Empowering refugee and migrant youth through circus and mentoring regional artists to create arts projects with impact
Daisy Chain is a recent partnership project between Sylph Circus and Vulcana Women’s Circus in Brisbane. The project was aimed at empowering refugee and migrant youth from Milpera State School through a series of circus community engagement workshops whilst training Sylph Circus director and young trainees in project management and workshop facilitation.
Vulcana trainers and Sylph Circus trainees facilitated workshops together for refugee and migrant youth at Milpera State School.
Mentored by Celia White (Vulcana artistic director), Cindy Schwenn (Sylph director) was guided through the process of planning and implementing a circus based community engagement project. Young Sylph Circus trainees developed their skills in workshop facilitation as they taught alongside of Vulcana trainers. Students of Milpera State High School were selected to participate in the workshops. The project was funded by Arts Queensland’s Regional Arts Fund (RAF), and took place during Terms 3 and 4, 2017.
Young Sylph trainees Mylesia Kiernan and Cassia Duncan assist Milpera youth in an acro balance activity.
Maleny based regional professional artists Sue Moxon (musician) and James Muller (filmmaker) were also employed by the project. Sue played live music to accompany Milpera students as they performed a circus demonstration for their school audience and James made interviews and film footage of the workshops, assisted by Milpera students, to make a short documentary about the project.
Vulcana trainer and Sylph trainees teach scarf juggling to Milpera youth. Students later juggled scarves to Sue Moxon’s mesmerising music for the rest of their school to enjoy.
The workshops empowered the young Milpera students through a combination of the arts: circus, dance, film and music. The Milpera school staff noted an increase in students confidence as a result of their participation. Positive connections were made between all involved.
Mansoor from Pakistan and his friend happily demonstrate their newly acquired skills in acrobalance.
Cassia Duncan, Daisy Chain Sylph trainee, facilitated the dance aspect of the workshop. Cassia said, “The Daisy chain project was a wonderful opportunity for me as a young artist to learn how to teach kids with varied skills and backgrounds. It made me realise that you need to know your students before you can truly teach them and it was absolutely wonderful getting to know the students at Milpera State School. “
The project was initially inspired by the Sylph Circus performance troupes devised performance called: ‘Limbo A Refugee Story’. Sylph Circus performers wanted to share the passion and empowerment they experience through circus with young refugees.
Sylph Circus youth celebrate at South Bank after an acro performance for Milpera students on 14 July 2017, to kick start the Daisy Chain Project.
The Sylph Circus team received circus skill and technique training in a workshop in Maleny facilitated by Vulcana trainers, Bianca Mackail and Emma Aitchison. The workshop included handstanding, tumbling, acro, silks and lyra training.
Sylph Circus trainees receive training from Emma (silks) and Bianca (behind) from Vulcana Women’s Circus Brisbane in a Daisy Chain workshop in Maleny.
Sylph Circus would like to thank Vulcana Women’s Circus for the amazing training and positive experience. We are now equipped with the skills to run our own community engagement projects.
We’d also like to thank RAF for funding the project and making it possible.
