Spin Matsuri
いよいよ！6月と7月の安房サーカスクラスの登録開始です。子供と大人のクラスがあります。ここではクラスの詳細。ここでは登録フォーム。
Awa Circus Classes in June and July are now open for registration. All the details are here, or go directly to the registration form here.
So many classes and workshops. Let’s play and learn all summer. And be sure to check the Spin Matsuri Facebook page and Awa Community Circus Facebook group for more events, workshops, and fun.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4xltZ29nGk?rel=0]
We put together a little circus show on April 2 for our friends and neighbors. It was the first circus at Satoyama Design Factory, but definitely not the last. Thank you to Elli, Megumi, Noriko, Ark, Eri, and Tod for getting up on stage and to Chris and Trouble for their help off-stage.
Social Circus Day was a huge success here in Japan. The photos really tell the story. A fun show, followed by a talk and the launch of the Awa Community Circus, then playshops that included creative warm-ups, juggling games and hula hooping. It was inter-generational with kids, parents and grandparents playing together and also represented a cross-section of our community in terms of lifestyles. The photo booth and dress up corner were popular, too.
Big thanks to Elli, Tod, Elli, Megumi, Noriko, Ark, Eri, Chris, and Trouble who helped out on- and off-stage. You are fantastic supporters and the day ran smoothly thanks to all of you. Hooray for #socialcircusday !
Announcing: Awa Community Circus!
Spin Matsuri launches a community circus program right here in Chiba, Japan. It’s a long-held dream to run a circus of our own. This spring we’ll have a series of circus classes and workshops followed by a public performance. August brings a Circus Summer Camp for kids and after the harvest, we’ll start visiting facilities with a circus program of performances and playshops.
Inari Polki from Finland will join us as a guest teacher this summer to share acrobatics and more. Circosis from Australia visits us in May for a special event.
Join our Facebook group for all the latest information on events and classes. https://www.facebook.com/groups/awacircus/
４／２はソーシャルサーカスの日！世界中ソーシャルサーカス無料エベントがあります。里山デザインファクトリー（千葉県鴨川市金束３７５−１）で：
12:45 入場
13:00 ショー ティンクや友人
13:30トーク ソーシャルサーカスのトピック＆鴨川サーカスのプロジェクト
14:00 体験 -サーカスのゲームと技
ソーシャルサーカスとは、社会貢献を目的とするサーカスのことです。通常のサーカスと同じように、子供からお年寄りまで様々な人が楽しめる内容になっていますが、ソーシャルサーカスが特に対象とするのは、経済的に恵まれていない人や障害を持った人です。
Join Spin Matsuri for an afternoon celebrating social circus. There will be a show, a presentation, and time to try circus for yourself.
See what we’ve been up to for the last few years and learn about a new social circus initiative: Kamogawa Circus Project. Find out how you can participate and support us.
April 2, 2016, from 12:45pm at Satoyama Design Factory in Kamogawa, Chiba, Japan.
#socialcircusday
タイにかえりました。Spark Circus は良い経験でした。今から多くの新しい計画を持っています。
Tod & I’ve returned from the Spark Circus 2016 tour in Mae Sot, Thailand.
Our project went smoothly and we entertained and played with more than 3800 students at 15 schools. We guided 120 students put on their own circus shows and I know that at least a few of those students had a key life experiences thanks to our visit. One young man used a computer for the first time and ran sound for the show; a bully turned around when given the chance; shy students became brave on the aerial rig; and the kids generally expressed so much care and attention in their circus work…it was a delight to see direct evidence of the power of social circus.
The Spark team was fantastic. Eight people from all over the world with a mix of skills, personalities and experience just right for the project. We were all excellent teachers and performers with so much professionalism. I’d recommend any of the team for another project, performance or teaching gig. Thank you, Tune, Kira, Guillaume, Rosie, Chris and Charlie for letting me organise and lead this year’s tour.
日本の社会サーカスも大切です！
日本の社会サーカスを作成することを約束。日本に貧しい人、病気の人、孤児、難民、遊びに値する長老たちを持っています。社会サーカスに資金を供給するために、私はクラスとワークショップ、（ヨガ、フラフープ、サーカス技、色々な創造のトピック）をお教えします。一人でできない。協力しましょう。
I’ve come home with lots of enthusiasm. Here’s the thing. I don’t need to go to Thailand to do social circus. I can (and should) be doing it right here in my own backyard. Japan has plenty of need – orphans, elders, displaced people, ill folks, and disabled people of all kinds who are overlooked and underserved. Let’s juggle together or put on a funny show.
And among the more privileged, I know there is a desperate need for play. A way for hardworking students and salarymen to let loose. For non-conformists and all those “nails that stick up” to express themselves and succeed. I am going to try to provide play opportunities as a for-profit business that feeds my social volunteerism in the hospitals, care homes, and other facilities that can’t afford to pay.
So my first step is to commit to staying home this summer. No trips to India or exotic locales. I’m going to work on establishing my connections here. First by building a local reputation with yoga classes, hoop jams and other creative workshops in Kamogawa. Then I will branch out to afterschool creativity classes and a summer camp for circus and arts.
I can’t do it alone. I need your help. I want to collaborate. Maybe you want to teach or perform in the project, or you know a facility that needs a performance or workshop, or run an NGO that does similar work, or you want to come to my classes and help fund social circus. Cheering me on with a “go go go!” is a big help. In any case, if you want to be part of developing a thriving social circus scene to Japan, be in touch. Email spinmatsui@gmail.com or like the Spin Matsuri Facebook page or catch me in person.
Here’s an article that I wrote for Spark Circus last month about how circus activities for kids and adults touch on many of the learning modes that are overlooks in traditional school settings.
By taking circus classes and workshops, you and your kids, students, or employees benefit with expanded ability in interpersonal teamwork, intrapersonal (self-reflection) awareness, and a slew of other skills from rhythm to logic!
Who knew you could get all of that just from a hula hoop or some juggling balls?
(photos by Saifi Khan)
I recently conducted circus workshops and stretching sessions at a tech conference in Bangalore. You can read all about it on my personal website.
One of the most under-served populations I work with are grown-ups. Everyone expects kids to love circus classes, and they do, but they don’t need them like grown-ups do. I find that adults with high-pressure jobs and busy lives don’t often let themselves play and be silly. I love to give them a moment to try something new, step outside their usual routine and even laugh their failure to perform a trick.
If you’re interested in bringing a light-hearted team building or skill development session to your next corporate event, get in touch via e-mail and let’s talk. The fees I collect from my corporate work fund programs for people in economic distress around the world. Hire me and you’re helping not only your event participants but also orphans, refugees and other people in need.
Last week we made a connection with Ramaa SK, a special educator who runs Flow Special School in Tamil Nadu, India. We were invited to come down for the day to do some circus activities with their 17 students.
All kids need play and most children in special needs classes work extra hard with therapy, academics and other training to achieve their goals. Circus games introduce practice with gross and fine motor control, bilateral movement, rhythm, spatial awareness – all in a way that doesn’t seem like skill building but play.
We received a warm welcome – the classroom was beautifully decorated with streamers, balloons, rangoli, and flowers. The children presented us with bouquets. When the parents and children sang to us, I cried a little bit. Wow. Tod & I did a short 10 minute performance using the props we’d bring out for the kids later – spinning and juggling scarves, hoops for dancing and we even did two songs.
And then we had a tour of the whole school and returned to the classroom for a feast of local dishes cooked by the moms of the school. There was so much food and it was all delicious! When I asked if I they would let me come home with them and teach me to cook, there was pleased laughter all around.
After our incredible welcome, we worked with three classes in separate groups.
The first class of younger students had multiple physical disabilities as well as cognitive issues. We kept things simple and lighthearted. We waved colored scarves and danced together, rolled and tossed balls (with assisted catching) around a circle, and played a simple game of putting our hands and feet into and out of the hoop.
The second group which comprised four boys with Down’s Syndrome and autism were really energetic. I was told that posture was a physical issue they all shared, so we started with some stretching and large movements, then played hoop games, and did more stretching by making dynamic patterns with scarves and our bodies: up, down, left, right, front, back.
The final group was the most physically functional, so we jumped right in with some hula hooping. They tried half a dozen hoop tricks, especially loving the hoop rolling, before we closed the session with a jalebi hoop hooray.
Even the simplest circus activities can bring a sense of accomplishment and the reward of smiles. There was much laughter and giggling as everyone tried these new things. The parents and teachers joined in, too, helping the students and also trying the skills themselves – who doesn’t love to hula hoop?
Thank you to Ramaa and Flow School for hosting us. We look forward to coming back next time we’re in Tamil Nadu.