Nat'l Circus School Seeks Young People in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa

The National Circus School embarks on a pre-selection tour of some 20 cities, a cross-Canada quest for talented young people between the ages of 9 and 17. There will be stops in close to 20 cities from October 28 to November 12, 2011. The tour heads to both Toronto and Hamilton on October 30, and Ottawa November 3.

During the tour the School's teaching staff will hold workshops, with exercises designed to assess the aspiring circus artists' calibre and potential to integrate into the School's programs. In particular, they will be tested for spatial orientation, coordination, flexibility, strength, stage presence (acting ability), movement and musicality (dance).

In addition to this opportunity to be evaluated by circus arts professionals, young aspirants will attend a briefing on the School's training programs and learn more about the career of a circus performer.

This pre-selection tour also makes the entrance procedures more accessible to all young Canadians who wish to follow their dream of being a circus artist. To participate in the pre-selection, applicants must select the city closest to their home town and register at nationalcircusschool.ca.

The tour takes place from October 28 to November 12. The other stops are Halifax, Moncton, Saguenay, Québec City, Disraeli, Trois-Rivières, Magog, Rouyn-Noranda, Gatineau, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria and Montreal.

This is a great opportunity for young people to have their potential evaluated and to meet the School's teachers, while also learning more about the programs and the life of a circus artist!
This pre-selection tour is in addition to the School's principal screening, the official Entrance Examination, to be held in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal in February 2012.

For 30 years, Canada's National Circus School has prepared circus artists for their professional careers. It has played a crucial role in the development of circus arts in Canada and around the world. Having trained nearly 400 circus artists, among which many have garnered distinctions at prestigious world festivals, the institution has become a world reference in its sector. A leader of the circus renaissance in Canada and North America, the Montreal based school has also contributed to the emergence of several prominent circus companies such as Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Eloize and The 7 Fingers.

Canadian Companies

Cirque Éloize
o Co-founded by graduates Jeannot Painchaud (1990) and Daniel Cyr (1990)
o Three shows touring in the United-States, in Europe, in Central America etc.
o 15 graduates on stage in Rain, Nebbia and iD
o iD, the latest creation directed by Jeannot Painchaud, was presented last summer as part of an international festival, Montréal Complètement Cirque, with five recent graduates performing.

Cirque du Soleil
o 25 graduates in 12 different shows
o Touring Japan, Russia, United States, Europe . . .
o Recent graduates Rosalie Ducharme and Louis-David Simoneau (2009) were part of the cast of Cirque du Soleil's latest Chapiteau creation, TOTEM, directed by Robert Lepage. Their duo trapeze act met with great success.

The 7 Fingers
o Five of the seven founding members are School graduates
o Tree shows on tour in the United States and in Europe and a new creation will feature recent graduate in 2012

o A score of graduates appearing in 3 shows
o The company's latest show, PSY, has 9 recent graduates in the cast. It was directed by Shana Carroll, who also trained at the School.
Cavalia
o Since its inception, Cavalia has hired several graduates as performers and called upon two graduates as artistic consultants.

International Companies
o Our graduates work in companies throughout Europe, with recurring appearances with the Monti, Starlight, and Plume circuses, and for numerous cabarets in Germany.
o L'Atelier du peintre, the latest Cirque Plume show, starred four graduates.
o Un loup pour l'homme and Cirque Trotola, two companies out of France, were founded by School graduates.

Festivals and Special Events
o The School regularly participates in festivals such as Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris, Wuuqai in China, Auch and Cherbourg in France, and most recently was invited to participate in the second edition of Festival Polo Circo in Buenos Aires. Its students and graduates have also won numerous prizes and competitions over the past two decades.
o A score of the School's students performed in front of millions of television viewers during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games opening ceremonies.
NATIONAL CIRCUS SCHOOL FAST FACTS

o The National Circus School of Montreal was founded in 1981. Since its inception, the School has trained most of Canada's circus performers. Graduates are now working around the world in Canada, the U.S.A., Europe, and Australia.

o Demand is high; more than 95% of students find jobs.

o The School's teaching and artistic staff includes more than 50 instructors, teachers and artistic consultants.

o The School has 150 students, 105 of whom attend full-time.

o In the fall of 2003 the School moved to an entirely new 7,200 square metre building especially designed to provide state-of-the art professional training in the circus arts. With new facilities catering to all disciplines while promoting safety, the School provides a unique learning environment.

o The School is now in a veritable "City" for the circus arts. This Cité des arts du cirque - 'Tohu' - encompasses the Cirque du Soleil international headquarters, the National Circus School, a public space, and a performance hall designed to showcase the circus arts.

o Summer Camp - Initiation to Professional Training. A one or two-week intensive summer camp that allows young people ages 9 to 12 and 13 to 17 to experience professional training in circus arts.

o The National Circus School offers a complete range of professional training in circus arts, from preparatory to High School and Circus Studies (DES) to college-level (DEC) programs. Also offered are two college diploma programs (AEC) for circus arts teachers.
o Complete dormitory services for high school students from across the country are available. Comprising 23 housing units attached to the main building, the student residences mean the School can provide complete, practical and secure housing services 7 days a week.

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