National Centre for Circus Arts

Surely CS is the daddy of circus training in the UK?
I was fortunate enough to elbow (you literally have to fight) my way onto the 12 week beginners aerial course in early 2012 and thus began my love affair with aerial arts.
The set-​up is tremendous, a huge warehouse with half a dozen training rooms and two four story halls full to the brim with circus equipment. It’s open to novices and professionals alike. All of the teachers are ex or current performers and they obviously know their stuff as they even offer a degree in circus skills!
The actual classes are an hour and a half and gave me a great overview of the different specialisms within aerial arts. I had three four week rotations of ropes, static trapeze and flying trapeze. Each group has a maximum of 8 people (if I remember correctly), which can feel a bit cramped at times, especially on the flying trapeze where you tend to spend more of the lesson queueing, rather than swinging. I found that towards the end of the 12 weeks a few people dropped out, so there was more opportunity to get hands on. This also works against you in that if you miss a class then then you cant swap for another — which is fair enough on a set course of classes.
Also when booking a course with CS, you get an additional conditioning class of your choice once a week. This can range from dynamic stretching, handstands, aerial conditioning etc. All great workouts and more often than not you’ll be taking a class with actual circus performers which is fantastic to watch, if not a little deflating for your own (lack of) skills.
My reason for knocking off a star? Popularity. It took me half a year to get a space at CS and then after completing my course I hoped to continue onto the second level. But again despite having ‘priority access’ when enrolment opened it was impossible to get a place and I was told I’d have to wait yet another term to even attempt to apply again. This is doubly annoying as your classes build up your strength, muscles and even the skin on your palms adapts, so when waiting four months all your previous hard work, bruises and palm callouses have basically gone to waste — TMI?!

Really unhappy with circus space. Turned up today with a group of nine people.
Kept waiting 30 minutes. Instructor didn’t turn up as they had forgot to book the class!!! As a result the class was cancelled.
Had travelled quite a way and our day has been ruined. No refund as of yet, have not yet been contacted by circus space. Will update this review when contacted. VERY VERY UNHAPPY!
This has ruined our day, beware — especially if you are like me and traveling a long way to get here.

Me and the girlfriend went to Da Spago at the weekend.
It was a great afternoon’s entertainment.
You have 4 different skills to master.
The trapeze, juggling, acrobatics and tight wire walking.
The trapeze was my favourite.
You are 5 meters in the air and you swing to your hearts content.
Any one can go, as long as you don’t have any injuries you will get the most out of it.
£50 for 3 hours of entertainment.
It’s different, it’s fun and is a great alternative weekends activity

I spent a day at a Circus Space workshop. It was a birthday present. Had a great time. The staff are very friendly and professional. The workshop included juggling, diabolo, trapeze, acrobatics, tight-​wire walking and stilts. My favourite was the trapeze and I was rubbish at juggling!
It was a great opportunity to learn new skills and have fun.
The whole day workshop includes lunch. They also do half day workshops, youth programmes and circus degrees — so there is something for everyone!

Definitely a great find. Unfortunately, I can only go there when I’m in town on business trips, and most activities are not single class ones, so I’m limited to the ones that are like juggling and conditioning. Both are fabulous and I do get to watch all the activities I can’t sign up for.

So few people know about The Circus Space, and fewer realise that this is a place that everyone can get involved in. It is a beautiful setting — a huge old power station quietly nestled in a cobbled street near Hoxton Square. There is something lovely about walking into a place that trains circus performers who take their acts all over the world.
However came up with the concept of opening its doors to the general public was a genius. There are a myriad of courses on offer. I came to buy a voucher for a day’s introduction for myself and a friend. The day will consist of acrobatics, juggling, static trapeze, flying trapeze — plus lots more exciting things. I will get to tell people that I am running away to join the circus!
There are also courses for children as well. When I popped in the building the other day the room was closed off for a corporate team building day. What a good idea! I can’t wait to go and fly through the air; I know that I will be in good hands.

Who knew that you could get a degree in Circus Acts. Yes, I’m very serious. I think we’ve got Cirque de Soliel to blame for this one.
All jokes aside though, this school is one of the best in the country if you fancy yourself as a lion tamer or bearded lady. You can actually get a feel for it by doing do a one day started course juggling, tight-​wire walking, acrobatics and the flying trapeze and longer 7 week courses that remain under £100. I’ve only had a walk round here on the tip of a friend but it seemed like a great way to spend your Saturday as long as you’re not afraid of heights!

Siany has many rules of life These include wearing face paint and fancy dress where possible, dancing whenever I can and drinking champagne at any opportunity. Also included is: Never turn down an invitation to the circus.
Because how can the circus be bad? really? Not nasty circus with animal meanness, but fun circus with acrobats and juggling! Yay!
I came here for the end of year graduate show and I was blown away. I liked the notion that someone could get a degree in juggling, but it’s so much more than that. The guys who perform in these shows are as strong as any athletes I know. It’s amazing that they can use this strength the throw themselves in the air and do crazy stuff. They’re brilliant.
Whatever you see here you’ll be amazed. I think i paid about a fiver for a ticket, but they’re not easy to come by as the theatre is quite small. If you do get the chance to go, then do. You can also do a circus skills course here if you like. We found out about it when I bought my best friend a clowning skills day training course. Yes, this is the same best friend we took face painting at the zoo on her birthday. No we are not crazy.
Go. Go and be clowns. Go be acrobats! Jugglers! Anything you like! Come out smiling.