We're all drawn to aerialists with a distinctive and bold movement style; they make for compelling and honest performers. This quality often feels like an innate or mysterious part of being a good artist but with a little exploration we can all lean into our unique style. When we understand our own artistic language, we can use it to drive our creative and technical choices.

This workshop begins with a theory component, followed by a divergent improvisation based aerial section and then a convergent stage where we create a short piece that highlights our own taste and movement style.

Prerequisites- students should be confident with plenty of vocab on their aerial apparatus of choice but there are no specific physical requirements outside of this.

Materials- please bring note taking materials and a water bottle, please dress appropriately for aerial work. If you have your own apparatus please bring it.

BIO:
Jaine Mieka is a contemporary circus with a rich artistic portfolio, touring both Aotearoa and internationally. Jaine specializes in dynamic aerial silks, straps, and hula hoop and has enjoyed the opportunity to apply her skills to a diverse range of projects, developments, and shows with subject matter ranging from speed sewing to sci-fi. In her creative work she leans towards the obscure and as a technical aerialist and acrobat, she enjoys leveraging the inherent movement quality of each discipline to strive towards the telling of stories and creation of compelling work.

Jaine is a passionate circus educator, having designed curriculum and resources for safe and inclusive circus pedagogy. She loves working with students of all levels to facilitate creativity, community, and a space for people to build a positive relationship with their bodies. Additionally, she coaches at a high technical level in her specialty disciplines, contributing to multiple studios in her home city of Tāmaki Makaurau.

Jaine Mieka | Demo | 2022 on Vimeo