Nofit State Circus

I’ve been following the antics of NFSC for its whole life. In fact I was one of the people who was there at its birth over 20 years ago. I can no longer stand on people’s shoulders or my own head. However the current gang can do a lot more than that.
There’s a touring company that takes a massive show around the world in the big pink space-​ship tent. Over the last few years they’ve been around the country with the little blue tent doing ‘Parklife’ a fantastic all-​flying and jumping show with community groups. There is also, and probably best of all, a chance to learn stuff yourself. Adults and children welcome.
Note: they have moved out of the space in Charles St and are now hanging out in the old Welsh National Opera building on John St whilst they wait for their new state-​of-​the-​art (nofitstate-​of-​the-​art) buildings to be ready off Newport Rd.

If you’ve been to Cardiff’s annual Summer Festival, or any other major festival-​like events in Wales, you’re likely to have stumbled across this colourful circus company.
Nofit State puts on extraordinary touring productions ranging from small community street events to large scale professional productions involving a company of 45 on the road. It is also a charity funded by the Arts Council of Wales, providing educational experiences — offering circus workshops and classes teaching juggling, trapeze, Chinese Pole, and other amazing skills for all ages and abilities. They even have an Apprenticeship Scheme!
Whether you catch members of the circus putting on ad hoc street art performances along Queen Street, or see them performing on a grand scale in a Big Top, they always try to create something different and exciting, incorporating multi-​media and daring acrobatic performances.

My favourite Circus company, NoFit State are known for their eccentric exciting performances within Wales and far beyond. Anyone who has been along to an extraordinary live big top show of theirs would have to agree with me. They wow and amaze, impress and entertain whether on the high wires or the hula, silks or trapeze.
More recently I was lucky enough to go along to one of their advance trapeze classes in the name of journalistic research for a feature. I found the trainer to be just the right combination of friendly and forthright, pushing her students to achieve what they were truly capable of. I got up to standing and down again on the trapeze, and tried a couple of the more simple doubles moves. It was hard, but not quite as hard as I had envisaged, and afterwards that post-​exercise and achievement adrenalin kick was second to none. I’m planning on taking more classes, I’d thoroughly recommend to others who’ve always wanted to learn. They teach Chinese Pole, juggling, trapeze and much more from beginners to masterclasses. Run away with the circus, you won’t regret it.