About WCT

Circus in New Zealand - New Circus

In the rest of the world circus has been burgeoned from its traditional “Big Top” roots into a new physically disciplined and expressive art form. The word circus no longer represents dancing elephants and whip cracking lion tamers but instead inspires images of high flyers, aerialists, tumblers and rich, often satirical, entertainment popularised by company’s such as Cirque Du Soleil, Cirque Eloize, Les Arts Saut and of course Circus Oz. World wide, new circus attracts huge crowds and is enjoyed by a wide ranging sophisticated audience.

Wellington Circus Trust

While New Zealand has been slow to pick up the new circus mantle there is a ground swell of interest and excitement about the possibilities of “new circus New Zealand” taking a firm hold in Wellington. Recently the Wellington Circus Trust (WCT) was established as an umbrella organisation to support the growth and development of circus arts within the region.

In its first year the WCT has run hundreds of classes for the novice, recreational and serious circus performers, supported emerging and established practitioners, established important connections with other circus arts providers, from acrobats, to stilters, jugglers and clowns, as well as supported members as they pursue their various creative productions.

Alongside the WCT there are a several examples of new circus taking a firm footing in the local arts community. There is “Circo Arts” the Circus School in Christchurch and a growing number of professionals training with WCT, at Toi Whakaari. There are keen young amateurs, training at Capital E’s, Circus School as well as at Whitireia, where Deborah Pope is teaching.

Also Wellington now has several professional companies Fuse Productions, Suspend, AeroTerra, Ake Ake, Empress Stiltdance and The Human Garden all using Circus Arts in their work and recently “Maui” NZ’s own large scale spectacular also employed circus and aerial techniques.