District Information
Glen-Worden students this week experienced the joys of the circus firsthand - through a week-long residency at the school with a bona fide circus coach from Circus Smirkus, the youth circus from Vermont.
Rick Davis, a veteran of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, conducted the classes.
“The residency is designed to give students the learning tools they need to reach their goals,” says Davis. Circus arts bring other benefits. “Through learning circus arts, students develop their powers of concentration, focus and persistence, and gain confidence and strength for dealing with challenges,” he says.
In addition to teaching circus tricks such as spinning plates and juggling, “Mr. Rick” teaches eight “Circus Secrets” that help students reach goals: Try, Try Again, Try a New Way, Watch, Step-By-Step, Go Slow, and Read. “These are the tools that students can use, not only to learn circus arts, but to achieve any goal they set,” says Davis.
Throughout the week, students alternated through the gym in 40-minute intervals to learn from "Mr. Rick" and get a flavor for the skills brought by Circus Smirkus. There will be a school-wide performace Friday afternoon, May 27.
In addition to Ringling Brothers, Davis has also performed at EPCOT Center, at the White House, on Broadway, on television, in film, and in 15 countries through the Peace Corps.
Check out some pictures below from this week's residency, which was sponsored by the PTA:
