sgusers4的部落格

Source: Portland Press Herald, MaineAug.存倉 15--PORTLAND -- A group looking to open a college-level circus school on Thompson's Point is hoping to begin offering preparatory classes in 2014, according to a website launched Thursday morning.The circus school, which will train performers akin to those associated with Cirque Du Soleil, hopes to welcome its first full-time class in September 2015, according to CircusConservatory.org.The newly formed Circus Conservatory of America is expected to announce plans today to convert an existing 33,000-square-foot brick building into a performing arts school, where students will be able to earn a bachelor's of fine arts in contemporary circus performance.The school's founding officers and the developer behind an ambitious $100 million mixed-used development on the 28-acre former industrial site say the school will be the first of its kind in the United States. Similar schools exist in Canada.The Forefront at Thompson's Point is expected to include an event center where the Maine Red Claws have said they will play their home games. Other elements of the project are expected to include a hotel, sports medicine lab, restaurants and office space.The proposed conservatory reflects the evolution of the circus business, which now supports youth camps and training schools around the country and the world.Over the last 25 years, contemporary circus performances have become popular in Europe, Canada and, more recently, the United States. Performances rely on theatrical, acrobatic, and artistic elements, rather than old-fashioned clown acts and making animals do tricks.Outfits such as Cirque du Soleil and Circus Smirkus have helped fuel interest in contemporary circus in the United States.Such high-flying, gravity-defying performances can be dangerous. A Cirque du Soleil performer was killed during a Las Vegas performance in July when she slipped from her harness and fell to her death during a live performance.There are many contemporary circus training programs in the United States, most of which offer weekend or week-long training sessions geared toward children.Nielsen said in an interview with the Press Herald on Wednesday that the school is currently seeking its accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The current business plan predicts full enrollment will be at 120 students.The Circus Conservatory of America's website also lists information about the school's seven founding officers:-- Peter Nielsen, a graduate of the University of Maine in Orono, will be the schools' president. He served as Vermont College of Fine Arts' executive director of institutional advancement, marketing and enrollment, where he was part of the team that successfully achieved NEASC accreditation for the first new college in Vermont in 25 years. He owns HigherMind Mediaworks, and has also produced theater, music, performance poetry, dance, and visual ar自存倉s events and festivals throughout New England for more than two decades.-- Marydale Abernathy, a business development, marketing, and IT executive with 25 years experience in building niche industries, will be the school's vice-president. She specializes in launching new brands through a variety of media platforms.-- Amity Stoddard, a Warren native and graduate of the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, will be the director of student affairs. She has worked in the traveling circus industry -- including Circus Smirkus, Big Apple Circus, and Cirque du Soleil -- for nearly ten years in a variety of roles. She is former competitive gymnast and student of Pilobolus founder Jonathan Wolken. She has a background in tumbling, dance, and partner acrobatics.-- Trace Salter will be the director of development. From 2005 to 2012, Salter managed all aspects of the presentation of the Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour in Freeport -- from securing needed funding, to designing and executing a communications plan that included educational outreach in the community. She has served as a researcher and campaigner on human rights abuse for the International Secretariat of Amnesty International in London, and a VIP Services Coordinator at Euro Disney in Paris.-- Alisan Funk will be the academic program director, whjo specializes in aereal dance and choreography. She is a graduate of Canada's National Circus School teacher training program, New England Center For Circus Arts (NECCA) teaching program, and is the senior aerial creator with the Circus Smirkus professional youth circus.-- Sellam el Ouahabi, a native of Tangier, Morocco, will be the master coach. He spent over 30 years on tour performing extensively throughout Europe, parts of Asia, and South America. In 2008, he transitioned to full-time coaching, and has worked with students at Circus Arena in Denmark, CircoMedia and Wookey Hole Circus School in the United Kingdom, and New England Center for Circus Arts in the United States. He has been Touring Coach with the Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour since 2010. His coaching expertise includes hand balance, adagio, straps, trapeze, pyramids and tumbling.-- Jesse Dryden will be the creative director. He is currently the creative director of the Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour and is a consulting director for both the National Circus School of Montreal and New England Center for Circus Arts. Dryden, who started out as a street performer, is a graduate of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College in Palmetto, Florida. He has performed with Cirque du Soleil, while also coaching at outreach circuses in Africa with Cirque du Monde. He currently tours with Cirque Mechanic's Birdhouse Factory.The group has also launched a Facebook page.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Portland Press Herald (Portland, Maine) Visit the Portland Press Herald (Portland, Maine) at .pressherald.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉新蒲崗