Sideways News

Running away to the circus isn't for everyone but it's the thought behind it that's important

Rachael West is the engineer who sold her house and ran away to the circus. Here she tells Sideways News about the experience so far.
 
SN: Tell me about your background and how you ended up training for the circus.
I’m really interested in creative thinking. I do a lot of work facilitating and training – a big part of this is helping people to see what they do in a new way. Once I opened a communications workshop with
handstands and used juggling balls to teach project management. I see physical movement as a way of stimulating different parts of the brain so you can see the world (sometimes literally) upside down and back-to-front.

Six months ago I wrote in a journal (as part of a creative thinking exercise) that if money wasn’t an issue, I would join the circus. A couple of months later, while I was waiting for a trapeze class at Circus Space in London, I spotted a flyer advertising three months, full-time "Circus in Performance" training in Sheffield. When I called to find out more, the man said, "If you want to audition, book your train to Sheffield right now – the audition is next week".

I booked the train before I could think about it, and a few weeks later I had been offered (and had accepted) a place on the course.
 
SN: What do you hope to get from the experience?
Firstly, I want to observe the boundary between physical creativity and the real world; particularly how we think, behave and make decisions in the workplace. I’m interested in how we can use different ways of thinking, moving and playing to come up with new ideas and innovative solutions that make good business sense, but also make people happy.

I’m in the throes of organising a conference for the engineering sector around "reclaiming the right to play". A lot of what I learn will feed into that. Along with having three months to seriously explore physical creativity, without considering how sensible it is!  
 
SN: You mention in your blog that you suspect you won't go back to the real world. What will life look like after you've completed the course?
The focus of doing this was to learn how to work for myself (London has so many great social entrepreneurs to be inspired by) and part of the journey has been working with what comes up. This means knowing which opportunities I really want to pursue, and the faith to say no to those I don’t want, so I don’t waste energy on them.

Which has meant a big assessment of my relationship with money! Knowing that a year ago I would have been surprised to hear that I would be going to circus school, I’m a bit wary of saying I will definitely be like this, or doing such and such. I’m excited to explore physical creativity more and just to see what happens next!
 
SN: Is there anything you've had to overcome in signing up for the course?
That it’s OK not to be looking for paid work at present. That it’s OK to sell a house to study circus. That it’s OK to be 30 and not doing the obvious and very sensible thing of a "normal job".

SN: How does it inspire you creatively?
Working on something full-time and with purpose (there will be a show in April where I hope not to embarrass myself in front of my friends) gives it some credibility. Throwing a juggling ball under my leg (and, very importantly, catching it again) is suddenly very serious business. All helped by the fact that I’m surrounded by people who make circus part of their career.
 
SN: What advice would you give to other people wanting to change their career or live in a positive way?
Notice how often you say "I can’t" and think about whether you really mean "I don’t want to right now" or "I’m not willing to give up my salary/house/reputation..." Think baby steps. You don’t have to leave your job to take a painting class or learn to dance or eat a meal at the table with your family.  
 
SN: Could you tell me about Greentop Circus and how it functions as a social enterprise?
Through education, mostly activities with youth to provide meaningful, positive and creative activity for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and develop personal confidence and potential employment in the arts. Plus it nurtures emerging artists, providing access to a new art form for the community and a means of physical exercise.
 
SN: What's your view on following dreams? Do you think too many people are tied into 9-to-5 jobs, unable to break out and take a risk?
I think we’re far too serious at work! Obviously being too serious means we don’t have fun and are tired at the end of the day, but I think it also means we don’t get the creative, integrated solutions we could get if we looked at things in a different way.

I don’t think quitting your job and running away to the circus is the answer for everyone – for some people a secure job is really important and that’s ok. But why not take a risk within the scope you do have? Ask yourself why you’re doing something (perhaps your job) the way you’re doing it.

If it’s just because that’s how it’s always been done or because that’s how you’ve been told to do it, then is that OK for you? Do you think your company gets ethical, sustainable solutions that keep staff happy by doing things that way? What could you change about your job or ask for that means you would have the time or energy to do that art class or write the book you always thought you would?

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