About
Zip Zap
Zip Zap is a vibrant, uniquely South African social and professional circus. Through circus arts we inspire and empower young people from all walks of life to pursue their destinies. We promote social cohesion, create opportunities, unlock potential and transfer skills for life.
Zip Zap’s outreach and youth programmes are offered free of charge to all participants, with financial support garnered from individuals, individuals, governments, foundations and corporates.
Beneficiaries from the Zip Zap programmes regularly perform in world-class shows locally and internationally. The proceeds from these performances in turn fund the training and are pivotal to the sustainability of Zip Zap.
Our Belief
We believe with circus the possibilities are endless!.
Our Vision
To empower generations of young people to contribute to a thriving and inclusive society.
Our Mission
Through the power of circus arts and partnerships, we open doors of possibility and create fun, safe spaces where young people can build confidence and resilience, discover their potential, and shape brighter futures for themselves and their communities, making circus a meaningful part of South African education and culture.
We are on a mission to:
→ Provide access to circus training.
→ Embed circus into South African culture.
→ Foster an ethical, moral, diverse, inclusive, supportive and safe environment.
→Transform lives and engage communities.
→ Empower young people from underserved communities.
→ Create alternative educational pathways for youth by providing quality, cutting edge training.
Our 5 Strategic Pillars
Our Values
Our values give us the ability to live what we have learned, and believe in what we do.
Accountability
We take responsibility for our actions and own our mistakes. We are solutions-orientated, embrace a culture of trust, and we ask for help.
Respect
We respect ourselves, each other, our beneficiaries, our stakeholders, Zip Zap property and the Zip Zap brand.
Joy
We love what we do and do what we love. We consider it a privilege to bring happiness to our beneficiaries and stakeholders. This joyfulness underpins all we do. We work hard, we celebrate our successes and have fun doing it.
Honesty
We are consistently true, transparent, real, fair and honourable. We always do the right thing (even when nobody is watching).
Family
We are a Zip Zap family. We share a sense of belonging and are connected by our common cause. At Zip Zap we strive to be a home that is welcoming, cohesive and safe. Our home is disciplined and has healthy boundaries.
Zip Zap is adored by:
Marlene Le Roux
CEO of Artscape Theatre
Geordin Hill-Lewis
Mayor of Cape Town
Anroux Marais
Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport
Alan Winde
Western Cape Premier
Marlene Le Roux
Zip Zap Circus is one of those places where magic really happens. Artscape is so proud to be associated with a company like Zip Zap Circus, where the founder members have poured their heart and soul into their passion which, in turn, literally turned and keeps on turning lives around. The footprint far exceeds our borders as their international acclaim speaks of the quality of work which they produce evident on the stages. A lot can be said when an investment in human capital stands the test of time and in this instance they boast a legacy of many decades of changing lives. Circus acrobatics used to be an art form which children and youth could only dream of. Right here in Cape Town at Zip Zap these dreams are realised with no exclusions. They really and truly make a star out of anyone who is willing to learn and put in the hours required to reach excellence. That in itself is magical.
We at Artscape are fortunate to witness and host a world-class performance in the form of Rhapsody in November this year. We are excited to see the audience being wowed and mesmerised to the acrobatics of an enthusiastic and exceptional team. The merging of circus and music makes for an extremely entertaining experience. We will have the privilege to be the first to witness this world class event which will travel abroad to I am sure rave reviews.
We wish them well during this run and also during the international run as well. We are super proud and super excited and extremely honoured to be part of and associated with this world-class act.
Geordin Hill Lewis
The Zip Zap Circus has a long and accomplished history as being home to some of the industry’s leading aerial performers. It has entertained audiences in Cape Town and around the world. Being founded here, 30 years ago, we can proudly say that we have a world-class art form originating in our City.
The creative industry and sporting world offers hope to the next generation, and quite literally teaches young people to reach higher for their dream.
We are pleased that the Zip Zap Circus continues to grow and develop new talent. The development of this art form should be preserved for future generations.
I would like to wish them well on the milestone of 30 years of enthralling audiences and hope it continues to bring joy to people around the world. I hope that audiences will enjoy the latest production before it heads north.
Anroux Marais
The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport is committed to supporting our province’s performing arts. It is a great pleasure for us to support the important work that Zip Zap does, and I am very excited for audiences to see their latest production, Rhapsody.
Zip Zap has been instrumental in making a positive impact on the lives of young people in our province for many years. Through offering youth the opportunity to be part of the exciting world of the circus arts, they not only offer our young people hope, but they also make a positive impact on our economy through creating jobs and bringing in audiences to watch these performances. Over the past few years, Zip Zap has truly moved to new heights as they have gained exposure on international platforms. It is so exciting that the show will also be performed in Paris as this will give the artists and the organisation even more international exposure.
I hope that audiences will enjoy this wonderful new show and that people across our province will continue supporting Zip Zap in the work that they do. Our focus in government is on reaching our unemployed youth and offering them safe and productive spaces and we could not do this without partnerships with organisations like Zip Zap. Through their work, they are bringing hope and making dreams come alive. We look forward to many years of continued partnership with them.
Alan Winde
The arts are a powerful means of upliftment, offering outlets of expression and creativity that have the ability to transcend and transform circumstances. The fantastic work Zip Zap has done over the years has been invaluable in showing people, especially the youth, that there are opportunities to lift themselves (quite literally in some cases) out of there circumstances, other than the traditional means.
While many people aspire to become doctors and engineers, there must always be place for those who allow their imaginations to run free and choose to embrace their creativity to launch themselves into a career of a different kind: the circus.
For decades, through its outreach programmes and performances, Zip Zap has been inspiring budding circus performers to think outside of the box and to follow their dreams. Zip Zap is an integral part of Cape Town, particularly the city’s rich cultural fabric, adding to its diverse vibrance. Zip Zap has become so much more though, helping to bridge socio-economic gaps and empower young people.
I am thrilled by the circus’s latest achievement. To be able to take your show beyond our borders is clearly an indication of how you have caught the world’s attention and how brilliantly important the work Zip Zap does is for our city and the Western Cape.
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We rely entirely on donations to change lives. Our students don’t pay for any classes.
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