ALL the way from Cape Town, the Action Arte Foundation is performing in East London at Tea in the Trees this weekend.
Established three years ago in Hanover Park on the Cape Flats, Action Arte is a non-profit organisation that was founded in an effort to explore circus acts as a vehicle for physical and playful activities for kids to express themselves and build social relations.
Action Arte is, however, also a facilitator programme, aimed at creating skilful circus instructors and professional performers. The Core Group of the Action Arte Foundation, established by Hanne la Cour, Marlin Ross and six other performers from Cape Town, meets every day to train and develop new ideas.
The core group hosts workshops for youngsters in Hanover Park twice a week. These workshops are the basis on which the core group then creates two free performances for the community every year.
“Through our workshops and performances, our particular focus is on how circus arts and creations can represent and present stories within and across different social backgrounds,” founder and performer, Hanna la Cour said.
Despite being a fairly young organisation, Action Arte has already performed in various countries. In 2015, Action Arte spent a month touring Europe exchanging circus methods, workshops and performing across the continent. In 2015 Action Arte also visited Ethiopia, where they represented South Africa at the first African Circus Festival.
“We have performed at Valladolid International Festival of street theatre and at the Circus School of Carampa in Spain as well as at AFUK, the Danish Circus School in Denmark,” La Cour said.
Starting off with a workshop and performance at Tea in The Trees, Action Arte will be touring the Eastern Cape for the next few weeks, offering high schools the opportunity to experience one hour productions and workshops.
“Our aim is to be recognised by educational, arts and culture and social development bodies as an inspiration to students and to teachers. We want to show how circus performances can be used to tell stories that are tools for social change,” La Cour said
“Through our art form, we want to inspire the youth to be strong, positive, self thinking and creative future leaders of our country,” she said.
Action Arte will be at Tea in the Trees on Sunday. All ages are welcome and can enjoy workshops from 10am, followed by a performance in the Forest Theatre at 12pm for only R10 per person.
