An amazing community event

Today just a few words of praise for the fantastic team at the Israeli Circus School in Kfar Yehoshua.

I went there to see the show they worked on for the past two months. It was a joy to watch. The show was a great success. The audience was thrilled, amazed, and enthusiastic. I was moved deeply by the investment of all concerned, starting from Smadar, the artistic director of the school and the show, the team of teachers and assistants, most of them school graduates from previous years, the troupe itself, just kids but with astonishing talent and a love of performance that catches you immediately. 

The show was called On the earth and was a conceptual whole, from the audience’s entrance to the hall through the performance and finally with the applause and the little presents the artists gave to the kids in the audience. Parents made costumes and an exhibition at the entry; the whole event was a high-class community event that any city or town would have been proud to host. 

I find it so extraordinary that this marvelous work is done somewhere in the north of Israel, in the cultural periphery, and almost no one but the community involved knows anything about it.

Creative, confident humility, there you have it. The two months I’ve been accompanying this process have been a huge eye-opener, even for me. Honestly, I didn’t know this level of circus education existed in Israel, and I’m incredibly proud to say it does. So what made that creative project work so well?

A great creative leader

It all starts with a unique creative leader, Smadar Jackson, a fantastic lady around who everything miraculously happens, as if on its own. Her heart is in the work, and consequently, anyone working with her follows with their heart and soul. She has humility and clear intention, and setbacks do not deter her; she is also amazed by the work’s serendipity, which I profoundly believe comes from her attitude and attention. She is kind, a great listener, and knows what she wants. And then there’s the team.

A great team can change the world.

The teachers’ team at the Israeli Circus School are all highly talented people; they know their work and are great human beings all around. Most of all, they build on each other’s strengths and appreciate and cheer each other’s work. They are all, without exception, givers. They give their time, energy, talent, and skills. 

Then there are the graduates from previous years, all cheering the troupe – the up-and-coming new generation, doing everything they can to advance the work. Then there’s the troupe itself. With a team like that around you – you cannot but do your best and give your all. Even if there’s a lot of hard work, they stay at the circus for hours to do the job. Nothing like doing the work!

And then there are the parents, investing their skills for the set, the costumes, the fittings, the rehearsals, inviting the rest of the family and friends to the show… You get the picture. 

If one wants to learn what synergy is, go to Kfar Yehoshua to see the representative troupe’s show. It is fantastic, and the atmosphere all around it is too. 

Grateful to have had the chance to follow them in their path for a while. 

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