With the New Year, news from Cirque Nova! Whilst lack of funding has meant less training recently, things have been going on behind the scenes!
Jo Gosling is a visual artist who is interested in collaborating with a new project, Astral. Ju is an international artist and film-maker who originally trained as a dancer, so she has a good understanding of the aesthetics of bodies in movement. Ju situates her work largely within the theories and traditions of the international Disability Arts movement, so she also has a good understanding of the ethos of Cirque Nova’s work, and the disabled body is a focus for much of her practice. In addition, Ju has a long history of working as an artist adviser and mentor (mainly for Shape) and as acting as a role model for early career disabled artists, so her contact with our performers will benefit them here too!
We are have been busy applying for funding from several sources and also looking at sponsorship. We are also trying to recruit more young disabled people to take part in Astral – do get in touch!
We do hope that we will be able to take the “Stellar” show to a few festivals, and as always we aim for the work to be inclusive but to give most importance to the physical development and well being of those people living with disabilities as the main target group, but as always we will concentrate on the abilities and not on the disabilities. Our main identity remaining Circus For All.
Thanks for your support in 2009, and look forward to hearing more about us in 2010!





It’s been a long time since I have posted, largely down to work deadlines and summer holidays, but last Saturday saw me back at circus school for the first time in literally months. Also it was the first Sunday in months that I work up with aching muscles and harness- shaped bruises in very strange places. But it was, as always fun.
As a wheelchair user it’s hard to keep fit. Gyms are not really designed for me, and even when I can use the equipment I often feel the centre of attention as I wobble about surrounded by gym bunnies. Cirque Nova not only gives me an opportunity to get exercise without being self-conscious, I enjoy it so much it gives me the motivation to brave the stares at the gym, and to do my daily physio exercises with renewed dedication. Each time I feel too tired I just have to remember that the more exercise I do, the more tricks I’ll be able to do at circus school.