Lili Hanson practices on the silks at The Dust Palace.
Lili Hanson practices on the silks at The Dust Palace.
An Auckland circus school is about to graduate its first intake, writes Dionne Christian.
On the wall at The Dust Palace, the circus theatre company and school in Penrose, there's a quote from American writer Mitch Albom: "One day can bend your life".
Ask some of the extremely bendy leotard-clad youngsters stretching (and doing handstands) in the studio and they say being part of The Dust Palace has certainly turned their respective worlds upside down and inside out. In a good way.
Lili Hanson, a 12-year-old who lives on the North Shore, says The Dust Palace's aerial classes teach how to cavort on silks, ropes and hammocks suspended from high ceilings and swing on a trapeze. She did gymnastics before but preferred the aerial work so circus was perfect.
Her friends and classmates - among them Louis Lambert, 18; Lauren Cavanagh, 14; Ellie Marshall, 24; Aya Al-Chalabi, 12, and Ellie Cashmore, 14 - excitedly all start talking at once about their love for circus arts and the magical feeling of mastering things like hand-balancing on a chair perched atop a piano.
"We're learning to be awesome super-humans," chuckles Ellie Marshall.
With the exception of Louis, who's been doing classes for about nine months, the students are among 13 who are about to graduate from The Dust Palace's inaugural scholarship programme. They've learned aerial and acrobatics skills, and built strength and flexibility alongside the social benefits of being there.
The Dust Palace founders Eve Gordon and Mike Edward decided just over a year ago to start a scholarship programme so that youngsters aged 10-25 who might not ordinarily be able to do a whole year's worth of classes could come along.
Tonight, these youngsters will show those talents by performing in The Trees and I: The Dust Palace Scholarship Showcase. It includes individual and group performances which demonstrate a whole range of circus skills.
Kids practicing on the silks at The Dust Palace circus school.
Kids learning the silks at The Dust Palace circus school.
Once the scholarship programme ends, most of those who have taken part intend to keep doing circus classes, saying the art-form is now part of their lives and is likely to be well into the future.
Eve and Mike, formerly known from TV shows like Almighty Johnsons and Shortland Street are among the leading exponents and practitioners of circus theatre in New Zealand. They've created public and corporate performances including Venus Is, With a Stranger and Love and Money.
"When I was younger, my grandparents paid for my sister and I to do ballet," Eve recalls. "We might not have been able to do the classes otherwise and I thought, 'Why should those who want to do circus classes miss out just because of money?'"
They sought patrons and took their first class of 13 scholarship kids in June last year. It's been so successful they're going to do it again with a slightly smaller group of 12. There is now a call-out for new scholarship kids to audition next Saturday, July 4.
Lili's mum, Sheena, says during the last 12 months she's watched her daughter and her new friends grow in confidence, learn to challenge themselves, build self-belief and develop trust in their own abilities and those of others. You can see, too, that they've all made some "awesome" friends.
"When you see how much enjoyment they get out of it, it makes it all worthwhile. People ask if I worry about the risk [there are strict safety procedures in place] but there's risk in whatever you do. I mean, you can trip and break an arm just walking down the street."
Need to know
The Trees and I: The Dust Palace Scholarship Showcase, Mangere Arts Centre -- Nga Tohu o Uenuku, tonight, 8-9pm. Tickets from $25.
Auditions for The Dust Palace 2015/16 scholarship programme, Saturday, July 4. If you're interested in becoming a patron, ph 021 822 236 or (09) 579 8373. Introductory classes from beginners to advanced, plus private one-on-one and open training throughout the year, including a July school holiday programme. Register here.
