American Youth Circus Festival 2009

SO close!

2009-08-15T11:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

In just a few hours I'll be picking up Jesse, our presenter coordinator from JFK airport- he's spent the day traveling to the east coast from southern California. We'll spend 3 days doing final festival prep and THEN we get to meet all of you wonderful people!

Remember you can always email me at aycofest09@americanyouthcircus.org with any last minute questions.

Peace,

Amy

Forum not working

2009-08-08T21:11:00.000-07:00

We hear that the festival forum isn't working- we're doing our best to fix it so that everyone can be in touch and figure out ride shares etc!

if you have an urgent travel/ride question or request you can email it to us at aycofest09@americanyouthcircus.org and we'll spread the word.

thanks!

Amy

What wednesday looks like!

2009-08-07T18:53:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

We realize that many of you don't know exactly what Wednesday the 19th looks like schedule wise. Here you go!

2pm-6pm Sign in

Collect your weekend info packet and T-Shirt, get your housing assignment and make yourself at home, meet your bunkmates, take a camp tour led by one of our fabulous college work study students, swim in the heated out door pool, meet and greet old and new friends, explore your new home for the next 4 days.

6- 6:45 pm- Dinner

7pm- Official Festival Kick Off!

Can't wait to see you in less than 2 weeks!

Schedule coming soon!

2009-08-04T20:45:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone- we have been working hard on the workshop schedule and it will be made public in the next few days- thanks for being patient with us!

Discussion forum is live!

2009-07-26T17:48:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone-

Many of you have expressed interest in connecting with other AYCO attendees before the festival. Please visit

http://www.americanyouthcircus.org/forum/list.php?8 to post new discussion topics, find rides, say hello, or just scope out what people are saying about the 2009 AYCO festival!

Anyone out there interested in teaching flying trapeze?

2009-07-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow circus enthusiasts,

They American Youth Circus Organization (AYCO) Festival is fast approaching, and we are still on the search for coaches to offer Flying Trapeze

workshops. The Festival location (Island Lake Camp) has two beautiful flying rigs, one indoors and one outdoors.

Please help us add this incredible circus tradition to our already awesome lineup of workshops. If you or someone you know may be able to help us, please contact Jesse at busker06@msn.com.

For more information about the festival, visit www.americanyouthcircus.org

Thank you so much,

Jesse AlFord

AYCO Festival 2009 Programming Director

busker06@msn.com

909 528 2557

Circus Yoga workshops!

2009-07-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

Check out these workshops that will be offered at this years festival! Explore the circus yoga website if you haven't already, Erin and Kevin are wonderful and we are thrilled they will be sharing their creative minds with us in August!

http://www.circusyoga.com/site/8.19-23_AYCOfest.html

Works in Progress Revealed!

2009-07-20T15:18:00.000-07:00

Are you working on an act that won't be ready in time to showcase at the festival? We encourage you to give your act a whirl at our special "Works in Progress Revealed" (WIPR) workshops. Receive helpful feedback, suggestions, and encouragement from circus performers, educators, and enthusiasts in a safe, non competitive environment- ALL levels are welcome. There will be two WIPR workshops- one for aerial acts and one for ground acts. Please contact Jesse at busker06@msn.com with any questions about equipment (we will have most everything on site already but want to make sure we can be prepared with what you need!) We can't wait to see and support what you've been creating.

Rigging Intensive pricing announced!

2009-06-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Cost of Rigging Intensive: $100.00

Meal Plan: $25.00 - includes 3 meals- breakfast, lunch & dinner on 08/19/08

(or feel free save money and bring your own non-perishable meals on the day of the workshop.)

Early Arrival Accommodations + Meals: $50.00 - (includes lodging at Island Lake Camp on 08/18/09, dinner on 08/18/09; and breakfast & lunch on 08/19/08 only)

Questions? email amy at aycofest09@americanyouthcircus.org

Rigging Intensive and workshops with Jonathan Deull!

2009-06-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

The wonderful and talented Jonathan Deull will be presenting a pre-festival rigging intensive as well as three rigging workshops during the festival. I had the opportunity to take one of his rigging intensives last year- any person working with or around aerial apparatus should take this intensive- it is AMAZING!

INTENSIVE

Aerial Performer Rigging and Risk Management Intensive

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

(this intensive involves an addition fee, price tbd shortly)

When you walk into a space and look up in the air, what do you look for to know that your students will be safe? What are the questions you need to ask? While this workshop will not make you a qualified rigger, we will provide tools you need to be an educated consumer. We will explore many of the key issues which arise in rigging safely for aerial performance: dynamic loads, applied forces, strength of materials, selection of apparatus and hardware, attaching to building structure, proper techniques for termination or ropes and cables, inspection and equipment retirement. Leave your calculator at home; there will be no math required. There will, however, be ample opportunity for hands-on practice of basic rigging skills, as well as live demonstrations of rigging scenarios using a computerized digital load cell and an assortment of apparatus.

FESTIVAL WORKSHOPS

Aerial Performer Rigging Basics

An introduction, including live demonstrations, to the basic principles and practices of defying gravity. This session will be useful – and eye-opening – for performers, coaches and program leaders.

Aerial Performer Rigging: “Lab” Session I

A direct follow-on to the Rigging Basics session, this student-driven workshop will provide an opportunity to learn hands-on rigging skills and explore/demonstrate specific scenarios in a relatively unstructured environment. Participation in the Rigging Basics session, or other prior rigging experience, is recommended but not required.

Aerial Performer Rigging: “Lab” Session II

This student-driven workshop will provide an opportunity to learn hands-on rigging skills and explore/demonstrate specific scenarios in a relatively unstructured environment. Participation in the Rigging Basics session, or other prior rigging experience, is recommended but not required.

About Jonathan Deull

Jonathan Deull has been a student of aerial performer rigging since 1996 when his daughter began performing as a circus aerialist at the age of seven. He has designed and executed aerial circus and dance rigging both in the US and internationally, and is the author of the chapter on rigging for the recently published book, Aerial Dance, by Jayne Bernasconi and Nancy Smith. A co-founder of AirBorne! DC and director of Zip Zap Circus USA, he currently works freelance on theatre and special event production and design projects, teaches seminars on aerial performer rigging, and serves on the performing arts faculty at Edmund Burke School in Washington, DC. He is an ETCP Certified Theatrical Rigger and ETCP Recognized Rigging

more workshops announced!

2009-06-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

Here are the newest additions to our workshop line up. Many thanks to the awesomely talented Jesse, our presenter coordinator!

Hula-HoopPalooza: Hoop Skills and Games for Kids presented by Leslie Rosen
and Crystal Campbell of Seattle's School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts

German Gym Wheel presented by CircEsteem

Beginning Static Trapeze presented by Aerial Emery of Xelias Aerial Arts

Aerial Silks presented by Jim Domenick of Xelias Aerial Arts

Home With A Hoop presented by Jean St. John and Tres Kutcher of My Nose
Turns Red

Aerial Lyra/Hoop presented by Caity Tomson-Moylan of Xelias Aerial Arts

Circus Arts Therapy: Definition and Introduction by Carrie Heller of Circus Arts Institute

First batch of workshops announced!

2009-06-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

Jesse, our master of workshops, has been working really hard to organize the workshops for the 2009 festival. Below are just some of the many workshops that will be offered, check back soon for more updates. Exact dates and times for these workshops have not been set. Feel free to contact us at aycofest09@americanyouthcircus.org with any questions you may have!

"Street Performing in Latin America" by Heidi Kirchofer and Joel Melendez of
Matica Arts

"Making Larger Than Life Puppets" by Lissa Mcleod and Jake Weinstein of One
World Circus

"Spanish Web and Corde Lisse" by Meg Elias-Emery of Xelias Aerial Arts

"Flexibility Plus (Contortion)" by Panni Speirs of Flexibility Plus

"Partner Acrobatics-Doing, Teaching, Spotting" by Chuck Johnson of SANCA

"The Theater of Circus: Acting for Circus Performers" by Dic Wheeler of Art
Farm

"Taming The Wild Cerebellum and Other Feats of Daring-Do" by Louis 'Tres'
Kutcher of My Nose Turns Red Youth Circus

"Passing Fancy (Juggling for Teams)" by Viveca Gardiner of Bindlestiff
Family Cirkus

"Circus for Social Change" by Jake Weinstein and Lissa Mcleod of One World
Circus

"A Comical Approach" by Troy Wunderele of Circus Smirkus

"Aerial Performer Rigging Basics" by Jonathan Deull of Zip Zap Circus

"Intro to Circus Yoga Teacher Training" by Kevin and Erin O'Keefe of Circus
Yoga and Circus Minimus

"Designing an In-School Circus Residency" by Kevin O'Keefe of Circus Yoga
and Circus Minimus

"Painting Your Own Face" by Auntie Ray Ray of Mehron Makeup

"Totally Useless Skills" by Rick Davis of AYCO

"Walking the High Wire" by George Ramiro of The Great All-American Youth Circus

Other workshops will include Stilt Walking, Flying Trapeze, Static Trapeze, Aerial Silks, Lyra,
Unicycle, Juggling, Tumbling, Acro, German Gym Wheel, and many many more! Check back for updates.

AYCO festival 2009 blog!

2009-05-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

Check the blog soon for updates about workshops, intensives, and more for the 2009 American Youth Circus Festival