Lucy: circus trainer & mum
For my 6th portrait of ‘My mum is an artist’ project, let me introduce you to Lucy Francis-Litton, a professional circus performer, trainer and choreographer with her teenage daughter Bina.
To say that circus is Lucy’s passion is an understatement. During the time I spent with her, I witnessed first hand how circus is the glue that bonds her family together: Lucy, her husband and their daughter all live and breath circus. For this reason, the mother and artist portraits make one because it was impossible to separate completely Lucy’s professional life from her personal one. The love of the circus performance is shared between mother and daughter and it’s beautiful to see how Lucy nurtures this common passion with encouragement and caution while Bina looks up to her mum, simply wanting to rise and shine. Lucy works in her circus school in Woolwich and lives with her family in the nearby Greenwich area.
Let’s meet the artist…
1. Tell me about yourself. What do you do? How long have you been doing it for? How did you get into it?
My name is Lucy and I am 43 years old. I live with my husband Nik (53) and daughter Bina (13), along with 2 circus students. We have a little dog called Jacob. I originally trained as an elite sports acrobat and tumbler, followed by a brief high diving competitive season, before joining the circus in 1998, aged 21. My first job was flying around in the Millennium Dome Central Circus Show 2000. I have been performing as a circus artist ever since, mainly doing flying trapeze, acrobalance, triples trapeze, doubles hoop and fire poi. Along the way I trained as a circus trainer, choreographer and director and am also the company director (alongside Nik) of AirCraft Circus Academy and AirCraft Circus Performance. We believe that with enough passion anyone can come and join the circus.
2. What do you love about your art?
The adrenalin rush from flying through the air.
3. Has motherhood changed you as an artist?
Well, pregnancy certainly put my body out of action for a while so I had to put my performing career on hold for a bit, but as soon as I was able to train again I did.
4. What has helped you combining your family life and your professional/artistic life?
Our family live and breathe circus 24/7. Our daughter had no option but to be thrown around in the air from as soon as she could hang from the trapeze. We live very near our circus school so it is very convenient for us all to go there and hang out.
5. Do you have dreams for your child?
Just to be happy.
6. Have you noticed an artistic side in your child?
Yes, she is very creative.
7. Who is your inspiration in life?
When I was in my 20’s I was always inspired by older acrobats and aerialists because it helped me believe that I could still do what I’m doing. Being a circus artist is much easier as a younger person.
But I have to say at my old age I also now inspire myself. I have been through a number of traumas in my life; I broke my neck when I was 25 years old landing on my head on the trampoline. I not only survived, I returned to my acrobatic career against all odds, and am still performing now. I had major shoulder surgery in 2016 and I also returned to performing after the massive body disruption from child birth. Once you have been through hard times, it kind of inspires you when you have to go through them again.
8. What advice would you give out to other mums who try to combine their art/creative work with their family life? Why is it any different from combining a non-creative career with family life?
I don’t think it is any different from combining motherhood with a non-creative career.
9. What are your main struggles and victories since becoming a mum?
I absolutely love being a Mum but it doesn’t mean I had to give up my life to do so. We all work together as a family unit and I love it. My main struggle is working late and having to get up early for the school run!
10. Is it true that women artists “can’t have it all”?
Nobody can have it all! Life is what you make it. There is no reason to give up your career whether it’s creative or not, just because you have a child. I think it is much harder to be a mum and work the more children you have.
11. Can you tell me about your plans for later this year/next year?
Well I will still be running the circus school all going well and we survive Covid-19.
12. How has the Covid-19 crisis affected your work and your life in general?
Actually COVID was a welcome break and time for us to really spend time together as a family. I really enjoyed having my daughter with me all the time and helping us clean up the school.
Where to find Lucy online:
Lucy’s website: www.circusgirl.co.uk
The Aircraft Circus Academy: https://aircraftcircus.com/ or Instagram
Meet the other mums artists:
This ongoing personal photo project ‘My Mum is an artist’ has allowed me to meet incredible and talented female artists:
Marion & You Photography is a family photographer in South London specialising in family, newborn and baby photography as well as maternity photography.