KidsPLAYce OFFERS FEBRUARY VACATION CIRCUS WORKSHOPS
For a seventh year, Brattleboro’s KidsPLAYce is offering circus workshops for children during the February school vacation. These fun workshops build confidence and foster self-discipline, and teamwork as children work toward creating a circus performance. The performance workshops will expose children to juggling, balancing activities, clowning, and a variety of other circus skills. Each child will learn new skills at their own comfort level; competition is with oneself (to improve).
Leading the staff of experienced artist/educators is Troy Wunderle, Creative Director of Vermont’s own Circus Smirkus. He heads their Artist-in-Residence program and leads workshops in schools and communities throughout New England with help from the Vermont Arts Council. Troy also the Clown Coach and a key performer for their touring circus. Troy is a graduate of the renowned Clown College and performed throughout the U.S. and Mexico with the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus. He teaches a variety of circus skills and is working with the KidsPLAYce Circus for a sixth year.
Art Costa will lead workshops in mask and set-making. Art is a sculptor whose media is recycled cardboard and other found materials. Set and prop building for the Central Valley Children’s Theatre Tour Company in California fostered his interest in masks of different cultures and theatrical masks. Through the Vermont Arts Council, Art has shared his skills with children in residencies and workshops in schools throughout Vermont. He has led a variety of workshops through KidsPLAYce Discovery Days and is working with the circus for a sixth year.
Tim Ellis, KidsPLAYce Executive Director, and Ron LaBrusciano, KidsPLAYce Board Member and a member of Antioch New England Graduate School Education Department’s Core Faculty, are coordinating the circus for a seventh year and assisting with the workshops.
Workshops will be held during the February school vacation week from Monday, the 23rd, through Friday, the 27th, with a culminating performance (open to the public) of the KidsPLAYce Circus on Saturday, the 28th. The fee for these week-long workshops is $80 per child. Morning circus performance workshop sessions for 6 to 7 year olds are from 9 A.M. to 12 noon. Afternoon circus performance workshop sessions for 8 to 12 year olds are from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. Snack will be provided. For an additional $80, circus mask-making and set-making/painting arts workshops for 8 to 12 year olds will be offered from 9 A.M. to 12 noon each day. These arts workshops are only for the older children. All workshops will be held at Academy School in West Brattleboro which is accessible to the disabled.
To reserve a place or for more information, call Tim Ellis at 254-5212 or visit KidsPLAYce at 20 Elliot Street in downtown Brattleboro. KidsPLAYce is a non-profit organization which offers a playspace and programs for children, parents, and friends to play, create, discover, and learn together.