Circus / Lavrak
Lavrak hosts community circus cabaret
Bristol-based contemporary circus outfit Lavrak defines itself as ‘a female-led alternative circus company’ with an inclusive outlook, featuring a mix of dance, theatre, live music and circus in their performances.
Producer, performer and Lavrak co-director Amy Nicholls has worked with multiple organisations including Circus City, The Baltic Nordic Circus Network, Spin Out Festival, and Circomedia, and is dedicated to finding opportunities to make circus more accessible.
To that end, Lavrak has been running youth circus groups at St Paul’s Adventure Playground, and are now presenting ‘a futuristic circus cabaret’ featuring the debut performances of these new recruits, alongside some more experienced members of the company.
is needed now More than ever
“We are really aware that circus is quite exclusive,” Nicholls says. “Alongside a few other circus companies in Bristol, we are really keen to change this, and offer circus activities to our community in this city.
Practising silks with Lavrak community circus – photo: Adam Gasson
“We received some funding from West of England Combined Authority to run free aerial circus sessions at St Pauls Adventure Playground once a week, leading up to a show at Circomedia where the children can perform what they have learnt to an audience of their families and the St Paul’s community.”
Over the four years Lavrak has been teaching circus outreach sessions, the demonstrable benefits to the young people engaged in them have been revelatory.
“We have discovered circus can be used as a tool to learn problem solving and risk taking, to overcome fears, to build confidence and generally (quite literally) to turn a frown upside down,” enthuses Nicholls.
“From seeing the value of circus skills for children’s overall development, we think projects like this are really important.”
The children and young people participating in the cabaret have been practising hard at their routines, as well as making their own costumes. Tickets to the event will be free, to maximise access.
Event poster: Lavrak
Lavrak’s Next Generation Cabaret is at Circomedia, Portland Square, St Paul’s, Bristol, BS2 8SJ on Friday, December 3, at 4.30pm. Tickets are free and available from www.eventbrite.co.uk.
Main photo: Adam Gasson
Read more: Photography exhibition and book on St Paul’s Adventure Playground
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