says Jeske, who has toured with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and teaches physical theatre and clowning at New York’s Clown in Practice. “Performing as a clown,” he says, “is insanely empowering.” Whether you take a clown workshop in Manhattan or contort yourself in Hollywood, the circus arts-aerial tricks, juggling, acrobatics, contortion, clowning-offer a unique training opportunity. These skills demand physical timing, body control, and spontaneity, all of which can be useful on stage, film, and TV.

In Stephanie Abrams’ classes at Kinetic Theory Experimental Theatre in L.A., where Aimerito trains, students push their flexibility to the limit, snaking around circus ropes and braving the trapeze. Abrams, an actor and founder of the all-mime theatre, stresses presentation as much as physicality. At the end of her eight-week beginner aerial-arts class (she also teaches private lessons in contortion and other circus skills), each student performs a short piece of choreography, including three or four aerial tricks. “Circus is a performing art, not just a sport,” she says. “It’s really movement theatre.”

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sabrams — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:32:29 +0000

Thanks Wendy!!!

http://www.otterhop.com/content/kinetic-theorys-circus-arts-classes-are-here-culver-city-join-circus-and-be-home-dinner

As parents raising fearless little dare devils it’s hard to deny the instant appeal and wonderment of the circus. To avoid any broken bones when junior decides to do a backward flip off the swings just like his favorite trapeze act why not give him the real deal while learning the fundamentals of the circus arts? A breath of fresh air from your traditional gym lead youth activities, Kinetic Theory is ready to offer Circus Arts classes to Westside boys and girls beginning May 12th in their new training studio! According to the site “Kinetic Theory Circus Arts has the only progressive, skill-based circus classes and theatre training program in the Los Angeles area. This unique program offers students of all ages and all levels classes and high-quality training from experienced professionals. Whether learning the basics, developing an act for a show, or just having fun, the Kinetic Theory Circus Arts program and classes will help you reach your goals.” Classes are held throughout the week for all age groups starting with 2 year olds and include 16+ adult classes! Classes offer activities such as sharpening motor skills through creative play for the young kids, juggling, contortion, aerial arts, acrobatics, clowning, miming and experimental theater for older students. Kinetic Theory Circus Arts classes get your kids right in on the action and experiencing something they’ve only ever dreamed of doing.

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