Day 1: Face up to it

Brief of the afternoon given by Thor Blomfield, Chairperson NCPTA:

Session structure

1. Small group discussion (in theatre) what are the issues?
2. Bring back to large group and discuss
3. Break into specific issue groups

Bill Blaikie explained a methodology of discussion, and then invited the delegation to break into groups of 4-6 people for approximately 15 minutes. The groups had to choose their top 3 wishes of what they would like to see happen in circus and physical theatre.

The following lists were facilitated by Finch who asked each group to list their 1st wish then around the groups for their 2nd and 3rd wish. Blaikie copied all the groups' wishes onto the white board.

Wish 1: Maintain and Foster Diversity, Youth Training and Education, Internal industry communication, Unlimited Government Funding, Packed Houses, Larger Scope for Conference, Passion and Risk Taking, Greater Access to Resources, High level Training Facilities Available to Individuals, More Kids Exposed to Circus, More Support Understanding and Validation for Clowns, Opportunities for Parents,Attention to Details of Quality and Craft, Vision, Professional Respect/Raising Profile

Wish 2: Training, Research and Development, NICA and NON-NICA, High Class Website and Network, Cross Arts co-ordination between artists and companies, International Passport (Hostels and Work Permits) Loose Body for Seeking Accreditation and Insurance, Perform for the Dole, More Touring for Small Companies, More Exposure Outside Normal Circuits, Cheaper/Free Flights for Artists, Knowledge of Resources, Exploration of Combining Safety, Training and Creative Risks, Presence of Indigenous Culture in Discussion and Work in the Industry.

Wish 3: Archiving, Foam Pits, Physically Risk Free Environment, Self Sustainable Community Work, Giving and Receiving, Honest Feedback, Benefit Packages (retirement and retraining), Raise Status/Profile, Respect and Value, Injury Free (including physical and emotional injury), Using Globalisation Positively, Cultural Navigating - Artists as Navigators of Cultural Leadership, More Experimentation.

Seven different discussion topics were formed from the wish categories, with each discussion group lead by a targeted facilitator. Guidelines for facilitators were as follows:

1. Question: Why did you come to this group? Was it from interest/experience?
2. SWOT analysis of the issue within our industry
3. Name the 3 most critical objectives for that area within our industry over the next 12 months

Discussion groups and facilitators:

Groups broke off into different locations around the Powerhouse for approximately 1 hour. The conference was then brought to a close for the day, with group summaries to be presented in the Taking the ball session (Day 2).

General notes from some of the discussion groups have been included here. The notes were taken by volunteers hence the different styles - notes were then fleshed out for the Taking the ball sessions.

• Group 3: Art and Craft
• Group 4: Advocacy
• Group 5: Diversity
• Group 6: Training
• Group 7: Youth training

Group 3: Art and Craft

The session began with the group members describing where they were from and why they were interested in this topic.

Pushing the boundaries: Blomfield was interested in taking circus out of the trick zone and looking at what you can do with these tricks and how they can be used theatrically.

Diversifying skills: Wayne Specht, Axis Theatre agreed with Blomfield and will be working with Legs on the Wall on a collaboration piece next year. Specht encourages performers to further develop their skills. He believes a physical theatre performer cannot just rely on one skill alone and needs to explore many other avenues and diversify. These skills will make them more valuable as a performer within a company.

The group also discussed the lost clown. Many people were worried that the traditional and pure clown has faded from circus and physical theatre for a number of reasons. People were interested in why and how to bring back the clown in it's pure form.

Training and knowledge: Training and knowledge is seen as a very important background for successful creative development. Types of acting training for physical theatre needs to be looked at closely. Commedia Dell arte was recommended as a good from of acting training for physical theatre.

Cross-arts collaboration: directors. There was a general consensus that working across the arts was the way to go. Not to limit circus and physical theatre to purely trick based entertainment but to work with actors, designers, directors, film people, musicians, multi-media, artists and photographers and fashion designers. It was suggested that a database of people who work in these fields be created. The database would also include details for riggers, sound and light operators, people involved in production and administration. This would generate cross-arts involvement and help people find the right people to work with generating employment. The discussion site that Mike Finch set up through Bathurst University was mentioned as a model that is already being used to connect people. This is an e-mail newsletter that goes out to people who studied in Bathurst.

Vision to fruition: the creative development process A lot of people were interested in looking at how the creative development phase works. This could be done by publishing case studies of creative development processes on the net. It was suggested that we hold a creative pow-wow for directors. This could be a weekend where directors come together to discuss the processes involved with working with physical theatre.

Many of the group members were interested in mentoring for young and upcoming directors. This could be done through the Internet. It could also be an item on the agenda for the next circus and physical theatre conference.

The time and money needed for creative development was another issue. The theory of creative development was discussed, encouraging papers and modules to be written about how companies work toward their shows. A lot of companies can't afford the time and money to properly work through the creative development and therefore the end result suffers.

Anna Yen talked of how important it is as a director to allow the performers to discover the work themselves through finding and exposing their vulnerability.

Shelalagh McGovern talked of the experience of using a theatrical director to work with a physical theatre show. Difficulties arose due to a lack of understanding of the physical work by the director. Theatre directors who work with physical theatre need to have a good understanding of the skills, the difficulty and the physical strength and concentration needed for performing tricks.

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Group 4: Advocacy

Bill Blaikie: SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)

Pioneering work: centralized contact where communication can process and flow

Geographical limitations: Block between physical theatre network and larger organisations. Legs on the Wall did not have profile until director came on board - got a winning performance and then the doors opened.

Problem of networking. Don't want doors to close with a poor production.

Workshops/teaching in schools.

Critical objectives: Lobby the Australian Council for the next person on theatre board to be a circus artist or administrator. People to chose by states. Whip round the circus conference for volunteers for the peer assessment process (people need to know).Make people aware Advocate for industry not just for MOF. Ask senior companies to form a peak body and meet twice a year to discuss issues that affect everybody (e.g. Oz, Legs, Rock n Roll), and develop formal communication avenues. Find funding to create a job for somebody to link/network/access/collaborate.

Mobile training unit for the "Community Services" - not just individual.

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Group 5: Diversity

Present: Antonella Casella, Andrea, Godfrey, Thenmaire, Robbie Hoad, Tina.

Discussion points Resource access:

• Geographical access
• Difficulties for your audiences
• True diversity difference determination

Artists:

• Creative rationale
• The ability to work in through the confines of definition
• Do not define people

Written/verbal physical tradition:

• Truly dangerous to be unable to articulate; who you are, why you want to do what you want to,
• Don't want external structures to control development

Power

• Permission and social responsibility
• Subversive personally how do we celebrate and manifest diversity using our chosen tool, circus and physical theatre, be that teaching, performing.

SWOT Strengths:

• Enthusiasm
• Passion
• Guerrila tactics
• Actual diversity that already exists
• Ability to communicate without language
• Marginalised tradition equals a kind of freedom
• Freedom

Weaknesses:

• Must define so to provide funding
• Lack of network
• Lack of resources
• The less institutionalised are currently being pushed further down the ladder of access
• Poverty
• Isolation

Threats:

• Institutionalising the industry
• Post conference, what then
• Professionalism in community circus is not the same
• Skill test in area of technique training.
• Authority

Proposals for the Association:

• Lobby industry in organising the provision of resources (ie. movement in the industry, equipment, appropriate staff etc).
• Association advocate/nominate and support individuals and small groups seeking (support including funding for community outreach and cultural diversity work with marginalised groups).
• How can the haves in our circus help the have nots.
• The big end of tour needs the small end of tour.
• Alternate the support already available.
• Findings to support us further down the line.
• Associations, Advocates, Nominations and Support Applicant for community outreach fund for diverse work with marginalised groups.

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Group 6: Training

Facilitator: Anni Davey

Present: Pam Creed, Nicki Ashton, Doban Nicoll, Tim Smyth (Sydney institute of Sport), Annabel Arndt, Ross Vegas, Bernie Sabat, Helen Selensky, Sherelle Dolphin, Guaug Rong Lu.

Discussion about accreditation:

• Helen Selensky
  • Real course for accreditation
  • Network and access
  • Code of conduct
• Annabel Arndt
  • Quality is too subjective to go into
  • Safety
  • Experience
  • Were they paying performers that were being trained?
  • Working with children issues sex-offenders, drug and alcohol issues for teachers
• Pam Creed
  • Is it possible to accredit people in the industry who are the inspirational ones?
  • Accredit people through prior experience Identify what is important for people to know.
  • Standards of acceptance of people to work with acrobats / children / groups etc.
  • Easy thing to do
  • National training agency
  • District based
  • Make it easier to insure yourself / your organisation for training
• Guaug Rong Lu
  • Developed a system at Fruit Flies 3 tier system: Top trainer, Middle trainer experience ex. Fruit Fly performer, Low trainer year 11 and 12 students
• Pam Creed
  • NICA to take it on?
  • Find resources to do it?
  • Could we collectively access national vocational institutions etc Circus Association

Database discussion:

• Annabel Arndt
  • Data Protection. issues
  • Is setting up a website of database
  • Connector project? European project identifying another 6 months
  • Q. How much time does it take to keep the database updated?
  • A. (Pam Creed) We require partnerships
  • Formal and informal entry points into the industry.
  • How to support those entry points comes through the small community courses, the community festivals etc.

Training development:

• A wide service concept allowing trainers access to equipment
• Ross Vegas
  • Q. How do we create professional performers of the future?
  • A. Creep into the schools If it gets into the schools it gets into the community
• Pam Creed
  • NICA has a module to create a K - 12 curriculum
  • 3rd year curriculum set involves developing a show and touring it.
  • Look at partnerships - with who? Circus Festival? Circus Monoxide?
• Bernie Sabat
  • Commedia Dell'arte school has a industry program. She will provide information to Pam Creed

Training styles:

• Guang Rong Lu
  • All companies have different training styles
• Nicki Ashton
  • Style as derived by standards
  • Style determined by target audiences.

SWOT:

• Strong foundations in teaching - stretch imagination
• List based training - recognition of prior learning
• What is important for people to know, who are teaching
• Key factors to standard of acceptance
• Minimal standards of safety
• Recognition
• National accreditation
• NICA - task learning
• Key elements of training should be listed
• Work ethic, education, medical qualification
• Distance based learning - doesn't have to be face to face.
• Must have OH&S if you want to be recognized as an organisation
• FFFC - has ranked training. Top trainer, middle training (has TAFE qualifications) experience 5-6 years ex FFFC, bottom trainer (year 11 or 12 students)
• Skill circle remains in company - utilising limited resources to maximise results - know how
• Accreditation is possible - need to find resources to do it.
• Is achievable collectively even if resources are limited, just need support from all elements. eg. National Circus Association.
• A role for industry partnerships to resource training facilities and people Space

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Group 7: Youth training

Facilitator: Michelle Vickers

SWOT:

Strengths:

• Regional presence
• Good models in existence mentors
• Passion and energy
• Family / Parental support community / Volunteers
• Profile in school / Community / Arts of form
• Existing pathways for careers
• Quality of training
• Circus family

Weaknesses:

• Loose links between like organisations
• Number of access to trainers
• Access for regional youth
• Training for trainers
• Training people to go into regional areas
• Regional issues become marginalised
• Teaching stage craft

Opportunities:

• Training Trainers specifically for teaching young people
• Touring training resources/ improved access
• Communities have the opportunity to tell their stories
• Training young circus artists as trainers
• Transitional mentorship / health areas as well as circus, QAS etc.
• Developing stronger networks
• National association for youth circus models, funding for the U.K. and U.S.A. examples.
• Access financial for those who can't afford fees

Threats:

• Lack of contact time
• Relative lack of performance opportunities/jobs for graduating young artists
• Injury management / OHT s / Child protection
• Prejudice / Lack of understanding of craft

Key issues:

• Regional perception of circus
• Model for communication
• Curriculum / Program
• Regional touring / Access / Networks
• National Associations / Framework for youth (to in main) recognise youth issues
• Transition between training and working
• Human resources bringing international trainers out
• Database/register of people with skills and an interest in teaching
• Accreditation how to provide accreditation to people teaching within the industry
• Performance experience of new artists
• Who are the next generation? Of Directors? Of Performers? Of Administration?
• Nicki's vision: Access funding to take NICA students on the road
• Tim Smyth has a public access flying trapeze
• Helen directing students intake into NICA get name directors into directs graduate shows
• Who has a database of all community circuses etc.

Touring training proposal:

Strengths:

• Regional presence
• Energy of kids
• Parents - want to give kids opportunities - create community

Opportunities:

• Develop touring training resources - improved access
• Self sustaining community activities that continued after tour moves on

Community networking:

• NOT a business
• Good mentors/models to base work on - base foundations on success stories e.g. Cirkidz, Fruit Flies, Spaghetti Circus - yet each youth group is unique
• Don't have solid links between these circus groups (meet maybe once/year)
• Has some profile
• Opportunities open
• Maybe a need for a youth training conference. So distinct - shouldn't be squashed in with circus industry in general
• Problem of nomadic lifestyle
• Access to staff trainers willing and capable of working with kids
• Issue of regional isolation - nurture a touring circuit
• Need of trainers to have a social element, see training as an occupation not as a performer "Training for the Trainer"
• NB regional issues become marginalized (need to remove it from political gain spectrum)
• Sustainability

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This project has been assisted by the Federal Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.