NICA Launches Nationwide Search For Future Circus Stars

The National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA), Australia's premier circus arts training organisation, is on the search for our country's next circus stars with their audition roadshow travelling to Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra and their own Melbourne backyard across September and October.

As the only national arts training institute to offer a Bachelor of Circus Arts, positions at NICA are highly sought after and attract Australia's most talented, physically gifted and creative young performers. NICA graduates have joined nationally and internationally acclaimed companies including Cirque du Soleil, Dragone (China), Cavalia (Canada), NoFit State Circus (United Kingdom) alongside Australia's Circa, Circus Oz and Carnival Australia, to name a few.

Last year, NICA graduates performed across 15 countries and since the school's conception, NICA graduates have performed in all continents except Antarctica. In fact, over 18% of the world's countries have hosted a NICA performer.
2009 graduate Jess Ward, an example of NICA's star-studded graduate outcomes, says: "The course and its teachers assisted my transformation from athlete to artist, as well as giving me a solid platform to draw and build from... Since completing my course at NICA I have performed with companies such as Circa Contemporary Circus, Cirque du Soleil and Franco Dragone in world touring and resident productions across the globe." She is currently living in Dubai working with large scale circus company Franco Dragone. Before that she was touring North America with Cirque du Soleil's showTORUK.
As for the next generation of circus stars, NICA is open to talent from a variety of backgrounds.

"Naturally we are seeking emerging circus artists but our hunt is quite broad, extending to dancers, gymnasts, martial artists, fire twirlers, theatre students, trickers, parkour enthusiasts, BMX riders and anyone else with exceptional physical abilities. If you are highly focused and wish to make a career out of your skills, we invite you to say goodbye to your old life and obtain a degree in elite, contemporary circus arts training," said NICA's Head of Circus Studies James Brown,who leads the audition search.

James Brown's own artistic practice began with ballet and traversed acting, gymnastics and circus leading him to work across the globe including performing in the worldwide smash hit musical King Kong. Joining him on the search is VE (Vocational Education) Coordinator Tegan Carmichael, who has worked with Opera Circus, Freedom 2 Move and Victorian State School Spectacular.

Entry into the three-year Bachelor of Circus Arts degree is by audition, interview and successful completion of a medical assessment. Applicants must apply to audition.

The innovative curriculum includes individual and group circus acts, performance and movement skills, circus history and cultural studies, circus business and career management; anatomy, physiology, nutrition and sports psychology for circus artists and health and safety in the circus environment.

NICA also offers a foundation course, the Certificate IV in Circus Arts.

Audition Applications open 2 July and close 2 September

Applicants are required to apply via the NICA website at www.nica.com.au

State Venue Location Date VIC NICA 39-59 Green Street Prahran VIC 3181 Wednesday 25 September 2019 WA CircusWA 90 Adelaide Street Fremantle WA 6160 Tuesday 1 October 2019 QLD Flipside Circus 117 Mina Parade Alderley QLD 4051 Friday 4 October 2019 NSW Aerialize 7-9 Close St, Canterbury NSW 2193 Saturday 5 October 2019 ACT Warehouse Circus Chifley Health and Well-being Hub, 4/70 MacLaurin Cres, Chifley, ACT Tuesday 8 October 2019

$50 fee to audition. Audition times will be advised to applicants as part of the application process. More information and audition application: www.nica.com.au

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