Our Philosophy & Mahi
Social Circus for social change.
Circability delivers classes, workshops and community events for all ages, all abilities and all cultures, using social circus as a tool for developing personal confidence, physical and emotional literacy, and wellbeing, connecting people and sharing joy.
Our vision “All ages, all abilities, all cultures - better together” guides Circability in our quest to improve lives and impact social change through social circus arts.
We develop inclusion programmes for people with disabilities, enhancing creative career employment options for all.
We have been awarded through Arts Access Aotearoa's Creative Spaces Excellence and Partnership Awards.
We emphasize the collaborative process to create safe spaces for inclusive social circus arts practice to flourish in diverse communities.
We collaborate with Toi Mātauranga Māori arts practitioners, creating culturally inclusive, tailored social circus programmes and 'Kanohi Kitea' wānanga with our partners.
We initiate community circus conventions, attracting International participation and collaboration with Cirque du Soleil and Australia’s National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA), helped to convene Aotearoa New Zealand Circus Association (ANZCA) and founded the annual national Youth Circus Festival.
We have good working relationships with major philanthropic trusts, Auckland Council, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry for Culture and Heritage, and the Ministry of Youth Development.
To facilitate best practice, we commissioned two significant circus-sector research papers, informing and guiding our strategy and direction to help develop a sustainable and robust Social Circus sector in Aotearoa.
We foster mutual relationships and form new partners to support our growth and innovative vision, building our national capacity to meet demand.
“Circus is the only thing that works for our high-needs students.” - Kaitaia College drama teacher
What is Social Circus?
In its contemporary form, "circus" has transcended being just a source of entertainment. Developing connections and skills through play, social circus arts has become a powerful tool for building confidence, improving social skills, overcoming trauma, and developing essential capacities such as resilience and responsibility. Social Circus, a form of Kinesthetic Education where learning takes place through shared physical activity, demonstrates the power of arts as a tool for human development and social change. Social circus workshops employ a wide range of circus equipment and techniques that offer appropriately designed challenges, experiences, and learnings that can be transferred to individuals' lives and circumstances.
Social Circus is accessible to everyone and empowers participants to engage, learn, play, laugh, join a group, share their skills, and work as a team, regardless of social boundaries. It fosters positive energy in their communities and provides benefits to various community groups, including those with disabilities, mental health issues, young people, and older adults.
Although several circus groups in Aotearoa offer various performance opportunities and circus skills programs, Circability is the only provider that specifically offers "social circus." In line with sector developments, events, and research, ANZCA (Aotearoa New Zealand Circus Association) was established through our Auckland Circus Convention to be a collective voice and to unite the vibrant and diverse circus communities in Aotearoa NZ. This group of experienced and knowledgeable circus professionals are the first point of contact as we expand our services to meet the growing regional and national demand for Social Circus.
Our Background
Circability creates social good through innovative social circus programs.
Since Circability was founded in 2012, we have been creating positive social change by bringing joy to young people, older adults, people with disabilities, whānau, and communities.
While many circus schools focus solely on performance, Circability is unique. We facilitate a broad social circus program that includes youth development and leadership training. Our program offers inclusive employment transition and pathways for people with disabilities and youth at risk.
Social Circus is our vehicle for inspiring and improving the well-being of all people, regardless of age, culture, or ability. Last year, over 10,874 people attended our 863 classes, workshops, and community events. This year, we have expanded our reach to less serviced and isolated communities in response to the increased demand for our social circus classes.
Our students and participants come from diverse backgrounds and may face a range of disabilities or challenges, such as Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Asperger's, mental health and anxiety, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Intellectual disability, and hearing or vision loss. We are proud to say that 50% of our work benefits people with very profound disabilities.
At Circability, we believe in the transformative power of social circus. Join us in creating a more inclusive and joyful society through our innovative programs
“Circability classes are a nice safe environment for kids to
learn new skills with emphasis on positivity”.
- Mother of disabled youth