A huge thank you to Jordan from Headbangers Circus who visited us in May to provide some disability circus training to our instructors.

We learnt about harness safety and setting up a bungee cord system to provide therapeutic bouncing and games, which can be used for those with upper body control. Jordan talked us through suitable rigging options for this system and allowed us to practice rigging and trying the bungee system ourselves. He taught us how to control the bounce for the student and introduced us to some games using the bungee harnesses.

Jordan went on to teach us about setting up support slings for those with more limited mobility and talked us through supporting individuals as they are transferred to and from wheelchairs or the floor.

We then learnt about counterweighting and how this can be used in a variety of applications. We had some fun testing the equipment and techniques and are excited to apply this concept both to disability circus and general circus.

Another aspect of the course was using the rigging to assist those recovering from strokes or with walking difficulties to get back on their feet. Using a full body vest based harness, Jordan showed us how to gently lift an individual onto their feet, taking a significant portion of their weight using the counterweight system, allowing them to move and walk more freely.

Our goal is to make ECA welcoming and accessible to all. Next step… fundraising for specialised equipment!