Scouting Magazine - The Scout Association

Hilary Galloway meets aScotsman who literally ranaway and joined the circusCOMEDYCIRCUIT‘Bart’s the one with the red noseand sparkly trainers,’ says AnneAspeslagh, the nervous motherof the clown who bursts throughZippo Circus’ big top curtains.Amid the glitter, leotards, somersaultsand wide smiles, a yellow-dungaree-cladclown falls off his chair, to the delight of theaudience. Anne heaves a sigh of relief. ‘Thereis a real skill to being funny,’ she says.I am with Anne at Bart’s Academy of CircusArts graduation ceremony, an unusual affairby anyone’s standards. It involves 12 graduatesdemonstrating their skills in front of an audienceof family, friends and industry talent spotters.Anne, while nervous, is also extremely proudand can’t believe the transformation in herson. ‘A year ago he used to just sit in his room,playing computer games. He wasn’t interestedin anything except Scouting.’ And it wasScouting that led Bart down this jovial careerpath. ‘I was at the World Scout Jamboree asan International Service Team member, helpingout in the circus skills area, which was run byBart (abovecentre andright)graduated inclowning atThe Academyof Circus Arts.Some studentsspecialisedin trapeze(above left)The Academy of Circus Arts,’ says Bart. ‘Theacademy director obviously thought I hada natural talent for clowning and invited meto apply for their six-month course.’ Eightmonths later he packed his bag and embarkedon a life on the road.Finding his wayDyslexic, Bart had trouble paying attention atschool and left halfway through the fifth year.Naturally bright at science, he attemptedcollege twice – once for chemical engineeringand the second time to study computing. Helasted barely a year at either. ‘Education justwasn’t that important to me. It could be dueto my dyslexia, but also partly that I wasn’tall that interested.’ The only thing that heldhis interest was Scouting. ‘Before I left forthe circus I helped my sister Sofie set up aNetwork,’ he says.Following the college attempts, Bartfloated from job to job, until the World ScoutJamboree. ‘This circus course has completelychanged the direction of my life,’ he says.58Scouting February/March 2009