22:
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Originally founded as a collective governed company, Circus Oz developed into a triumvirate by the late 1990s by having a Triple
Executive who all equally ran and organised the company. The Triple Executive included Co-CEO Linda Mickleborough who became general manager of Circus Oz in 1993. During
194:
had given the choice of reforming its structure or losing its funding. The proposal involved recreating its board and membership with a reduced proportion of artists and former employees. The results of an anonymous online poll showed that 62 out of 81 votes chose to reject the new model. During
199:
and the
Australia Council, which had concluded that "systemic issues holding back the company", and recommended that membership criteria be broadened that the board should be made up entirely of members based on their skills and qualifications. Company members were shocked by the sudden
416:
Until 2017, the company employed a full-time ensemble of 12 performers (an equal number of men and women), plus a technical crew, production and artistic departments. Apart from touring nationally and internationally with their various shows, other parts of Circus Oz include:
270:
to music and aerial work. The shows were usually comic and character-driven. The cast comprised a diverse mix of body shapes and ages, with an equal number of men and women. Their style was generally cheeky, anarchic and subversive, a balance of strong women and graceful men.
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The founders wanted to create a "contemporary circus" (words used in their show programme "history" as early as 1980), with elements of rock'n'roll, popular theatre and satire. The company had an ongoing
174:, large rehearsal spaces, outdoor areas, and workshop and props-making facilities. The buildings are approximately half of an abandoned college campus, the remainder of which was converted by
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421:
BLAKFlip, a programme connecting
Australian Aboriginal performers and artists with the circus, including masterclasses, casting, performances, traineeships and guest artists;
434:
SideSault, a Sector
Support Programme, providing access to space for a selected series of small/medium-sized local performance groups (primarily using a circus vocabulary);
146:. She resigned effective from 31 December 2012. The Executive team also included Co-CEO Mike Finch who was artistic director (1997-2015), and founding member Tim Coldwell.
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tour. Each subsequent tour was then named until 2017 when
Artistic Director, Rob Tannion (AD from 2016-2019), developed the company into a multi-show model.
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In
December 2021, it was announced by the Board and CEO at the time that a decision had been taken to close the company, after its main funding body the
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by several years), Circus Oz made shows with only 12 multi-skilled performers who all performed the entire show, doing "a bit of everything", from
130:. As part of its international touring, Circus Oz has been to 29 countries and 210 cities all over the world, including New York City, London and
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This appears to have been an erroneous and unexpected announcement, as it has not closed, but more cited detail needs to be added to the article.
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in the
Australian desert and a glass opera house in the Brazilian rainforest. Shows were translated and performed in many languages, including
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Circus
Classes, public circus classes for the general public, adults, schools, and community groups to learn circus skills;
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company based in
Australia, collectively owned by its Membership, founded in 1977. Its shows incorporate theatre, satire,
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High Flying Teams, a corporate team-building and training programme using circus as a skill-base for corporate training.
64:, with its first performance season in March 1978. Circus Oz was the amalgamation of two already well-known groups: the
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owns the facility, but was designed specifically to Circus Oz's requirements. This location includes a permanent
688:"Circus Oz is to close after 44 years. They irrevocably changed Australian circus, and brought it to the world"
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her time at the helm she was responsible for the development of Circus Oz
Classes, High Flying Teams and
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agenda and have generally been open about supporting humanist causes. Over the years this has included
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announcement. As of January 2022, their website announced a change of use for the Circus Oz venue.
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571:. (Unpublished Masters of Research Thesis) Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. p. 33.
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Circus Oz performed in at least 27 countries across five continents, including four seasons on
227:
554:
Circus Alternatives: The Rise of New Circus in Australia, the United States, Canada and France
110:
Significant developments in Circus Oz's early years included: a 32-week season in 1979 at the
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143:
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100:
126:); the "Nanjing Project" (Chinese acrobatic master classes); and the group's relations with
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agenda and was open about supporting humanitarian causes. Over the years this has included
167:
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Make it Australian: The Australian Performing Group, the Pram Factory and New Wave Theatre
431:, a venue with a programme of cabaret, innovative performance, and local community events;
8:
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2021, the company had been the subject of an independent review, commissioned jointly by
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The founding members were: Sue Broadway, Tony Burkys, Tim Coldwell, John ‘Jack’ Daniel,
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in Melbourne; the company's first international tour in 1980 (including London's
107:, Rick Ludbrook, Peter Mulheisen, Gordon McLean, Steve Cooney and Colin Stevens.
556:. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation) La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
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One of the first "new" or "contemporary" circuses without animals (it predates
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99:, Michael Price, Alan Robertson, Jim Robertson, Pixie Roberstson, Helen Sky,
325:(1979), Circus Oz did not name their seasons or tours until 2006, with the
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716:"Circus Oz to close permanently after more than 40 years of performing"
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In late 2013 Circus Oz relocated to a new custom-built home base in
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programs, and laid the preparations for a move to new premises at
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Performing digital: multiple perspectives on a living archive
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and represented Australia at many international festivals.
938:. Australian Government. 21 February 2005. Archived from
634:"Collingwood Yards official Open Day | Yarra City Arts"
185:
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was chair of the Board of Directors from 2010 - 2018.
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178:into a multi-arts and community precinct known as
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913:"Circus Oz celebrate 40 years with 'Precarious'"
775:. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022
56:Circus Oz was incorporated in December 1977 in
879:Carlin, David; Vaughan, Laurene, eds. (2015).
314:. The troupe broke box office records at the
910:
608:"Linda Mickleborough resigns from Circus Oz"
973:Entertainment companies established in 1977
900:"What a Circus! Circus Oz 35th Anniversary"
583:"Where We've Been: Chronology of Circus Oz"
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761:
679:
515:
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278:in New York City, a number of seasons at
244:land rights for First Nations Australians
521:"The History of Circus Oz by Jon Hawkes"
230:and strong feelings about the plight of
20:
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491:
955:
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248:indefinite detention of asylum seekers
978:Performing groups established in 1977
911:Brancatisano, Gloria (20 June 2018).
857:. Melbourne Books. pp. 239–244.
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713:
685:
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898:Threadgold, Cheryl (17 April 2013).
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742:Watts, Richard (10 December 2021).
323:Waiter, There's a Circus in My Soup
186:December 2021: closure announcement
13:
872:
714:Dowse, Nicola (10 December 2021).
448:List of circuses and circus owners
40:and a uniquely Australian humour.
14:
989:
949:(now archived and limited access)
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658:Miller, Nick (10 December 2021).
968:1977 establishments in Australia
496:. Melbourne Books. p. 240.
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686:Caust, Jo (10 December 2021).
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182:, which opened in March 2021.
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936:Culture and Recreation Portal
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246:and strong opposition to the
234:. The company had an ongoing
112:Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant
947:The Circus Oz Living Archive
855:Circus! The Australian Story
494:Circus! The Australian Story
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453:
91:, Kelvin Gedye, Jon Hawkes,
25:Circus Oz performing in 2023
7:
567:Jensen-Kohl, Jesse (2018).
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128:The Flying Fruit Fly Circus
82:Australian Performing Group
80:, a roadshow set up by the
62:Australian Performing Group
10:
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569:Running Away to the Circus
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834:Wolf, Gabbrielle (2008).
793:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
638:arts.yarracity.vic.gov.au
316:Edinburgh Fringe Festival
208:
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68:, a continuation of the
16:Australian circus troupe
612:Australian Stage Online
371:But Wait...There's More
853:St Leon, Mark (2011).
744:"Circus Oz to wind up"
552:Mullett, Jane (2005).
492:St Leon, Mark (2011).
403:Non-Stop Energy (2023)
321:With the exception of
300:Indigenous communities
228:indigenous Australians
26:
932:"Circus in Australia"
162:, an inner suburb of
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809:"Circus Oz web site"
347:See It To Believe It
284:Royal Festival Halls
168:Victorian Government
963:Australian circuses
660:"Circus Oz folding"
335:Laughing at Gravity
327:Laughing at Gravity
66:New Ensemble Circus
34:contemporary circus
942:on 23 August 2006.
904:Melbourne Observer
838:. Currency Press.
721:Time Out Melbourne
359:From the Ground Up
154:2013: new premises
60:and funded by the
27:
864:978-1-877096-50-1
845:978-0-86819-816-3
811:. Circusoz.com.au
748:ArtsHub Australia
503:978-1-877096-50-1
197:Creative Victoria
192:Australia Council
180:Collingwood Yards
76:in 1973; and the
72:, established in
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406:Smash It! (2024)
400:Wunderage (2019)
341:Barely Contained
260:Cirque du Soleil
95:, Robin Laurie,
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815:20 September
813:. Retrieved
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669:. Retrieved
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590:. Retrieved
587:circusoz.com
586:
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537:20 September
535:. Retrieved
528:the original
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353:Steampowered
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292:refugee camp
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93:Ponch Hawkes
89:Laurel Frank
86:
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883:. Ashgate.
769:"Circus Oz"
643:18 November
429:Spiegeltent
397:(2018-2019)
391:(2018-2019)
373:(2014-2016)
355:(2011-2012)
343:(2009-2010)
276:42nd Street
224:land rights
204:The company
172:Spiegeltent
160:Collingwood
144:Collingwood
97:John Pinder
52:Early years
957:Categories
779:18 January
753:10 October
727:18 January
699:18 January
671:18 January
618:10 October
474:References
427:The Melba
389:Precarious
365:Cranked Up
264:acrobatics
140:Indigenous
124:New Guinea
116:Roundhouse
105:Mic Conway
101:Jim Conway
70:New Circus
773:Circus Oz
479:Citations
454:Footnotes
395:Rock Bang
296:West Bank
164:Melbourne
132:Jerusalem
84:in 1976.
58:Melbourne
30:Circus Oz
906:: 13–14.
789:cite web
442:See also
412:Ensemble
268:clowning
74:Adelaide
828:Sources
665:The Age
592:21 June
308:Catalan
294:in the
120:Belgium
47:History
887:
861:
842:
500:
385:(2017)
379:(2016)
367:(2013)
361:(2012)
349:(2010)
337:(2006)
312:Danish
288:London
209:Values
166:. The
531:(PDF)
524:(PDF)
304:Hindi
254:Shows
32:is a
885:ISBN
859:ISBN
840:ISBN
817:2012
795:link
781:2022
755:2022
729:2022
701:2022
673:2022
645:2021
620:2022
594:2019
539:2012
498:ISBN
310:and
290:, a
282:and
266:and
226:for
122:and
286:in
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
