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ASB 2012-2013 - Circus for Community Building and Social Change

Basic Information
Application Process: 
ASB 2012-2013
Trip Name: 
Circus for Community Building and Social Change
Trip Location: 
New York, NY
Air Travel Trip: 
No
Number of Participants: 
12
Trip Description: 

The purpose of this course is to explore the impacts of social circuses around the world. These programs provide circus education to kids and teenagers who otherwise might not have access to a safe space to be challenged and express themselves. In particular, they emphasize teaching life skills through physical and creative practices. We will study the theories behind the development of social circus and its impacts on individuals and communities. In order to do this, we will need to consider what the circus means for different groups of people, and what it has symbolized throughout history. What is it about joining the circus that makes it appealing to people looking for a home? How has a performance rooted in our fascination with “otherness” now become a tool of empowerment for marginalized people? What are the impacts of these programs on individuals and their communities? Our winter course will contextualize social circus within the broader movement of community performance art, and investigate specific case studies of social circus. A key aspect of the course is the participatory planning of a week-long trip to New York City to visit several social circus programs and experience their work first-hand.

Trip Leaders
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Erica Lieberman

Greetings! My name is Erica and I am a junior from Phoenix, AZ majoring in Bioengineering. I have been interested in circus arts since 7th grade, when I started taking classes at the local circus tent in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico. I have worked at several circus camps and programs for the past few years, and it has been amazing for me to watch how people from all backgrounds make themselves at home and thrive in these communities. After learning more about the social circus movement, I decided to become more involved in it and educate others by co-pioneering this ASB. I am currently an instructor for the Stanford Aerial Fabrics program and I love my unicycle.

Ellery Wulczyn

It’s a good day when I've spent the majority of it moving. In high school, it was rowing in the lakes and canals in the southwest of Berlin that would invigorate me. When I came to Stanford, cycling through the Santa Cruz mountains provided balance to the hectic student life. After cycling, I discovered acrobatics and dance and an immense new world of movement possibilities became available. These creative physical disciplines gave the training a new purpose. They allowed me to express myself in the movements of my own invention. Being in my body makes me feel the most alive and capable. It’s a source of incredible joy, a way for me to process my emotions and to challenge myself. I'm fascinated by the community dance movement, that recognizes the growth and healing that the creative, physical disciplines provide and to make those services broadly available. Social Circus is a perfect example of this and I'm very excited to explore these programs with you!