As part of the Cape Town Heritage Month celebrations, the four-day 'Full Tilt' performance took place, uniting young acrobats and musicians. This joint show by Zip Zap Circus and School of Rock ran at the District Six Heritage Centre from September 23rd to 26th.
The production merged contemporary circus arts with live rock music. It featured 25 artists from Zip Zap and 11 musicians from School of Rock, aged between 11 and 33. Over seven energetic performances, a mix of classic circus acts, acrobatics, and live music was presented, with all musical accompaniment performed live on stage.
For Zip Zap co-founder Brent van Rensburg, this project embodied the core idea of the organization he founded with his wife Lawrence Estev van Rensburg in 1992. After years of performing abroad as a circus artist, Van Rensburg aimed to create a platform capable of bringing together children from diverse cultures, religions, and races through the art of the circus.
The social project began modestly at Zimasa Primary School in Lange, possessing only a dining hall pull-up bar, a few costumes, and a tree. Van Rensburg recalled Nelson Mandela telling him when Zip Zap performed for him in 1995: 'We wanted to be part of your rainbow nation. We wanted to contribute.'
Since its first major tour in Grahamstown in 1994 with 20 children, Zip Zap has significantly expanded while maintaining its fundamental principles over more than three decades. This non-profit, public benefit organization continues to offer all training sessions free of charge, having accepted 1493 young people in 2025 alone and over 25,000 participants since its inception.
Currently, Zip Zap operates 10 programs—five focused on outreach and five on skill development—from its academy in Salt River. Through this organization, young people gain practical skills for the performing arts industry, employment, and entrepreneurship. Vanessa, Partnerships Manager at Zip Zap, notes: 'It is about giving young people a sense of power, providing them with opportunities to determine their own future.'
She also emphasized that all funds generated from local or international tours are reinvested back into funding the programs. A prime example of this journey is Phlelani Ndakrokra, who joined Zip Zap in 2010. Having never seen a circus before, Ndakrokra was captivated after watching performances involving the unicycle and juggling, ultimately choosing the circus over dance and football. He trained as a professional artist and teacher through Zip Zap's three-year 'Dare to Dream' program, subsequently touring internationally and performing with Freshlyground, The Parlotones, and the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ndakrokra mentioned that during performances, he shares his story, adding that performing with a live band gives Full Tilt a unique dynamic because the artists must react directly to the musicians on stage rather than following a pre-recorded track. The program is supported by the Western Cape Government's Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, and ticket revenue directly supports Zip Zap's free educational programs, continuing a 34-year mission of using circus arts to foster unity, talent, and creative self-expression.