Strong consent culture allows students to feel in control of their bodies and to feel safe in their training spaces. This workshop is aimed at teachers of both adult and youth circus students who wish to foster strong consent culture in their classes and studios. Through a combination of lecture and discussion, we’ll come to a more full understanding of what consent looks like in an educational setting, and explore techniques for: discussing the concept of consent with your students; incorporating consent check-ins into your coaching; and incorporating consent check-ins into student interactions like spotting and partner work – all without making it awkward!

Facilitator: Ellen Waylonis
Ellen has been teaching movement to students of all ages since 2007. She is a co-owner at Esh Circus Arts in Somerville, MA, and a co-founder of Commonwealth Circus Center in Boston, MA. Ellen is a founding member and frequent performer with the Boston Circus Guild, and has toured nationally with Cirque Productions, Nimble Arts, and her own company, Off the Ground Circus. In 2021 she received a LAB Grant from the Boston Foundation with her contemporary circus troupe, Circus 617, which she co-founded in 2020. In addition to her work as a circus performer and educator, Ellen recently began training as an Intimacy Director with IDC.

As a circus educator, Ellen is passionate about building a culture of inclusion and consent. Her teaching draws from her diverse background in weight lifting, dance, acrobatics, physical theater, and functional anatomy. She believes circus can be revolutionary, and that it is most definitely for everyone. 

ACE Discussion October - Consent in A Circus Education Context

  • October 17, 2023
  • Vitrual - Zoom