Nationally recognised dance theatre makers Stacked Wonky brought a circus tent to Porlock Recreation Ground last week for their Summer Academy for Kids.

The company, which has recently moved to Porlock High Street, used the big top as a base to give over 60 youngsters aged five to 18 a chance to experiment with all aspects of performance-making.

Among other activities, they tried aerial circus skills, film-making, contemporary dance, DJ-ing, costume design, writing and sound composition.

Spilling into nearby spaces, such as basketball courts, Hawkcombe cemetery, orchards and the village hall, the youngsters let their imaginations fly.

Sarah Shorten, Stacked Wonky’s artistic director, said: “This was our third Summer Academy in West Somerset and without a doubt the most needed given the difficult 18 months youngsters and families have experienced due to the challenges of the Covid pandemic.

“What we saw was an outpouring of creative play as circus trapeze and hoops were transferred to make performances in trees, bands of film-makers roamed the corridors of the village hall filming self-directed shorts and musicians played drums, violins and even goalposts in every quarter of the Recreation Ground.”

She said Stacked Wonky’s wish was to provide a safe, vibrant environment in which each child could try new skills and work collaboratively with others, such as members of the National Youth Dance Company who attended to provide support.

Sarah added: “Back in lockdown last year, one of the Stacked Wonky team asked if we could bring a circus tent to the village, hopeful it would act as a beacon of joy for the children: it certainly was that!

“As a result, we are incredibly grateful to the Recreation Ground Committee, parish council, village hall and numerous local volunteers who made the event possible.”

Stacked Wonky will be offering weekly Academies for Kids in both Porlock and Old Cleeve from September. To find out more, contact their engagement lead Melanie Tesouro Willmott at [email protected].

More photos in tomorrow’s Free Press