Flow Circus, AIS
Flow Circus combines the skills and experiences of educator and writer Dawn Daria and nationally performing artist Paul Miller to create engaging and dynamic programs. At the core of all of our programs is the belief that learning is and always should be fun. Playfulness and spectacle ensure that students and staff will be talking about Flow Circus long after the visit.
[videogallery id=”flowcircusAISvideos”]Booking Flow Circus is easy and stress-free for the PTA representative or school coordinator. We provide the sound system, promotional materials, and related lessons/activities to extend the impact of the visit. No deposit is required to book.
The Science of Awesome: Explore the world of science and skill toys where things fall, balance and spin. Paul will leave students (and teachers) with an urge to pick up and play with the world around them to discover the mysterious forces of the invisible, physical world. Accommodates audiences of up to 350 students in Grades K-8 and easily adapts to a variety of spaces including gyms, cafeterias, and auditoriums.
Read Yourself Silly: Students will be inspired to read as Paul tells the story of how a trip to the circus led him on an adventure filled with juggling, magic, and balloon sculpting. In the end, he learns that amazing journeys begin not at the circus, but at the library. This one-man show is 45 minutes long and accommodates audiences of up to 350 students in Grades K-8. It easily adapts to a variety of spaces including gyms, cafeterias, and auditoriums.
“Paul immediately had the students in the palms of his juggling hands. Many students were so motivated by his performance that they came into the library the next day asking for books on topics of interest. Many teachers said this was the best performance we’ve had at our school. By the end of the day, my face hurt from smiling, not only from Paul’s antics, but also from seeing the joy on the students’ faces.”
— Karen Hershey, Librarian, Coates Elementary School, Herndon, VA
Juggling Money: Join Paul as he tells the story of how a trip to the library led him on an adventure filled with high-flying juggling, amazing magic, and the wonders of circus. In the end, he learns that hard work and smart choices lead to rewarding results. This 45 minute one-man show reinforces basic financial concepts of spending, sharing, and saving in a memorable and playful way. Accommodates audiences of up to 350 students in Grades K-6 and easily adapts to a variety of spaces including gyms, cafeterias, and auditoriums.
Author Visits and Book Clubs: Interested in an author talk for your upper elementary or middle school students? Looking for a fun read-along book or book club selection to kick-off the school year and battled the “4th grade slump” concerns teachers, librarians, and parents. Grounded for Good provides a clean story for upper elementary/middle school teachers and parents to read with students to help keep them on a path to becoming life-long readers. Main character Derek Dawson hit that slump and stayed there all through middle school. A bright kid with creative energy means that school is “boring” and his misdirected energy often lands him in the principal’s office. One summer that changes. A juggling book and a desperate situation lead him to discover a new passion that brings him applause instead of punishment.
Author Dawn Daria is available to visit your school or library to share her experience writing the Moonbeam Award winning book Grounded for Good with your students. Her talk can focus on the writing process, character education, or lessons learned by both the author and the main character.
Do Something: Join Paul as he shares his own story of going from graduating with a degree in accounting to becoming a professional juggler. Based on his own experiences as an entrepreneur, Paul encourages middle school students to discover and explore their passions while researching career options related to those interests. Even if it means forging your own unique path toward success. This one-man show is 45 minutes long and accommodates audiences of up to 350 students in Grades 6-8. It easily adapts to a variety of spaces including gyms, cafeterias, and auditoriums.
“Middle school students often have dreams of becoming professional atheletes or the next American Idol. Do Something honors the passion that these students possess, but provides more realistic alternatives for them to consider. More importantly, the message gives steps for students to take to achieve their goals.” — Vickie Simmons, Career Development Coordinator, Moore Square Magnet Middle School, Raleigh NC
Skill Toys from Around the World: Students explore both history and the impact of cultural exchange through toys in this hands-on workshop. Skill toys such as juggling, yo-yo, and the bilboquet have histories dating back hundreds and in some cases thousands of years. Dawn and Paul provide the cultural context for the skill toys and basic instruction on how to manipulate them. Students then experience hands-on play as it was through the centuries. During an opportunity to reflect on this experience, students compare these unplugged toys to modern technology and draw conclusions about the future of play. This 60 minute workshop fits both social studies and physical education standards. It accommodates up to 30 students in grades 5-8 and requires open space for playing.
Books & Kits: Extend the impact of a Flow Circus visit and develop sustainable programming with the following resources:
- Grounded for Good: Fiction book for upper elementary and middle grade readers in which the main character, Derek Dawson, can’t seem to do anything right. He couldn’t wait to finish middle school, but a heroic attempt to impress his classmates on the last bus ride home sends him right back to the principal’s office. Instead of a summer filled with sleeping in and hanging out with friends, Derek has to work at the family store, “volunteer” at the public library, and spend the rest of his time grounded at home. This book will have you rooting for Derek from beginning to end as he searches for the answer inside so many of us…Where do I fit in? “I loved the book! I was rooting for Derek the entire way as the plot kept me guessing! I could certainly see my students identifying with Derek. You have especially reached out to the pre-teen boy–a difficult group to reach when it comes to reading. So many of these boys feel exactly like Derek….like they cannot do anything right.” —Jennifer DelGrosso, Reading Specialist, Swiftwater Elementary Center, Mt. Pocono, PA
- Skill Toy Kit: This all-inclusive kit offers a novel programming option for physical education, drama, and integrated lessons as well as afterschool programs. Students in upper elementary and middle school will want to pick up and play with skill toys that can be spun, balanced, and tossed. The kit contains 20 top quality skill toys (4 sets of flowers sticks, 4 spinning plates, 4 Japanese kendama, 4 diabolo, and 4 chatter rings), a 65 page program guide, and an instructional DVD. The kit is contained in a durable bin that allows for easy storage and sharing between classrooms.
- Juggling Kit: Juggling is an engaging way to help upper elementary and middle school students develop 21st century skills such as goal setting, problem solving, and collaboration. This all-inclusive program contains 20 sets of top quality juggling balls, 1 set of juggling rings, 1 set of juggling clubs, a 65 page program guide, and an instructional DVD. The kit is contained in a durable bin that allows for easy storage and sharing between classrooms.