Category: Social Circus

Spin Matsuri classes at hillhacks in Dharamsala, India.

Through the hillhacks school outreach program (May 17- June 2), I taught theatrics, dance, hooping, fitness, and juggling to almost 250 kids. I also MC’d the Gala Show on June 6th featuring three school performances and a bunch of wonderful hillhacker talents.

Scenes from the hillhacks Gala Show. Photos by David Huang.

And during the hillhacks conference itself, I did circus fitness, juggling, and hooping with a lot of the adult participants – everyone loves to hula hoop and some of our hackers and makers took it to a new level. Tazz loved it so much that he went home in a cast after a hoop diving accident. But generally, things were a little gentler and filled with laughter.

I was excited that Freeman Murray, from Jaaga in Bangalore, hosted a daily sunset flow jam. Sometimes I had the chance to let myself hoop instead of teaching.

In February I made my TV debut in Myanmar as the assistant to Nat Brown, balloon artist extraordinaire. Our act for the Yangon International Juggling Festival’s “Big Show” in Kandawgyi Nature Park was brief, fun and colorful. We worked it out the same day we premiered it, so the music was a little bit too short however that did not stop the delight of the audience.

Jason and I did a show at Harmony Hongo in Aizu, Fukushima, yesterday. We had a terrific time performing song, dance and circus activities with 40 elderly people who live there.  They loved clapping and singing along with Jason and laughing along with me as I hooped and juggled and clowned around.

We’ve been invited back this summer and I am already excited to return. Older audiences are an interesting challenge. Mobility issues mean games need to be chair-based, or chair compatible. Shyness levels are about the same as in any adult audience – there are always a few keen people who jump right in, a lot who’d rather watch, and some who need only gentle persuasion to come out to play.

Yesterday we got everyone playing games and there were colored scarves and laughter everywhere! Thanks to Jason’s generosity, Spin Matsuri now owns 25 beautiful finger flower scarves. They are a terrific addition to our collection of circus toys and workshop props. Thank you, Jason, these are going to be well-loved at our workshops around the world!

Actually, it’s more than a bake sale – it’s a flea market, bake sale, & workshops put on by Intrepid Model Adventures. Donations from the flea market will go to support Spin Matsuri’s social circus projects, including the work coming up in Dharmsala this summer.

Tink will lead a circus workshop, and is selling a ton of lovely things “one coin” style to help pay for the circus supplies she will need in India. With the support of bargain hunters and all the other flea market stalls, Spin Matsuri will be able to create a performance with schoolchildren and adults in Dharmsala.

4th IMA Charity Flea Market, Bake Sale & Workshops
Sunday, April 19 from 10:00 – 18:00
Okachimachi/Ueno
Wkabayashi Heim 2-26-8 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0016

More details are on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1414196388887941/

This month, Tink spent a week in Yangon, Myanmar, for the International Juggling Festival – a social circus event with workshops and performances organised by Serious Fun. It was seriously fun to meet and collaborate with jugglers and performers from all around the world to bring moments of fun to the Burmese kids we entertained.