Prepare to be WOWed by this Fairy Meadow circus performance in October

If you’ve ever tried to learn a new skill as an adult – especially something physical – you’ll know it’s no easy feat.

At Circus WOW, women aged from 18 to their 60s haven’t let that challenge be a barrier.

From tumbling to juggling, and acrobatics to silks, performers have pushed past the fear factor and honed their skills.

Now they’re going to showcase them on stage.

Circus Women of Wollongong will perform ‘Shift Happens: Stories of Movement and Change’ at Circus Monoxide in October, thanks to a grant from Wollongong City Council.

Vice chair Laura Hammersley said the funds couldn’t have come at a better time.

“Over the past 18 months we have faced quite a few challenging circumstances,” she said.

“We’ve had to relocate twice and find a new home, and that’s come with difficult financial circumstances, especially as an organisation that wants to be sustainable.

“In our everyday lives we all engage with change, disruption and transformation. We talk about it, reflect on it, and it made sense to go through the process of how to embody that creatively.”

As well as covering the cost of venue hire, the Wollongong City Council grant meant the circus could hire artistic director Jane Davis.

In addition to bringing a variety of acts together to make a unified show, Jane was key to helping new performers figure out their act.

“Jane was great at navigating the women through thinking about the motifs, message, style and tone of their performance, as well as practical aspects like music and costume,” Laura said.

“A lot of new performers want to challenge themselves and showcase their skills, training and hard work to their friends and family.

“It’s also about sharing the spirit of the circus. Our motto is ‘Ordinary women doing the extraordinary’ and anything goes as long as it’s creative and done in the spirit of building on your strengths, community and connection.

“To have Jane guide new performers through that process is fantastic.”

The circus was established more than 20 years ago and is dedicated to creating an environment where women of all ages, abilities, shapes, sizes and backgrounds can come together non-competitively to learn new skills, build self-esteem and explore their potential.

‘Shift Happens’ is an opportunity to take those skills and put them centre stage.

More than 20 performers aged from 20-60, from first-timers to seasoned semi-professionals will perform acrobatics, aerials, juggling and clowning.

The show blends circus arts with storytelling to explore the sometimes comical, always stressful, and inevitably emotional nature of bidding farewell to the familiar and embracing the unknown.

“When shift happens, it’s not just about the challenges we face, but how we rise to meet them,” Laura said.

“It’s going to be delightful – I can’t wait to show the community what our girls have got.”

‘Shift Happens: Stories of Movement and Change’ will run on Saturday, 12 October from 7 pm (doors open 6:45 pm) and Sunday 13 October from 1 pm (doors open 12:45 pm) at Circus Monoxide, 3/3 Princes Highway, Fairy Meadow.

Tickets can be purchased at Humanitix.