Circus dreams take flight 

Children may fantasise about “running away to join the circus”, but how many adults have the courage to chase a circus dream?  Emerging Wellington circus artist Aaron Burr (25) is getting closer to his dream of travelling to China to further his training at the Beijing International Arts School. To support his journey, a cast of talented performers will perform in a fundraiser show on Saturday June 23rd, 6pm at the Wellington Circus Hub.

The performance venue is not a big top tent but a working circus training space, giving Wellingtonians a chance to see where some of the city’s circus performers are developing their craft. 

Circus training requires a healthy tolerance of pain and an undaunting nerve to defy gravity. Aaron has faced many physical and mental challenges in his training but sees these as part of the journey towards achieving his goals.

The show is inspired by a quote “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams: Live the life you’ve imagined”.Itweaves together elements of Aaron’s journey and those of the other performers, linked through their strong connections to their chosen apparatus.

Prior to discovering circus Aaron studied fine arts at the College of Creative Arts (CoCA) at Massey University in Wellington and is intensely interested in the creative intersections between circus, dance, and physical theatre.

As Aaron explains, “We’re trying to show the aesthetics of modern circus performance. It’s not about pulling out a standard sequence of tricks with lots of ‘ta-da’ moments.  It’s about pushing boundaries with apparatus, telling a story, and doing things in ways that are a bit different and surprising.”

Aaron has performed in New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong with companies including Circus Aotearoa, Empress Stiltdance, and the Wellington Circus Trust, where he currently teaches aerials and Chinese pole.

“Moving with great skill, he…is an accomplished and expressive acrobat.” (Lyne Pringle, https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=2729 ) 

THE LIFE YOU’VE IMAGINED
Dates:  23 June, 6pm.  (One night only)
Venue:        Wellington Circus Hub, 11 Hutchison Rd, Newtown, Wellington
Tickets:  $20 + booking fee, students with ID $16
Bookings:  Eventfinder http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2012/the-life-youve-imagined/wellington