with low muscle tone and low
self -esteem, go on to become
confident, resilient, agile and
strong individuals. One of my
longest running students began
his journey with me as a highly
anxious, antisocial seven-year old,
with extremely low muscle tone. He
would get easily frustrated, he would
lash out when his sensory processing
would be over stimulated, and he
would hide underneath the tables
and chairs in the circus space and
refuse to participate.
Almost five years on, he is now a
confident, calm and resilient leader
within the program. His physical
skills are outstanding, where he
was once unable to climb at all, he
now climbs to the top of the ropes,
he performs multiple tricks on the
trapeze with strength and control
and he has become a unicycle
master. He can now ride great
lengths on his unicycle and his new
goal is to juggle while riding.
That seven year old that used to hide
under chairs is now a twelve year old
learning to become a trainee trainer,
to work alongside me in the program
to teach the younger students. His
confidence has grown extensively;
he is performing in school musicals
and winning performing arts awards.
Because he was invited to be just
as he is, to grow at his own pace,
to embrace his eccentricities and
develop them as strengths, rather
than focus on them as weaknesses,
he has become the very best version
of himself.
My work with autism provides me
with the privilege of seeing these
kinds of progressions in many of
my students. I have seen kids who
struggled to jump or to walk up
and down stairs, go on to achieve
one hundred consecutive jumps
inside the skipping rope. I have seen
students who have been labeled as
"low functioning" progress to a level
where they can tie their own shoes,
do up their own zippers, and stand
on the top of the human pyramid
and even begin to develop language.
Circus can open up a new world to
children on the autism spectrum.
Not only do they gain, strength,
coordination and physical
awareness, they can also gain
confidence, opportunities for
creative expression and a sense
of "fitting in" somewhere. Within
the Circus Stars program I aim to
provide a learning environment that
is supportive and playful, safe and
inclusive.
I also set out to be an advocate
for autism and for circus as an
art form. Autism to me is a super
power, not a deficiency. Of course
I have experienced and completely
understand the difficulties and
obstacles that autism can present,
however when you look deeper,
further into the condition, you will
begin to see the potential within it.
I see kids with autism as brilliant,
higher beings that have a lot to teach
us about different perspectives
on the world. They hold abilities to
order meticulously- I often let them
indulge in packing away the circus
equipment because they will do so
in a way that is far neater and more
organized than I would, even if it
takes them twenty minutes and it
might take me ten. On the flipside to
that is their ability to be fabulously
chaotic and frenetic and freeing of
boundaries, to run around and test
the limits of their body and personal
space.
Acrobats!
Aerialists!
Come Explore
the Circus Arts
at NECCA!
I seek to advocate for circus in
the same way, to possibly shine a
spotlight on the potential that art
form holds beyond the highflying
tricks and flashy costumes—the
community, the inclusivity, the
eccentricity and acceptance of the
circus and its power to change how
people see themselves and each
other.
COME TO NEW ENGLAND’S
NEWEST CIRCUS FACILITY
AND BUILD YOUR SKILLS WITH
WORLD-CLASS COACHES
Photos in this article provided by Kristy Seymour
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New England Center for Circus Arts
New England Center for Circus Arts
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802-254-9780
www.necenterforcircusarts.org Brattleboro
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