Ep 49 - Circus Arts

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What we’re talking about:

Today on Course and Career Chat I’m chatting with Linda, who is in her final year of a Bachelor of Circus Arts at NICA. Linda shares how she found her love of Circus by pursuing the subjects she had enjoyed at school like Drama and Music. She also gives us an insight into what her course is like, including what she’s studying, the types of circus arts you can major in and what she has chosen, and the ways that NICA prepares graduates for a career in circus both locally and internationally.

Choosing Subjects That You Like

One of the things that made sense to Linda as a teenager was that if she chose HSC subjects that she liked, then she would end up in a career that she would like. I wholeheartedly agree with this advice, but that’s not necessarily a popular opinion, particularly when the subjects you like are more creative. We talk about why this might be the case, and Linda shares how she found a balance and chose pathways that allowed her to do more of what she liked, but also helped her parents and teachers feel comfortable about her future. After she finished school, Linda completed a Bachelor of Arts which allowed her to do further study in business, drama and music which she had enjoyed at school. During this course she first discovered circus through an extracurricular group.

Certificate IV in Circus Arts at NICA

After Linda finished her degree, she had a decision to make. She was transitioning into full time at her corporate job where she had been working throughout her degree, and she was also really enjoying performing with the circus club she had joined and that’s where she first heard about the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA). She decided to take a year away from her corporate job to move to Melbourne and complete the Certificate IV in Circus Arts. Linda explains what’s involved in this program, what she learnt and how to apply.

Bachelor of Circus Arts in NICA

After completing her certificate, Linda decided to progress to the Bachelor of Circus Arts at NICA. She gives us a great insight into the course, including what she has learnt, the types of circus arts she has chosen to major in and what else she could have chosen, and the performance opportunities she’s had throughout the course. Linda also explains how NICA is connected to the circus industry, and how graduates are able to pursue work locally and internationally once they’ve completed the course.