Book contents
- The Cambridge Companion to the Circus
- Cambridge Companions to Theatre and Performance
- The Cambridge Companion to the Circus
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Timeline
- Introduction
- Part I Transnational Geographies of the Modern Circus
- Part II Circus Acts and Aesthetics
- Part III Circus
- Chapter 11 Circus and Somatic Spectacularity on Stage in the Variety Era
- Chapter 12 Becoming an Art Form
- Chapter 13 Risky Play and the Global Rise in Youth Circus
- Chapter 14 Social Circus
- Part IV Circus Studies Scholarship
- Bibliography
- Index
- References
Chapter 14 - Social Circus
The Rise of an ‘Inclusive’ Movement for Collective Creativity
from Part III - Circus
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 June 2021
- The Cambridge Companion to the Circus
- Cambridge Companions to Theatre and Performance
- The Cambridge Companion to the Circus
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Timeline
- Introduction
- Part I Transnational Geographies of the Modern Circus
- Part II Circus Acts and Aesthetics
- Part III Circus
- Chapter 11 Circus and Somatic Spectacularity on Stage in the Variety Era
- Chapter 12 Becoming an Art Form
- Chapter 13 Risky Play and the Global Rise in Youth Circus
- Chapter 14 Social Circus
- Part IV Circus Studies Scholarship
- Bibliography
- Index
- References
Summary
Popularised in the late twentieth century, by the second decade of the new millennium well over 350 social circus programmes around the world had begun to offer classes in the circus arts free of charge, with the expressed aim of bringing about some form of social transformation. Typically boasting an ‘inclusive’ approach, goals range from fighting social stigma, alienation, and stereotypes, to bridging cultural communities, to building self-esteem, community capacity, and breaking cycles of poverty. This chapter explores the social and cultural conditions that have led to the rise of this movement and the kinds of impacts that are being observed among programme participants. It further offers an introduction to the pedagogical approaches typical of social circus programmes as well as the institutional structures they tend to adopt.Particular focus is placed on programmes operating in the Americas, placing these within the context of the global social circus movement.By offering a sketch of how social circus programmes function, the chapter demonstrates the ways in which social circus practices embody particular social values and promote particular forms of kinaesthetic sociality.
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- Information
- The Cambridge Companion to the Circus , pp. 216 - 228Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021
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