Women's Circus

A$32.95

Adrienne Liebmann

Jen Jordan

Deb Lewis

Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Patricia Sykes

Jean Taylor

Have you ever wanted to join the circus? Wondered what goes on behind the scenes? What trapeze artists think about as they swing through the air? How fit you have to be to be a performer? Reading this book lets you become an armchair acrobat. Established in 1991 as a community theatre project to work with survivors of sexual assault, the Women’s Circus has gone on to create innovative shows, toured to China in 1995 and has maintained a training program for women of all shapes and sizes, backgrounds, ages and abilities for fifteen years.

1997 | ISBN 9781875559558 | Paperback | 240 x 170 mm | 285 pp

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Adrienne Liebmann

Jen Jordan

Deb Lewis

Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Patricia Sykes

Jean Taylor

Have you ever wanted to join the circus? Wondered what goes on behind the scenes? What trapeze artists think about as they swing through the air? How fit you have to be to be a performer? Reading this book lets you become an armchair acrobat. Established in 1991 as a community theatre project to work with survivors of sexual assault, the Women’s Circus has gone on to create innovative shows, toured to China in 1995 and has maintained a training program for women of all shapes and sizes, backgrounds, ages and abilities for fifteen years.

1997 | ISBN 9781875559558 | Paperback | 240 x 170 mm | 285 pp

Adrienne Liebmann

Jen Jordan

Deb Lewis

Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Patricia Sykes

Jean Taylor

Have you ever wanted to join the circus? Wondered what goes on behind the scenes? What trapeze artists think about as they swing through the air? How fit you have to be to be a performer? Reading this book lets you become an armchair acrobat. Established in 1991 as a community theatre project to work with survivors of sexual assault, the Women’s Circus has gone on to create innovative shows, toured to China in 1995 and has maintained a training program for women of all shapes and sizes, backgrounds, ages and abilities for fifteen years.

1997 | ISBN 9781875559558 | Paperback | 240 x 170 mm | 285 pp

Reviews

This is a big, rowdy, colourful, three-ring circus of a book, packed with death-defying feats and acts that will thrill and amaze – not the least of which is their breathtaking commitment to feminist practice.'

–Carolyn GageLesbian Review of Books

'This book is a documentary of the best kind: fulfilling and complete.'

–Stephanie DaleTweed Daily News


Table of Contents

Preface

Weaving the Tapestry Jen Jordan

Writing the Story of the Women’s Circus Adrienne Liebmann

Women’s Circus Aims and Objectives

I THE BEGINNING

Being “The Other” Donna Jackson

An Herstorical Perspective Jean Taylor

Taking Over the Butter House Patricia Sykes

How the Circus Works Patricia Sykes & Adrienne Liebmann

One Woman’s Journey Adrienne Liebmann

Why the Women’s Circus is Feminist Theatre Jules De Cinque

Is the Women’s Circus a Feminist Enterprise? Alison Richards

The Women’s Circus and Other Religions Maralann Damiano

The Phenomenon of the Women’s Circus Karen Martin

II THE WOMEN

Chance Jude Johns

Meet the Women Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Survivors Speak

The Journey Towards Healing Jen Jordan

Fragment 1: Map 42 Nadia Angelini

A Survivor Within the Circus Linda Wilson

Fragment 2: Map 42 Nadia Angelini

Support Group: Tower of Strength Helen North

Speaking Out Linda Wilson

Fragment 3: Map 42 Nadia Angelini

In Memory of Jen Jordan Linda Wilson

The Web (for Jen Jordan) Patricia Sykes

A Question of Cultural Diversity

Immigrant Women Vig Geddes

Crossing Cultural Barriers: Interview Celena Catipovski/Louise Radcliffe-Smith

The Same Chance Franca Stadler

Trapeze Susan Hawthorne

Crossing Age Barriers: Women Over Forty

Life After Youth Patricia Sykes

Contrary Mary Joins The Women’s Circus Patricia Sykes

Spin-Offs

Poems from the Body Patricia Sykes

The Performing Older Women’s Circus Jean Taylor

Masks Susan Hawthorne

Act/Don’t Act Your Age Patricia Sykes

Beating the Negative Self-Talk Andrea Ousley

Taking New Directions Loreen Visser

The Juggonauts Lynette Mackenzie

Images of Strength Naomi Herzog

Circus Art Nicole Hunter

Making Music Kylie Whyte

From Techie to Production Manager Dori Dragon

Meeting Deadlines Mandy Grinblat

The Sky’s the Limit: Interview Cathy Johnstone/Louise Radcliffe-Smith

III THE WOMEN’S CIRCUS AT WORK

The Whole Woman: Training

Learning to Leap Off The Edge Jen Jordan

Nuts and Bolts

Introducing Sally Forth

Mind, Body and Spirit Sally Forth

Game of Balance Patricia Sykes

Four Seasons Recipes Sally Forth

Four Seasons Exercises Sally Forth

Passing on Knowledge: The Trainers

Letting the Individual Shine Lee Mohtaji

Juggling with Rhythm and Soul Kymberlyn Olsen

Juggle Art Patricia Sykes

How to Make Juggling Balls Louise Radcliffe-Smith

How to Juggle Kymberlyn Olsen & Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Stick Manipulation Melissa Idles

Club Swinger Kathryn Niesche

Singing with the Body Helen Sharp

Sports Acrobat Dorota Scally

The Trainers: Physical, Musical, Technical

The Strength is in the Doing: The Trainees

The Circus as a Metaphor Adrienne Liebmann

Cleaning Up the Playground Patricia Sykes

Whip-carrying Women Fi Bowie

Skate Away Jean Taylor

Specialist Training Workshops

How to be a Stupid Patricia Sykes

Training the Trainer Louise Radclife-Smith

Specialist Trainers

Music

Music Training Jean Taylor & members of the Music Group

I’ll Count You In Members of the Music Group

Labour Exchange Elizabeth Grady & Judith Shapland

Crews: All in a Day’s Work

Newsletter Crew Deb Lewis

Child-care Crew Jules De Cinque

Small Gigs

For a Variety of Causes Jean Taylor

Moomba Madness Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Barges Bridget Roberts

Circus Barge Patricia Sykes

IV IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Pre-performance

Research Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Rehearsal Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Musical Chairs Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Tech Talk Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Venues: Claiming the Space Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Costume and Design Deb Lewis & Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Pre-performance Crews Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Performance Crews Deb Lewis

What Will We Wear? Kylie Whyte

Performance

Performance Patricia Sykes

Big Gigs Deb Lewis

Feeling Well During the Performance Sally Forth

Security: Locked Up Tight Deb Lewis

Behind the Scenes

The Technical Crew Georgina Clarsen

Breaking Down the Mystery: Interview Rosie Finn/Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Lights, Cable, Action Maureen O’Connor

An Eye for Safety Ursula Dutkiewicz

A Designer’s View Wendy Black

Capturing the Raw Energy Vivienne Méhes & Alison Richards

Musical Chairs

Hitting the High Notes Jean Taylor & members of the Music Group

Musical Notes Zen Atkinson

One Octave at a Time Marianne Permezel

Keeping the Beat: Interview Sharon Follett/Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Front of the House

Up Front Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Merchandising Louise Radcliffe-Smith

She Has the Answer: Interview Marg Dobson/Louise Radcliffe-Smith

The Cents Behind the Circus Mandy Grinblat

Think Lateral: When there’s no budget Georgine Clarsen

The Shows

1991, Women and Institutions Deb Lewis & Louise Radcliffe-Smith

1992, Women and Work Deb Lewis & Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Trust Mavis Thorpe Clark

Work Rachel

Work Cathy Johnstone

1993, Women and Sport Deb Lewis & Louise Radcliffe-Smith

1994, Death: The Musical Deb Lewis & Louise Radcliffe-Smith

The Dead Susan Hawthorne

“She’s dead!” they cried Melissa Lewis

Opening Night Nerves Linda Wilson

The Nightly Performance Ritual Deb Lewis

Each Night A Journey Karen Martin

Coffin Denise Johnstone

Not Just Entertainment Mavis Thorpe Clark

No Blood! Nicole, Emily & Joanna van der Nagel

1995, Leaping the Wire Deb Lewis & Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Circus Beasts Patricia Sykes

Discovering the Place Within Myself Elizabeth Connolly

Circus of Joy and Politics Helen Thomson

International Touring: Leaping the Wire

Getting to Beijing Jean Taylor

Beijing: Hail the Convocation of Women Bridget Roberts

Leaping the Wire Kath Davey

V EVALUATION

Celebration

A Circus Woman Jean Taylor

Workshops Emily George

Fantasy Louise Radcliffe-Smith

Lay-Off Season Patricia Sykes

Looking Back

Evaluation Jean Taylor

Change and Evolution Jules De Cinque

Reflections on a Journey Sharon Follett

Thankyou Carole

Think, Debate, Decide, Act Donna Jackson
Chronology

Glossary

Biographies