American Circus Educators Magazine Winter 2017 (Issue 3, Volume 11) | Page 8

SPOTLIGHT 5 reasons why: 1/ CIRCUS MAKES YOU HAPPIER. Everyone has heard about the science behind exercise and why it makes you feel happier and more positive afterwards. The key lies in endorphins. Simply speaking, endorphins are chemicals that your brain releases during exercise that directly affect your body and your perception. Endorphins block some of the receptors in your brain in a way that reduces pain and triggers positive feelings. Use this to your advantage! Feeling down from studying? Get up and do some contortion! ACE readers get 20% discount (some exclusions apply) with the code ACE2017 valid until 04/05/18 2/ CIRCUS BUILDS COMMUNITY: Okay, so circus may not technically be a team sport. But that doesn’t stop the amount of community that is created during training. There is no replacement for the amount of trust one has in their spotter, base, coach or partners. And people make life better, especially when you can laugh and play with them. Just walk around town with a few of your circus friends and you might find yourself doing handstands on a board walk or climbing a massive tree. 3/ CIRCUS IS A CREATIVE OUTLET: Everyone needs a creative outlet so they can process emotions, relationships, problems and other daily experiences. Circus allows you to create art that is both intensely physical, and full of emotion. There is more to circus than tricks, and without some sort of creative outlet it is hard to grasp emotions. So put them into your work. Create a solo because you had an argument and you need to get out of your head. Work on a hand balancing routine so that you can think through your problems. Putting real emotion into circus just makes the show better. 4/ CIRCUS HELPS BODY POSITIVITY: Many of us have issues with our bodies, but there is no reason to feel anything but love for ourselves! Maybe you don’t nail that silks drop every time, but think about the strength it took just to climb up there. Perhaps your hip lock isn’t the tightest but your hair twirls just the right way when you spin on trapeze. Circus bodies aren’t perfect but they are ALL strong and talented. Look at your progress when you think you aren’t capable of anything great. 5/ CIRCUS CAN BE INSPIRING: Maybe it comes from coaches, from friends, from a performance you watch, or a song, or a particular apparatus or trick. Sometimes you find something that gives you a flame to fan. Circus can inspire you to learn, to condition and be strong, to create an entire routine by yourself or to be the star of your own solo. It can be hard to find something that gives you inspiration; especially for kids that grapple with school, maybe a job, family and problems of their own. It is tough to be in a mindset to create, but if you can find that within circus then you should feel proud of yourself. Circus is hard, but circus is also beauty and strength and has something for everyone to find inspiration in. – ZOE, MEMBER OF AYCO'S HUP SQUAD! 8 Firetoys is a retailer and manufacturer of high quality circus equipment, with a passion for circus and aerial built into our core. We pride ourselves on our quality and reliability, and we are available whenever you need us, by email or phone. @ firetoys.com contact@firetoys.com 1-844-340-4580