National Training Project

Training Director, Scott Grayland & trapeze

Former Flying Fruit Fly Circus performer and premier juggler and trainer at the National Institute of Circus Arts, Earl Shatford (Pictured top left) returned to his home territory as a guest trainer for the 2011 National Training Project held in July.

Earl joined two other guest trainers, aerialist, Violet Morrison, and Mark Sands, one half of the roving performing duo, PopEyed along with Flying Fruit Fly Circus trainers Stuart Christie, Scott Grayland, Dai Shu Lin (Sunny), Per Westman, Phil Witt and Yos Worth for the intensive training project.

The project aimed to advance current skills and develop new skills in performers who have at least 12 months training and included 15 performers aged 12 to 16 years from Adelaide based cirkidz inc.

cirkidz program coordinator, Deb Dawson said the experience is invaluable for their troupe performers and being able to train in the new purpose built facility is a dream come true.

“After just half a day of training the kids showed me their new found talents learnt under the trainers who are leaders in their disciplines,” Mrs Dawson said.

About the National Training Project

The first two-week intensive for current performing arts workers and emerging industry hopefuls was held in Albury Wodonga in 1991. Since 2006 we’ve offered a national training project every two years, featuring specialist trainers with international performance and teaching experience. It’s now an annual event due to demand, with a focus on individuals with at least a basic level in their chosen areas of skill development.