circo. sociale.
GAME, ACTIVE LEARNING, ACCEPTANCE, SENSITIVITY, RESPONSIBILITY, SOCIALITY, COMMUNICATION, CREATIVITY, APPLICATION, CONCENTRATION, AUTONOMY
In the last 30 years in Europe and in Italy a culture of sports practice applied to circus arts for children and young people has developed, based on the educational and motor aspect, as an alternative to a traditional sports practice. The circus is not a competitive activity, nor a canonical sport, but it strongly leverages the fantastic aspect of anyone, managing to propose all those classic exercises, which are performed in traditional sport, in a more fun and motivated way. From a motor point of view, the circus arts are also revealed as a complete activity, which works on all motor skills: from general dynamic coordination, to balance, to posture, to ocular-manual coordination; this work carried out at 360 °, is the winning note of the proposal.
In the circus there is a fundamental playful component that we could define as a "game in motion" and, precisely through movement, children get to know themselves and others better, developing their potential and self-esteem. The game is also fun and consequently the circus activities and the exercises-games of Comicotherapy, the "circus" theme and the tools can immediately spur their enthusiasm and interest (active learning), because, during the game, which is also creative and formative work, the kids are active, they do it by themselves, driven by their needs and desires, learning through the involvement of all the senses.
Circus themed activities make kids more receptive to their own needs and those of others. The carrying out of the work and the needs "on stage" ensure that everyone is accepted and that what is usually considered a defect becomes a quality. A boy with some weight problem that in common situations everyone can laugh at becomes fundamental for being the porteur of a pyramid, just as a more thin and fragile one becomes indispensable to play the role of agile of the human pyramid. Everyone in the circus is equally important, accepted and respected; in this environment there is no room for phenomena based on difference such as for example bullying.
GROWTH
THAT STARTS FROM ERROR
The project aims to stimulate the children's reactivity, the ability to live and interpret different roles, their creativity in the conception of the comic number, from the first moments in which the basic techniques are learned.
The planning of the show foresees the presence of the operators as directors and assistants for the choreographic aspect, while the creative and realization effort must be made by the children themselves, a path that allows them to take full awareness and mastery of their character both during the phases of the preparation process and in the final product: the show.
Applying the circus arts requires discipline and continuous concentration. By learning circus techniques you train attention and at the same time you learn to relax in moments of stress. Discipline and concentration facilitate the learning of contents and techniques that can later be applied in the show.
The circus journey requires a great sense of responsibility, discipline, concentration and attention towards oneself, towards the companions and towards the tools that are used. For this reason the teachers indicate, from the beginning of the course, some precious and simple rules of behavior, which the students seem to accept willingly and which allow the project to unfold over time with awareness.
During the workshops, acting elements are also included which are useful for developing the imagination, such as mime and improvisation techniques.
The aim is to bring out and amplify the creative and growth possibilities of children.
The goal is to promote a progressive mental openness that leads adolescents to abandon the modality refusal of the new and of the change to the point of achieving a good ability to socialize with each other and with adults.
COMMUNICATION
CREATIVITY'
The first requirement to be able to fulfill oneself in life is to learn to feel good both in company and alone. Only when you are comfortable alone can you learn to be free.
The circus arts allow you to acquire the ability to feel good both alone and in a group.
Training in juggling and balancing requires attention and solitude. A good circus performer must aim to be an independent person. The teacher will be able to pass a technique, but it will only be in total autonomy that the child will learn and make it his own.
In this process, understanding and the ability to accept one's limits and make them "comical" or at least ironize about them becomes important, thus leading to a new awareness of oneself based on one's own acceptance and that of others. For example, if a human pyramid (acrobatics) works, it is because everyone has their role and respects it to obtain a result that involves everyone. The juggling techniques involve the use of basic cognitive functions for psychic organization, for mental health and for a satisfactory interaction with the environment and people, without however creating in the boy a performance anxiety that would be counterproductive.