Women & Non-Binary Acro Festival 2023

WNB Acro Fest 

 

When:  2pm Friday 19th to 5pm Sunday 21st May 2023

Where: Leeds Centre for Aerial Arts, Unit 5, Cardigan Trading Estate, Lennox Road, Kirkstall, LS4 2BL

Costs:  

A weekend to celebrate the experiences, skills and abilities of women and non-binary people.  A weekend to empower women and non-binary voices and to explore the group dynamics of gender in amateur circus and acrobatics. 

Things to look forward to: –

  • being in a supportive woman and non-binary space;
  • training in a testosterone low/free zone;
  • surprise guest teachers to be announced; and
  • a lunge maybe two will be set up for the whole weekend.

We will have guest teachers from across the UK our workshop offerings include: –

  • aerial hoops doubles
  • Icarian / pops
  • duo contortion
  • sports acro
  • trio tricks
  • strength and mobility for acro
  • dance acro solo
  • hand-to-hand variations
  • washing machines and sequences
  • gymnastic entries and exits
  • one-arm handstands 

To register please use this link 

For booking please use this link 

For information on our Facebook Event use this link 

International Acrobatics Convention 2010

Acro: What the…..!!!!

After attending and teaching at the 3rd International Acrobatics Convention in France, I was left aghast at the shear level, skill and expertise of both the teachers and participants who attended. It was a fabulous opportunity to learn from the amazing and abundantly experienced teachers, not only running the workshops but participating at the Convention also. I was left often shell shocked by the potential of what human bodies can do with focus, direction and lots and lots of training. It just makes me realise how much of a journey I have ahead of me on my acrobatic path. Needless to say the pictures supporting the blog are here to inspire rather than to shock.

Yeay to more Acro!!!

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A little taster as to what can be possible with alot of training

International Acrobatics Convention

Posted 13th August 2010

What: Workshop – International Acrobatics Convention Bordeaux France
When: From Saturday 14th – Monday 24th August 2010
Where: http://www.lecampingdulac.com/

Jaqui Wan & Jesse Saunders will be resident AcroYoga & Yoga teachers thorough out this gathering International exchange and free training, as well as workshops with international artists, mostly on partner-acrobatics, but also on other circus disciplines.

More information: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=50226161427

The meeting will take place in St. Eulalie en Born du Lac, app. 70km south west of Bordeaux. The site of the convention is located directly next to a big campsite, itself situated less than 100m from the large “Etang de Biscarrosse” lake and otherwise very isolated. There is a sandy beach at the lake, where it is possible to play volleyball. Acrobatic can be easily practiced in the water, as the banks are very shallow.

Campsite: http://www.lecampingdulac.com/

For the festival: http://www.iac-2010.eu/

Juggling Adventures

Happy New Year!

Last year, Tobias Frank and I co instructed acroyoga at Buddhafield. This was only the first of our collaborations and over the festive period Tobias and I joined forces again at the annual Jugglers Festival in Regensburg, Germany. This intimate event is held ever year between Christmas Day and New Year.  Over the years, I’ve become more and more entranced with acrobatics and circus skills, and I knew sooner or later I would come head to head with the challenge of juggling. So in some ways you can say this was my juggling judgment day, but what better environment than being surrounded by juggling experts and aficionados to provide inspiration, passion and experience to set my butter fingers to task. The Festival was located at ‘Utopia’; it was to be our place of work, rest and play for the whole duration. Not only was it a privilege to learn under the guidance of masters, but to watch close up such talent at work was a joy. One of the virtuosos at work was Manne Hanke who’s ability is nothing less than art and had me dumbfounded. Watch him in action hereand for more go to his YouTube channel.

My attempt at juggling was pitiful and bordered on the comical.  After epic fail after epic fail, my sanity and credibility was rescued by a poorly disguised desperate play of showmanship in the form of handstands – executed only to remind my  all too frail ego that I can do something of worth. It was good to leave with the aide memoir that practice, practice and practice make perfect. What a great end to 2009 and start to 2010.

Mainly Cloudy

This year I had the opportunity to offer Acroyoga at Buddhafield. This established cultural festival is organised by the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order and takes it roots from the Mahayana tradition.  Held in July, this 5 day event is celebrated  in the beautiful coppice woodland of  the Somerset countryside.

I also had the privilege of a teaching partner, Tobias Frank – a wonderful Acroyoga teacher from Cologne; we were both full of anticipation and apprehension for what the Festival had in store: poised to enjoy, to learn and to meet. So with the spirit of adventure, a bell tent, some handstand blocks and chalk at the ready we made our way.

After a long drive to the West country we arrived but by the looks of it, grey clouds had followed us all the way from London.  Unfortunately I prepared for every possibility, except that of rain in Devon in July. And as it turned out not passing rain clouds, but constant rain. Embrace it, we did. Me, booted with wellies and Tobia with flip flops, we commandeered some wheel barrows and trundled our effects through the mud tracks of the undulating hills and erected the tent under the grey canopy of the steadfast Nimbostratus. With such wet conditions, the on site sauna became an even more grateful and fond delight. As the days went on, the rain persevered and my poor tentmanship cracked under duress. Folly number 1: forgetting to tuck the edges under the ground sheet. Result: wet bedding! Folly number 2: not maintaining the integrity of  the guy ropes. Result: No tent top! The hardship and realities of camping were sent to test us, but it did  not dampen our spirit – everyday we had the chance to share the blessings of Acroyoga to a warm, playful and receptive community; an honour which I would gladly volunteer again and again and again.

By Jaqui Wan