| Abstract [eng] |
The Master's thesis explores circus as an educational practice with the potential to develop physical, emotional, social and creative skills. The relevance of the thesis is determined by the fact that although circus education is interdisciplinary and is actively applied in various countries, in Lithuania it has not yet been conceptually defined or more broadly established in educational practice. The research aims to find out how the meaning and possibilities of circus education are perceived and reflected upon by the artists-educators who implement it. The theoretical part discusses the development and educational potential of circus as an art form in an interdisciplinary context, and analyses aspects of circus education. The empirical part is based on a qualitative inductive analysis - seven semi-structured interviews with classical and contemporary circus practitioners. The research revealed that circus education is perceived as a holistic educational practice based on trust, creativity and respect for the uniqueness of the individual. The body becomes a significant means of expression that promotes emotional connection, self-expression and collaboration. Circus helps to develop children's self-confidence, perseverance, attentiveness and team skills. This shows that circus can be used in education as a value-based, personal development-oriented practice. The work contributes to the discourse of educational science by presenting a new interdisciplinary approach and can be useful for the development of innovative educational strategies. |
