Circus: Dissecting Aerial Symposium

Showcasing practice, pedagogical and personal approaches to healthy and sustainable practice from aerial artists, researchers, body workers, medical and sports science practitioners from across the globe.

Join in person at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts in Brighton, or online to listen and be lead through 12 different presentation sessions from world renowned practitioners and speakers.

Line-up includes 12 different presentations (with Q&As) from world-class teachers, artists and researchers – sharing their expertise on anatomy, coaching, the bio-mechanics of aerial movement, self-esteem, body worth, understanding access needs and much more. Some of the talks surrounding accessibility and inclusion include;

• Body of Worth – ‘self-esteem and body image in the aerial industry’
• Bendy bodies, bendy brains
• Relaxed Spaces and Access Notes within the Circus Industry
• Musculoskeletal injury profile in Circus artists – review of current knowledge and applications to training
• Engaging tools for motor learning and musculoskeletal rehabilitation
• ‘When the rope frays’ – burnout & compassion fatigue
• Creating safe and brave spaces to flourish in aerial performance and creation

You can find the presenter biographies and topics here, as well as a full timetable of the event.

Tickets for Dissecting Aerial 2024 are now on sale at gravity-levity.net. Early-bird tickets available until Friday 1st March 2024.

Subsidised Places

There are 2 subsidised places available for Dissecting Aerial 2024 – offering 50% off the cost of activity – expressly for people that identify as underrepresented in the sector. We want to make these places available to as wide a range of people and practices as possible.

We understand “underrepresented in the aerial sector” to include (but not be limited to): disabled artists, artists from the global majority, artists from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, artists with care responsibilities, artists who are LGBTQIA+.

To apply for a subsidised place, email Lindsey with a brief description of yourself in relation to the criteria, your practice, how you feel attending the symposium will develop your work, and what are you hoping to get from it.

Please send your application information to info@gravity-levity.net before 23:59 on Thursday 29th February

Access Provision and Notes

• This session will be in English on Zoom.
• Live captioners will be present throughout the symposium.
• Visual material will be described.
• This will be a relaxed space and you will not be put on the spot.
• Please communicate as it works for you (emojis, gestures, augmentative and alternative communication, speech, etc).
• We will strive to create a relaxed space. You are welcome to have your camera on or off, if joining remotely, please take breaks as needed.
• There will be a formal five-minute break between speakers.
• Content notices will be used (it will be discussed what they are and how to use them) for any intense material.
• Everything is optional.
• Sign language interpretation is unfortunately not provided at this event.
• Please do let us know in advance if you have any additional access needs and we will endeavour to meet them, email Lindsey on info@gravity-levity.net

Photo credit: Clare Elliott