Classes and Workshops

 

Community Circus Classes

for Adults and Children

Sweet Circus is a non-profit community circus based in Eastbourne.  We believe passionately in the ability of circus to improve physical, mental and social health, and that circus is for every body!  We run a range of weekly classes in and around Eastbourne which are friendly, welcoming and full of fun. 

Classes can be booked via our booking site: GymCatch 

Most of our classes are open to all on a sliding scale payment system so you can choose how much to pay!

CLASSES FOR ADULTS

(Scroll down for children and youth)

Sweet Circus are experts in providing welcoming friendly classes that will build your confidence alongside your strength and fitness.  Our primary aim is that you feel safe, included and have a great time.  While it is nice to bring a friend, this is entirely unnecessary, just come along and you'll make new training buddies.  We all just relish in celebrating your effort and sharing your enjoyment!
Aerial Hoop:
Aerial Hoop is the most popular form of aerial fitness and even those who move on to other disciplines tend to start here.  We offer a Beginners class for those who are just staring their aerial journey and an Improvers class which is suitable for those who have got the fundamentals down.  The aim is to build your confidence and strength working on mounts, moves and poses building a whole vocabulary of aerial movement.  There is also Intermediate Hoop Flow for those who have been doing Hoop for a while and need an additional level of challenge. 

*** Coming Soon***
Aerial Sling:
Aerial Sling is in many ways a kinder piece of equipment, it is soft and supportive compared to other aerial disciplines and can be graceful and flowy. It is great for building core strength and aerial confidence. This beginner class will be suitable for those who have never done any aerial and those with experience on other apparatus. 

Mixed Aerial:
In this class we will rotate around a variety of equipment, including hoop, silks, trapeze and more.  Suitable for complete beginners as well as those with experience on one or more apparatus.

Improvers Silks:
This fantastic class is for those who can already get off the ground and are looking to increase their silks vocabulary , strength and fitness.  New to silks? Try Beginners sling or our youth and adult silks class first!

Aerial Pilates:
It's Pilates, but in the air, wrapped in your own supporting hammock - suitable for all levels!

Youth (12+) & Adult Classes:
We know that Aerial Classes are for some the small slice of me time in the week, but we also know that for some of us would like to train with our children.  So we offer Youth and Adult classes.  You do not have to attend with your child, the class is just open to anyone age 12 or over!
Silks: Whether you're starting silks, or looking to finesse your fabric movements, this is the class for you! This will be a skill and technique based class, looking to teach you all the foundational skills for fabrics, for both the brand new beginner and for those looking to work out a new way to wrap, a different way to roll, or yet another way to climb the curtains! Led by our body geek and technique guru, Sophie, come along and get strong on the vertical!

Trapeze: Static Trapeze is a great piece of aerial equipment combining a hard bar, like hoop, and movable ropes more similar to silks. You will gain great core strength learning to creatively manoeuvre yourself around the trapeze with our friendly team. Taught by Miz the Trapeze Clown (and sometimes Lollipop Laura) giggles are guaranteed. Suitable for beginner plus to intermediate.

50+ Social Circus:
Circus is proven to promote and maintain brain health and can guard against brain function deterioration or diseases as we age.  You can expect to feel a little confused or disco-ordinated at times, and that’s when we all have a giggle and encourage each other to try again.
We’ll be using juggling, hula hoop, diabolo, feather balancing and all sorts of circus inspired activities to keep you moving, improving your agility, balance and coordination and ensuring you stay socially active also.  All activities are provided with levels and you will work at your own pace, we will adapt activities for those who need to sit, or indeed are super fit and strong.
The best bit is – you will learn a party trick or two to impress even the grandchildren 😊

This class is run on a donation only basis!

Aerial Sound Bath: In collaboration with the Yoga Life Studio Sweet Circus offer you the ultimate in zen, our aerial sound bath a blissful soundbath suspended in your own aerial hammock .... Ahhhh!  Get in touch or check Gymcatch for dates.

Strings & Balls:
This is an open practice session  Running in the winter months.  (Rehearsal space is available at other times of the year - get in touch to find out more!)  If you have some circus skills and need space to practise through the darker months this is for you.  Equally if you are new to circus and want more instruction there is a short optional taught section in the middle of the session.  Strings and balls is a great place to meet up with other circussy people and generally hang out!
This is designed for adults although 16+ are allowed to attend with parental permission.  You are permitted to bring younger children with you but they are your responsibility throughout.  No need to book in advance, £3 minimum recommended donation on entry.  To join the Strings and Balls community like the dedicated facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/StringsAndBallsEbo


Prices:
Most classes are offered on a sliding scale payment scheme - you choose how much to pay:
Minimum payment = £12 Recommended payment £15
Or buy a 6 class bundle £60
Supported 6 class bundle £48 (For people living in low income households) Unless specified adult classes are from age 16 upwards and can be booked via Gymcatch.  For help booking see our guide here.
Currently our Monday sessions are supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, reducing the minimum payment to £8, there is also a 4 class bundle, just for lottery subsidies classes at £25.
Online booking is available via Gymcatch - https://gymcatch.com/app/provider/4095/events

If you have any questions at all feel free to drop us a line: info@sweetcircus.net
If you don't see what your looking for here, get in touch and tell us about it, we're always keen to hear new ideas!

CLASSES FOR KIDS & YOUTH

Our expert team of instructors will use circus to develop an interest and enjoyment in physical activity.  Focused on physical and emotional literacy we will encourage the development of agility, balance, coordination, confidence , resilience and social skills.
Our specialist team of instructors are certified and experienced in working with children of all ages including those with SEND and neurological, learning or physical differences.





 Some of our sessions are funded others are subject to our standard sliding scale fees:

Individual / Trial Session

Minimum payment = £9.50 Recommended payment = £12 

Term Booking (6 weeks)

Minimum payment = £50 Recommended payment = £60

Supported 6 class bundle= £48 (for people in a low income household)

*** Our Youth Circus & Support is supported by Youth UK & the Pears Foundation which subsidise the fees.  Minis & Juniors Circus and SEND & Friends Circus are provided by East Sussex County Council Family Hubs and operate on a voluntary contribution basis.  ***

Home Ed Circus:
All the fun of the Circus for the home ed community. This session includes a different ground skill each week such as juggling, hula hoop, spinning plates, diablo or poi as well as time spent in the air on the aerial hoop, sling, silks or trapeze. The focus is on enjoyment, agility, balance and coordination along with developing confidence and resilience.  Age 6+

Circus Kids (an SEND friendly class)
A little bit of juggling and spinning plates but mostly the ever popular aerial hoop, trapeze or fabric.  This after school session is suitable for children aged 5 - 10 and will be held in our pop up studio in the KiddiCity café. Age 4+  This class is currently subsidised by East Sussex County Councils Family Hub opperating on a voluntary contribution basis (£6.50 / £35) until February2025. 

Please note Role Play Village is NOT available during this class

Minis and Juniors Circus (age 4 - 11):

This class is very much focused on fun, confidence and emotion regulation.  So whether your little one has no sense of danger or is just too shy to come out of their shell this is the perfect experience for them.  A different ground skill each week followed by time up in the air :)   This class is currently subsidised by East Sussex County Councils Family Hub opperating on a voluntary contribution basis (£6.50 / £35) until February2025. 

Youth Group Classes (from Age 10.5)

We have a strong and supportive youth group for whom circus is as much about friendship and socialising as it is about being active.  These fitness, strength and skills based sessions are focussed on self esteem, confidence, resilience, peer support, positive self-image, and making healthy choices. 
There is a deliberate overlap of ages from kids to youth and youth to adult to aid transition and meet children and young people according to their stage rather than age. 

Youth Aerial:
Aerial sessions are all about getting off the ground in an aerial hoop, trapeze or silks, while circus sessions include all this plus ground skills such as juggling, diabolo and plate spinning. 

Youth Circus & Support:
This is an extended session which includes social time, ground skills such as juggling and plate spinning and all the Aerial fun. A youth councillor is part of the delivery team offering 10 minute check ins through out the session providing guidance, signposting and counselling  within the class.  This session is supported by UK Youth and the Pears Foundation and termly bookings are available at a discounted rate of £38 for a 6 week term.


Youth (12+) & Adult Classes:

Youth & Adult classes are a great way to slowly work towards entering the adult world and get more upside down time.  You can attend with your parent or without, these classes are for anyone aged 12+.
Silks: Whether you're starting silks, or looking to finesse your fabric movements, this is the class for you! This will be a skill and technique based class, looking to teach you all the foundational skills for fabrics, for both the brand new beginner and for those looking to work out a new way to wrap, a different way to roll, or yet another way to climb the curtains! Led by our body geek and technique guru, Sophie, come along and get strong on the vertical!
Trapeze: Static Trapeze is a great piece of aerial equipment combining a hard bar, like hoop, and movable ropes more similar to silks. You will gain great core strength learning to creatively manoeuvre yourself around the trapeze with our friendly team. Taught by Miz the Trapeze Clown (and sometimes Lollipop Laura) giggles are guaranteed. Suitable for beginner plus to intermediate.


CIRCUS FUTURES:
This is an invitation only session for our children and young people who have the potential to perform or compete in the future or go on to pursue a career related to circus. Not everyone wants to develop their skills in this way so this  course is some time set aside for those who are willing to commit to working hard, looking after themselves both in and outside of the session, and bring the right 'can do' attitude to class.

Students need to be attending other regular training with us such as another class, regular private lessons or work experience. If you have not yet been invited yet, but feel like this is for you, please do have a chat with us and we can guide you as to what you need to do in order to attend this class. In the future we aim to attract funding to this project as well as open it out to adult students.

We ask for a minimum £20 per term contribution to hall hire. If however this disadvantages you, please talk to us and we will accommodate you if we can. Obviously, if you are fortunate enough to be able to afford more, please do donate to provide spaces for other students.

OUR VENUES:
St. Elisabeth's Church, Victoria Drive, Eastbourne, BN20 8QX
KiddiCity Cafe, Langney Shopping Centre, Kingfisher Drive, BN23 7RT
The Yoga Life Studio, South Street Eastbourne, BN21 4UP

Many of our classes are over subscribed, you can join the wating list via Gymcatch.  Where there is demand we will endeavour to open more classes.

If you would like to give Sweet Circus a try  book a class - we can pretty much guarantee you will have a good time :)

For further information on how to book click here:  Quick guide for the tech nervous!

Can't see what you're looking for?  Have a question? Would like to discuss your childs needs? Please do get in touch: info@sweetcircus.net / 07718 996853


Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates and subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more circus at home fun: 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCumXttGUw5-klHslB4gayVQ





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