Hey I’m Charlie…
I’m a dancer and circus artist currently exploring somewhere between London and Melbourne! I’m undertaking a dance and circus tour of the world with my (non-circusy dancey) boyfriend James.
This blog will give you all the information you need to find good dance and aerial circus lessons all over the world, with a few travel tips and stories I pick up along the way.
If you like circus, dance and travelling and want to combine all three, then you’ve come to the right place!
Why this blog…
I’ve always wanted to travel, but like so many others, life and other priorities just got in the way. One of my main adversaries to long term travel was my love of (you guessed it) dance and circus. How could I bring myself to undo months of hard training with a year on the road…?
The beginning…
I began dancing as a teenager; my love for it quickly turning into a passion that spurred me to pursue it to a professional level. A few years later circus joined the fray. Before I knew it, I didn’t have enough hours in the day to cram in all the classes I wanted to do!
Bristol…
In 2011 I successfully gained a place at Urdang Academy in London. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend because I simply couldn’t afford the expensive school fees. I made the difficult decision to take my place on the undergraduate Physics course at Bristol University, with a view to continue my passion as a very serious hobby. It was here that my love for teaching, charity and youth work was discovered and nurtured. I continued to become heavily involved with Bristol’s dance and circus scenes long after graduating and enjoyed the varied opportunities if offered.
Although my goals and aspirations have now evolved, my dedication remains steadfast. Travel seemed unattainable if I was going to continue to train the way I wanted to.
An opportunity…
However, in early 2018 I successfully gained a place on a graduate contemporary dance course in Copenhagen. My time there was short but eye-opening. Suddenly I could train AND experience the world. There are so many great training facilities for both dance and circus across the globe; would it be possible to visit them? I started to look beyond the typical backpacking experience and figure out if this was something I could do long term. Could I live the (my) dream?
And so, The Dancing Circus Traveller was born!
After months of planning and saving, in December 2018, James and I quit our jobs, packed our bags and started our world trip.
We’re set to visit around 16 countries including Russia, China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and finally, Australia. Our final stop is currently Melbourne, Australia where we’ll be living, working and training for one year.
From there, we could end up anywhere!
I will be writing about, not only our adventures, but all the dance and circus classes I take, the training I do and how that all works out for me on the road!
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I’m also dabbling in travel videography and filming studio reviews! If you prefer a visual, head on over to my YouTube Channel also featuring James daily video diary!
Thanks for reading!
