Performing Arts School Audition

So, I've decided to apply for a place at the degree course in circus arts at circus space, london, and there is an audition as an integral part of the process which is to take place in about 4 months. Initially I was thinking I'd just juggle, but as I need this to be the best example of my value to the course and potential for development in the field, I'm interested in finding out if anyone has any tips for putting together a performance.

The audition is to be three minutes long, and although I have some skill with a unicycle (wheel walking, unispins, leg wraps, 1 foot riding, backwards riding), juggling (with four balls I can do fountains and two two ball showers both ways same and split time, 3 ball: mills, boston, weaves and many contact moves to name a couple of tricks, regular cascade with clubs, two in one hand and doubles), and have a little basic poi moves (butterfly, threading the needle, infinity, buzzsaw, butterfly, buzzsaw all split and same time, 3bweave regular and backwards), being able to do tricks is very different to giving a coherent performance.

I want to show myself at my best so I want to try and avoid giving a disordered and disconnected performance.

If anyone has any tips on creating this it would be greatly appreciated because I'm sure as they are dedicated to the circus arts, they will undoubtedly have seen all of these skills before and be looking for something more than that and I am determined to give them exactly what they require.

For a performance like this, if you are to incorperate juggling, I would suggest only throwing in tricks you know you can nail 99% of the time.

You probably don't want to drop. *shrug*

Honestly, that's just a guess though, I've never auditioned for a circus school, although I'd love to.

One other important point, do you have any background in dance/gymnastics/whatever-else that you would want to demonstrate as well?

Did GCSE in drama at 16 and did contemporary dance at that time (12 years ago ), but now I am not a member of any clubs or groups. My mum is a Yoga teacher, my dad is an actor, so I help him with lines sometimes. I roller skate occasionally.

I don't think you need crazy dance skills to make a performance look good. I think a performance can look really solid if you have good posture, don't look off balance, travel your stage a little, emphasize dramatic moments with your whole body, etc.

I know it's not juggling, but if you haven't seen Cyrille's "melting poi" video, I recommend watching it and noticing how he uses movement. He isn't nearly as overtly dancy as someone like Zan, but he's effective, his motion accents the motion of the prop. Maybe a simple approach to movement like this would work? I've certainly seen a number of stunning juggling performances that did a lot with a little.

Costume & Music.

Don't do too much, don't clutter your piece. You don't need to show all that you are good it, just some bits. What are you best at? Unicycle? Juggling? Pick one (or 2 at most) and find a bit of music you love and play around, create, develop...

Thanks for all the suggestions, they are all elements I'll try and bear in mind.

I think I am most comfortable juggling 3 ball. I'm enjoying club juggling loads, discovering the potentials, although i haven't done it for anywhere near as long as 3 ball. i feel i'm not tech enough or polished enough with poi to show it off at the moment.

another concern of mine is choice of music. I like grooving to many types of music but I worry they might judge my music choice as inappropriate.

i <3 cyrille's vid btw!

I know this thread is pretty old, but I'm really curious as to how your audition turned out. So, uh... bump. Tell us what happened.