Balancing act

Contortionist, stilt-walker and aerialist

“We call the nine-to-fivers ‘muggles’. I just couldn’t conform that way.”

Fire-breather and fire-spinner

“People’s parents say, ‘Why aren’t you getting a mortgage, why aren’t you moving out?’ It’s that generation that made it this way.”

Contortionist, Spanish web performer in a double act

“When you perform, to have your body do something that it’s not naturally meant to do, it’s amazing.”

Spanish web performer in a double act

“Even if there’s one person who just thinks, ‘Damn, that’s cool.’ That’s a great feeling.”

Bethany Sykes, 24

Contortionist, stilt-walker and aerialist

“We call the nine-to-fivers ‘muggles’. I just couldn’t conform that way.”

Dawn Bryant, 26

Fire-breather and fire-spinner

“People’s parents say, ‘Why aren’t you getting a mortgage, why aren’t you moving out?’ It’s that generation that made it this way.”

Abbie Mason, 23

Contortionist, Spanish web performer in a double act

“When you perform, to have your body do something that it’s not naturally meant to do, it’s amazing.”

Charlee Oakton, 23

Spanish web performer in a double act

“Even if there’s one person who just thinks, ‘Damn, that’s cool.’ That’s a great feeling.”

Dawn:

I do fire-spinning, fire-eating and vapour tricks.

I was living in London and had a day job in recruitment. I was working crazy hours and performing on the side.

But my tenancy was ending. My housemates were moving back home to save money. I was panicking.

I knew Bethany and thought I’d visit to see if there were any spaces here in the school.

There was a room going - before I even viewed it, I took it.

Bethany:

By 11, I was competing on the British team in sports acrobatics gymnastics.

For holidays, my family would go on sea cruises - always on the same ship. There were circus acrobats from Colombia on board. They all got to know me and I started to train with them.

Mum and Dad are really supportive and love what I do.

Circus and performance has given me confidence. I was introverted and nervous at school. I’m so happy now.

I started applying to small agencies saying I was a contortionist - but they all said, “Yeah and what else?”

So I started gaining different skills and turned into this glittery performer.

I’m now a full-time unicorn and part-time “princess cat”.

Bethany:

I started doing gymnastics as a hobby.

By 11, I was competing on the British team in sports acrobatics gymnastics.

For holidays, my family would go on sea cruises - always on the same ship. There were circus acrobats from Colombia on board. They all got to know me and I started to train with them.

Mum and Dad are really supportive and love what I do.

Circus and performance has given me confidence. I was introverted and nervous at school. I’m so happy now.

I started applying to small agencies saying I was a contortionist - but they all said, “Yeah and what else?”

So I started gaining different skills and turned into this glittery performer.

I’m now a full-time unicorn and part-time “princess cat”.

Abbie:

When I'm 70, I’ll be able to look back on how supple I was.

I won’t be able to move then because my body will just be broken.

But I will say, “Look grandkids. Look what I could do when I was 18.”

Charlee:

Even if there’s one person who just thinks, “Damn, that’s cool,” that’s a great feeling.

It’s like I’m weightless in the air.

Abbie and I have moments where we’ll see each other in the air and make eye contact. We can tell the other is thinking, “Yeah, look at us.”

Bethany:

At the beginning of a show you sometimes have a quiet audience. You think, “This isn’t going well.”

But I think it’s people trying to work out what on earth is going on - and how my leg is up there.

People then start to react a bit more. We’re just trying to spread the fun.

Bethany:

At the beginning of a show you sometimes have a quiet audience. You think, “This isn’t going well.”

But I think it’s people trying to work out what on earth is going on - and how my leg is up there.

People then start to react a bit more. We’re just trying to spread the fun.

Dawn:

When I’m performing I feel liberated.

I’ve suffered from social anxiety - but people say I’m a different person when I’m on stage.

I get lots of encouragement. This community blows me away with how motivating and inspiring everyone can be. It’s made such a difference.

If you haven’t got anything booked in the diary, you need to do some self-promotion and look online for gigs.

You’ve got to get your name out there.

Bethany:

We get paid different rates, depending on what we're doing.

The more specialist you are, the more your skill is worth. Contortion, which I perform, is specialist.

Stilt-walking is just as hard - but you can’t charge as much because there are more people who do it.

At Christmas, we’ll work every single night with parties. The money you put away can take you through the quieter months.

Abbie:

You just don’t know how good your year is going to be as a circus performer.

We could have bookings all week - or nothing in the diary.

Bethany:

We just roll out of bed, down to the sports hall and train.

We call the nine-to-fivers “muggles”. I just couldn’t conform that way.

I’ve saved money and was thinking about putting it down for a mortgage. But I just thought, “That’s not me.”

I started hand-making festival harnesses and bio-degradable glitter instead.

Bethany:

When you’re classed as a property guardian, you’re looking after a space.

It’s to stops kids and people from breaking-in, graffitiing and destroying a building. In return, we pay cheap rent.

Charlee:

It’s dirt cheap and I could give two weeks’ notice and then leave if my work takes me away from here.

Everyone walks in and says, “It’s a school, it’s still a school.” But you do get used to it. To me, it’s not that any more.

Abbie:

When I walked in, my first impression was, “I’d hate to live here.”

But then Charlee moved in. I started to spend more time here and began to think it was really cool.

Bethany:

We just roll out of bed, down to the sports hall and train.

We call the nine-to-fivers “muggles”. I just couldn’t conform that way.

I’ve saved money and was thinking about putting it down for a mortgage. But I just thought, “That’s not me.”

I started hand-making festival harnesses and bio-degradable glitter instead.

Dawn:

Buying a property, getting a mortgage, is far off in the future.

But even my friends who aren’t performers are also struggling at the moment.

It doesn’t matter what profession you’re in, in this generation we’re all in the same boat in terms of not being able to afford a home.

People’s parents say: “Why aren’t you getting a mortgage, why aren’t you moving out?”

It’s that generation that made it this way.

Bethany:

When you’re classed as a property guardian, you’re looking after a space.

It’s to stops kids and people from breaking-in, graffitiing and destroying a building. In return, we pay cheap rent.

Charlee:

It’s dirt cheap and I could give two weeks’ notice and then leave if my work takes me away from here.

Everyone walks in and says, “It’s a school, it’s still a school.” But you do get used to it. To me, it’s not that any more.

Abbie:

When I walked in, my first impression was, “I’d hate to live here.”

But then Charlee my training partner moved in. I started to spend more time here and began to think it was really cool.

Abbie:

I think places like this will become more popular. A lot of people don’t know about them.

As long as you don’t have any long-term plans, places like this are great.

Bethany:

My current home used to be a classroom. I hope I will get my own place eventually.

I know I’m not going to be able to do my circus stuff forever. But I’m not ready to “adult” yet.