Go back Functional juggling and integral hula-hoop workshop
02.11.2023.
We invite you to the training course of inclusive circus activities: functional juggling and integral hula hoop.
When: November 16-17, 2023 (2 days)
Length: 12 h (6 h per day with lunch break)
Participants: 20
Where: Rigas circus school, Zeļļu street 25 (Āgenskalns), Riga
Mentors: Craig Quatt, Jael Rodriguez
Organised by: “Next Door Circus” biedrība, VSIA “Rīgas cirks”
Boosted by: Grassroot Baltic circus artists’ network supported by the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture!
Application by: 15.11.2023 via email to nextdoorcircus@gmail.com (name, surname, organisation, contact nr)
The course will be conducted in English, translation into Latvian will be organized if necessary.
What is Functional Juggling?
This is an activity born out of American circus educator and artist Craig Quat’s quest to make circus disciplines – specifically juggling – accessible to people regardless of their physical, social and/or mental abilities. As a result, a method was created that allows you to train your body and thinking abilities, regardless of personal factors, and is aimed at developing reaction, movement coordination, memory, social and creative skills.
Nowadays functional juggling is widely used in the world as a tool for physical training, therapy and social integration.
At the beginning, the lessons are held in pairs, forming a small group (up to 10 people) with 2 instructors, and using a specially designed juggling board. After learning the basic movements and drawings, the creative process of each participant began, which has no definite boundaries! Time with a partner passes smoothly, the process is very engaging and motivating for further learning and development.
In Latvia, the method was provided and introduced for the first time by circus artist and teacher Aleksej Smolovs, who together with his colleague therapist Filip Bernadski and the “Next Door Circus” association, conducted activities for people with mobility impairments within the framework of the VKKF “KultūrElpa” project throughout 2021, as well as training at Craig Quat for several circus trainers and functional specialists. As part of this project, as well as after it, members of several groups got acquainted with functional juggling – people with mobility impairments, children and adolescents with mental disorders, seniors. Filips continues to use the method in his daily work, while Aleksejs conducts classes by participating in various types of projects, and since 2022 he has been training interested people in Lithuania as well.
Video about the activities:
Šajā reizē līdzās funkcionālajai žonglēšanai kursa dalībnieki apgūs arī integrālā hula-hupa metodi, kas ir vērsta uz ķermeņa kustību un objektu manipulācijas izzināšanu un izskatīta no sociālās mijiedarbības skata punkta.
Foto: Liene Leonovica
