2017 AYCO Festival Workshop Leader Application

Have questions? Email amy@americanyouthcircus.org

Thank you for your interest in leading a workshop at the 2017 American Youth Circus Festival.
Important Dates:
Applications are due by March 15, 2017.
Notification Status by April 1, 2017.

Welcome to the American Youth Circus Festival - a haven for circus youth, parents, educators, and program leaders to convene and connect. The festival is truly a special environment - we hear time and time again that it is one of the most pivotal experiences in the lives of the individuals who attend. This is your chance to share your gifts with the national community, gain exposure, and influence the development of circus in the USA.

All workshops are 1.5 hours long. With 15 minutes of transition between workshops, this year we will require that participants get to the workshop area 5 minutes prior to starting so that you have the entire session to teach. All participants sign up for workshops in advance of the festival.

We are committed to creating a festival that is inclusive and meets the needs of our growing community. This year, we are focused on accepting the highest quality workshops possible, and ensuring that session descriptions are accurate so that participants have a high level of satisfaction. We suggest that you offer very specific workshop titles and subjects so that the content of your workshop is clear to participants (for instance club passing patterns for four people vs. club passing). We provide guidelines for assigning a "level" to each workshop later in the survey. This year we are open to accepting “pre-professional” level workshops that require an audition video for participation.

For the health and safety of our participants, we require a resume and 2 references from each applicant. We will also ask for confirmation about whether or not you have had a background check in the past 12 months as well as confirmation of your legal name for our routine check using the National Sex Offender Search from the U.S. Department of Justice. If accepted, we require a copy of your background check or a fee for AYCO to run one.

Before you start the application, note that you can not save the application and go back to it but you are very welcome to email us if you have additional things to add.

Please Note:
-If you are submitting multiple workshops, please use separate form for each one.
-Once selected, workshop leaders must purchase a festival pass for a fee of $125 which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, adult workshops, social events, event swag, and shows.

Notes on workshop selection:
-We require that all accepted workshops be presented at least twice to ensure access
-All aerial workshops proposed should be designed assuming 16 students total with a 4 to 1 student to apparatus ratio, and a spotter assigned to each apparatus.
-For non - aerial workshops, in the service of access, please consider proposing workshops that can safety include at least 16 people, assuming a 8 to 1 student/spotter ratio.
-by filling out this application you agree to provide a basic outline of your presentation/workshop and to collaborate with AYCO to ensure presentation standards.

Workshop Demographics
This year we are offering workshops for “Youth” (ages 7-21), “Adults” (parents, guardians, program leaders, educators), and “Everyone”(youth and adults participating together).

Workshops for Youth should be designed based around level rather than age. They may be physical skill workshops or based around discussions. Most of the event attendees will be between the ages of 10-18, however we do see a handful of younger and older participants. Work study volunteers aged 18-26 will be eligible to take both youth and adult workshops. If your workshop has a specific age requirement due to the subject at hand, please note it in the prerequisites section.

Question Title

* 1. Contact:

Please enter your contact details:

Name: *

Organization:

City/Town: *

State: *

Email Address: *

Phone Number: *

Question Title

* 2. Workshop Title:

Question Title

* 3. Physical Workshop Disciplines

The list below reflects apparatus we have access to in our space. Please check the primary discipline of your physical workshop. You may select multiple disciplines if relevant.

We may not be able to accommodate apparatus not on this list but are open to including exceptions if it is within our ability. Please note this in the "other" in the box at the end with as much detail as possible.

We have very limited capacity for multi-discipline aerial workshops.

Handstands

Tumbling

Mini Trampoline

Pyramids/Partner Acro

German Wheel/Cyr Wheel

Contortion

Juggling

Manipulation - Single or mixed discipline (diabolo, hula hoop, devil stick/flower stick, contact juggling, hats, cigar boxes, flow arts (poi, staff), etc)

Equilibristics (low wire, rolla bolla, rolling globe, stilts)

Teeterboard

Trampoline

Acting/Dance/Improvisation

Clowning/Mime

Aerial Fabric

Lyra/Hoop

Rope/Corde Lisse

Sling/Hammock

Double point static trapeze

Other Aerial or Mixed Aerial (please specify in detail below)

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 4. If you are proposing a discussion based workshop - which category does it best fit within?

Hot topics for Directors, Managers and Owners (marketing, fundraising, best practices, etc)

Hot topics for Circus Parents and Guardians

Hot topics for Circus Youth

Social/Adaptive Circus (models, research, demonstrations)

Educator/Parent Teaching and Training (spotting, research, practice, etc)

Community discussions (round tables, informal networking, etc)

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 5. Participants:
Please let us know the maximum number of participants, or if the only limitation is based on space.

Priority will be given to workshops that provide both access and safety. Please craft your lesson to include as many people as safely possible. We can provide you with spotters to aid in this.

For Aerial workshops, we suggest a capacity of 16 (assuming 4 apparatus and one spotter per apparatus)

For most other workshops, we suggest a capacity of at least 16 - assuming an 8 to 1 participant to spotter ratio.

We will not be able to accept workshops that have a capacity of less than 12 people as they tend to create scheduling challenges and limit access.

Question Title

* 6. Additional Spotters:
How many additional spotters would you like to help you with your workshop. (list a number if applicable. You may also list names of people you would like to help you, or any qualifications a spotter must have for you to feel comfortable working with them)

Question Title

* 7. Please confirm that you have read the workshop level guidelines before proceeding.
View the guidelines here.
Relevant information for workshop leaders begins on page 2.

I have read the guidelines and will submit my workshop accordingly.

Question Title

* 8. Who is this workshop for?
We are dedicated to providing the highest caliber workshops possible at the festival. In order to do so, we will be delineating which workshops are for "youth", "adults", or "everybody". You will have the opportunity to give more detail about the target population later in the survey.

Work study volunteers aged 18-26 will be eligible to take both youth and adult workshops.

My workshop is for:

Youth: Participants aged 7-21

Adults: Parents, Educators, or Circus Program Leaders

Everybody: Youth and Adults learning together

Question Title

* 9. What is the skill level of this workshop?

Open level (all levels)

Introduction (this class will be taught for those with no experience with this discipline)

This workshop has a skill level (specify on next question)

Question Title

* 10. Skill Level Description:

If you selected "this workshop has a skill level," please specify using our definitions and guidelines found at this link. Note that there are general guidelines for all disciplines and then additional details for acrobatics and aerial workshops.

New this year is the intention to provide pre-professional level workshops for high level youth who apply via video audition. If you select this level, we will contact you individually to discuss what including this might look like.

This workshop level is:

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

NEW* Pre-Professional (If you select this, we will contact you separately to discuss the possibility of auditions for acceptance into your workshop)

Question Title

* 11. Prerequisites:

Please note any specific prerequisites or special notes for students taking this class.

*Example: Must be able to pass clubs fluidly, must wear long pants, must be over the age of 13, etc.

Question Title

* 12. Description:

In 3- 5 sentences, describe your workshop for participants. It is important to us that participants have an experience accurate to the description they read when signing up. We encourage you to only submit once you have designed your proposed workshop rather than conceptualizing a topic, submitting, and planning it later.

Question Title

* 13. Lesson Plan:

Please provide us with a basic outline or lesson plan for your workshop - including any opening activities or warm ups, skills, techniques, and concepts taught. This information will not be shared - it will be used to assess if the workshop is a good fit for our program.

Question Title

* 14. References:

Provide us with a full name, email, and phone number for two references.

Reference 1 (name, email, phone)

Reference 2 (name, email, phone)

Question Title

* 15. Please email your resume to amy@americanyouthcircus.org with the subject Workshop Leader Application 2017). Check the box below to confirm you have sent the resume.

Yes! I have emailed my resume to amy@americanyouthcircus.org

Question Title

* 16. Assisting:

Are you willing to be a spotter for additional workshops? We will contact you later to discuss what disciplines you are qualified to spot.

Yes

Question Title

* 17. Equipment:

What equipment do you need for your workshop?

I will provide:

I need AYCO to provide:

Question Title

* 18. Workshop Slots:
All workshop leaders are required to present their workshop twice during the course of the festival and may be scheduled during any of the 3 slots per day between Thursday and Sunday.

Are there any days you are NOT able to teach this workshop?

I can teach any day/s!

Thursday August 17th

Friday August 18th

Saturday August 19th

Sunday August 20th (event concludes at 1pm)

Question Title

* 19. In order to follow best practices we may backround check our workshop leaders. If you have already been background checked in the past 12 months by a youth serving organization, please let us know which employer conducted it.

Question Title

* 20. Please confirm your legal name for our routine check in the National Sex Offender Search

Question Title

* 21. Anything else you'd like to share with us? Note it here.

Question Title

* 22. This workshop is being offered and sponsored by an institutional member organization rather than an individual and we would like to be designated as a "workshop sponsor".

Yes

Question Title

* 1. Contact:Please enter your contact details:

Question Title

* 2. Workshop Title:

Question Title

Question Title

* 4. If you are proposing a discussion based workshop - which category does it best fit within?

Question Title

Question Title

* 6. Additional Spotters:How many additional spotters would you like to help you with your workshop. (list a number if applicable. You may also list names of people you would like to help you, or any qualifications a spotter must have for you to feel comfortable working with them)

Question Title

* 7. Please confirm that you have read the workshop level guidelines before proceeding. View the guidelines here. Relevant information for workshop leaders begins on page 2.

Question Title

Question Title

* 9. What is the skill level of this workshop?

Question Title

Question Title

* 11. Prerequisites:Please note any specific prerequisites or special notes for students taking this class. *Example: Must be able to pass clubs fluidly, must wear long pants, must be over the age of 13, etc.

Question Title

Question Title

* 13. Lesson Plan:Please provide us with a basic outline or lesson plan for your workshop - including any opening activities or warm ups, skills, techniques, and concepts taught. This information will not be shared - it will be used to assess if the workshop is a good fit for our program.

Question Title

* 14. References:Provide us with a full name, email, and phone number for two references.

Question Title

* 15. Please email your resume to amy@americanyouthcircus.org with the subject Workshop Leader Application 2017). Check the box below to confirm you have sent the resume.

Question Title

* 16. Assisting:Are you willing to be a spotter for additional workshops? We will contact you later to discuss what disciplines you are qualified to spot.

Question Title

* 17. Equipment:What equipment do you need for your workshop?

Question Title

* 18. Workshop Slots:All workshop leaders are required to present their workshop twice during the course of the festival and may be scheduled during any of the 3 slots per day between Thursday and Sunday.Are there any days you are NOT able to teach this workshop?

Question Title

* 19. In order to follow best practices we may backround check our workshop leaders. If you have already been background checked in the past 12 months by a youth serving organization, please let us know which employer conducted it.

Question Title

* 20. Please confirm your legal name for our routine check in the National Sex Offender Search

Question Title

* 21. Anything else you'd like to share with us? Note it here.

Question Title

* 22. This workshop is being offered and sponsored by an institutional member organization rather than an individual and we would like to be designated as a "workshop sponsor".

* 1. Contact:

Please enter your contact details:

* 6. Additional Spotters:
How many additional spotters would you like to help you with your workshop. (list a number if applicable. You may also list names of people you would like to help you, or any qualifications a spotter must have for you to feel comfortable working with them)

* 7. Please confirm that you have read the workshop level guidelines before proceeding.
View the guidelines here.
Relevant information for workshop leaders begins on page 2.

* 11. Prerequisites:

Please note any specific prerequisites or special notes for students taking this class.

*Example: Must be able to pass clubs fluidly, must wear long pants, must be over the age of 13, etc.

* 13. Lesson Plan:

Please provide us with a basic outline or lesson plan for your workshop - including any opening activities or warm ups, skills, techniques, and concepts taught. This information will not be shared - it will be used to assess if the workshop is a good fit for our program.

* 14. References:

Provide us with a full name, email, and phone number for two references.

* 16. Assisting:

Are you willing to be a spotter for additional workshops? We will contact you later to discuss what disciplines you are qualified to spot.

* 17. Equipment:

What equipment do you need for your workshop?

* 18. Workshop Slots:
All workshop leaders are required to present their workshop twice during the course of the festival and may be scheduled during any of the 3 slots per day between Thursday and Sunday.

Are there any days you are NOT able to teach this workshop?