Pascal Jacob, Straddling the Circus of Yesterday and Tomorrow
Picture the word impressario, and you will have a perfect image of Pascal Jacob, Vice President of the Festival Mondial…
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Kim Campbell is the editor of CircusTalk News. She has written about circus for Spectacle magazine, Circus Now, Circus Promoters and was a resident for Circus Stories, Le Cirque Vu Par with En Piste in 2015 at the Montreal Completement Cirque Festival. She is the former editor of American Circus Educators magazine, as well as a staff writer for the web publication Third Coast Review, where she writes about circus, theatre, arts and culture.
Teatro ZinZanni Expands Their Reach with Love, Chaos & Dinner Show
In early April the local Chicago arts press was invited for a ‘hard hat tour’ of the still under construction…
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Physical Theater Festival Chicago Opens Up to Circus Programming in 2019
It will be the 6th year for Physical Theater Festival Chicago (May 31st–June 8th, 2019), and as in previous years,…
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Casting Circus Talent in Disneyland Paris
Disney is synonymous with entertainment, and Disneyland Paris keeps up with this precedent by offering live shows– both outdoor shows…
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10th Annual World Circus Day April 20th— Register Your Circus Event
The 10th Annual World Circus Day will be celebrated around the world on Saturday, April 20th 2019. The Fédération Mondiale…
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Pearls of Juggling–Wisdom & Advice from Anthony Trahair
Pearls of Juggling is a labor of love kind of book (and blog) written by Anthony Trahair. The book was…
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Do You Really Need a Circus Agent?
As a circus artist, how do you sign up with an agency? Which agency would get you the types of…
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Breaking Down the Wall Between Generations in Réversible by The 7 Fingers
There were three walls visible on the stage at Krannert Center for Performing Arts when Réversible began–connected in a straight…
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Reading Contemporary Circus with Circademic Franziska Trapp
Dr. Franziska Trapp is a researcher at the University of Münster who founded the Zirkus|Wissenschaft research project, a project which…
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Circus Knie, the Musical Opens in Switzerland to Celebrate 100 Years and 8 Generations of Family Run Circus
Circus Knie, which started 100 years ago as Switzerland’s National Circus, has found a rather unique way to celebrate their…
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When Angels Fall –French Devised Performance with Circus at Its Core Inspiring US Audiences
For the month of February in 2019, a new production from France called When Angels Fall by Cie L’Oubliée’s founder…
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Graduates Causing Friction at CNAC
The quiet pulse of house music rises slowly as the audience settles in. In the center of the circus ring…
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Cruising Along with The 7 Fingers in a New Direction
In February of 2020, The 7 Fingers will officially be moving in to a new market, cruise ship entertainment. Along with…
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3 AM Theatre– The Time to Dream About (& Plan) Circus
3AM Theatre is one of the new breed of small circus companies like Cirque Us and Acrobatic Conundrum that is…
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A Second Coming–Australia’s Briefs Factory Confronts NYC with Queer Circus, Drag & Burlesque
Makeup and mustaches, feathers and leather, bananas and balloons, these opposites are toyed with in just the right proportion to…
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7 Reasons to Attend or Tune in to the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in 2019
Everyone has their own favorite reasons for going to Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain. For some it’s the iconic…
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2018–A Year of Progress: Circus Anniversaries, Festivals & Hot Topics
In many ways, 2018 has been a great year for circus. This is really saying something when you consider that…
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How Ecole National de Cirque Keeps That Competative Edge
As one of the foremost circus institutions in the world, École national de cirque (ENC) is gifted with many resources,…
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APAP–60 Years of Serving the Arts– & The Growing Circus Connection
From January 4th thru the 8th in New York City, The Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) will open its doors…
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Applied Anatomy of Aerial Arts–A Treasure for Circus Libraries
The new book Applied Anatomy of Aerial Artists by author and Doctor of Physical Therapy Emily Scherb (aka The Circus Doc)…
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Big Top Academy Stars Talk Circus
Big Top Academy is a new circus-themed show on Discovery Kids Network that premiered October 15th, 2018. Set in a…
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Presenting Circus Across the Program Spectrum with Potluck Arts
In our new series called Meet the Presenter-Tag, we will explore the world of circus arts programming with different presenters…
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The Big Apple Circus–2018/2019 Season’s Wonder Women
The Big Apple Circus is about to begin its 41st season this October 2018 and they are kicking it off…
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The International Circus Cookbook–A Review
Did you ever wonder what most circus artists eat to fuel their bodies? Thanks to Samuel Sion (aka Rose) and…
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Cirque du Soleil’s BAZZAR Faces East for a New Audience in India and Africa
Described by its creators as “an eclectic lab of infinite creativity where a joyful troupe of acrobats, dancers and musicians…
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AutoCannibal–Circus Gets Dark
This dark work-in-progress (AutoCannibal) by Captain Ruin (aka Mitch Jones) was what he came up with in creation mode with…
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Fira Tàrrega 2018–Street Art & Circus Collide
From September 6th until the 9th in 2018, the streets of Tàrrega in Spain will be taken over by street art…
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The 7 Fingers Opens Creation & Production Center– Not Business As Usual
Seven floors for seven fingers. Was that what sold The 7 Fingers (Les 7 Doigts De La Main) co-founders on…
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Meet the Circus Festival: St. John’s International Circus Festival
Perched on the top eastern corner of the North American Continent, the lively town of St. John’s will host its…
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25 Moments from the Life of Cirque Éloize–Part 2
Cirque Éloize is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018. That equals 25 years of shows and innovation in the circus…
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First Social Circus Festival in the USA–Hosted by CircEsteem
The first ever United States hosted social circus festival took place early this August at CircEsteem. Since 2001 their mission…
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Circus in Montréal; Highlights of The International Market of Contemporary Circus-2018
CircusTalk was recently in Montréal–the circus hub of North America, reporting on the 9th annual Montréal Complètement Cirque Festival (MCC)….
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Vol. 4, No. 1-2 of Circus & Its Others; Research Work by Circus Writers Published
Performance Matters, an academic journal about the materiality and consequentiality of performance, has just published Vol. 4, No. 1-2 of…
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Meet the Circus Festival: Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance Festival
In our new series titled Meet the Festival, we will explore some of the many festivals of the circus world….
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Experiential Learning in Contemporary Circus–A Seminar in Montreal
Each year as the Montréal Complètement Cirque (MCC) festival approaches, graduate students from around the world begin to gather in…
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RoboPole–Circus of the Future
In Paris this past January, at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain, a giant robot took center stage and…
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Emma Serjeant, The Traveling Circus Director–A Trend in Cross-Pollinating Circus Concepts
In Chicago, eight circus students just completed their second year of the pro training program at Aloft Circus Arts, a…
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Meet the Circus Festival: Hand to Hand, May 29th-June 3rd in Philadelphia
In our new series titled Meet the Festival, we will explore some of the many festivals of the circus world….
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A Picture of Circus in Brussels, Part Two
Brussels is positioning itself to be one of the main circus centers of Europe, a distinction which is only enhanced…
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A Picture of Circus in Brussels – Part One
Brussels is positioning itself to be one of the main circus centers of Europe, a distinction which is only enhanced…
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Circus250: Celebrating Circus History & Embracing Circus Present
Dea Birkett’s love of circus goes way back. But it was when she received a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship to…
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Celebrate Social Circus Day Around the Globe!
Now celebrating its third year, Social Circus Day is April 7th. Championed by the Asian Social Circus Association (ASCA), it…
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Love at First Sight– Circus in Montreal
Coups de Coeur is the name of an annual circus show that distracts Montreal from the dead of winter. Over…
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La Grainerie–Accompanying the Circus Artist & Creating a Safety Net
La Grainerie is a much admired institution in Toulouse, France that works in conjunction with the wider circus community to…
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A Madcap Journey of Clowns and Crypto-Currency–Making The Pitts Circus Movie
At first glance, Ken Fanning is perhaps an unlikely film director for a mockumentary about an Australian circus family. Busy…
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Circus History Talk 250 : Dominique Jando Pays Tribute to the 250th Anniversary of Circus with a New Book
Circus Talk is happy to announce a new yearlong series titled Circus History Talk 250, where we will explore the…
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When Circus Dreams Come True: The Career of Viktor Franyo
Viktor Franyo is a guy whose face you may have seen before, either behind the clever makeup of his character…
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Our Top Circus Articles of 2017–A Year in Review
Since Circus Talk launched in June 2017 it has published over 300 circus-related articles. Often, we share circus news from…
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Magical World of Circus TV Series in Europe
ARTE.TV, the premier European arts channel, is hosting the Magical World of Circus for its European viewers this winter season….
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Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain Offers Club PRO for the Circus Professionals
Founded just four years ago to accommodate the growing needs of the circus industry, Club PRO is a membership for…
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New Release–Movie Circus Kid Documents Life of Pickle Family Circus Members
Sundance Now, a subscription streaming service, is set to air a new documentary called Circus Kid about the life of…
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Exhibition Upside Down–A Traveling Circus Exhibit to Augment Your Festival
Thanks to Zirkus|Wissenschaft , a new traveling exhibit is available for loan to circus events such as festivals and conferences….
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Cirque du Soleil Supports Circus Harmony and Other Social Circuses
Just in time for Giving Tuesday this week, Circus Harmony (located in St. Louis, Missouri) has announced that they were…
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Gender and Circus Coaching
The American Youth Circus Organization has a Youth Advisory Committee and they have put together an incredibly useful resource which…
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Heads Up: DIY Circus Lab Author Jackie Davis Funding Online Circus Tutorial Library
Circus Talk member Jackie Leigh Davis has a long, illustrious career in circus education. Her new book DIY Circus Lab…
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Cirque du Soleil’s Crystal Shines in Chicago–Blending Circus and Ice Show
Cirque du Soleil’s ice show Crystal is in Chicago for a scant 3 days (Nov.16-19th at Sears Arena in Hoffman…
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Almanac: The First Flying Trapeze Act
And now a page from our “Sunday Morning” Almanac: November 12, 1859, 158 years ago today … a day for…
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Quick Talk with Grandma the Clown’s Alter Ego, Barry Lubin
In 2015, when Barry Lubin’s memoirs Tall Tales of a Short Clown were about to be released, I had the…
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Put It In Your Back Pocket–The Rise of the Small Circus Company, A Case Study
Back Pocket is an international start-up circus company with big plans. They want to create their show and do the…
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October Round Up
Each month, Circus Talk will scour the globe to report on the hundreds of circus-based festivals and conferences that occur…
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Contemporary Juggling Star Wes Peden Tells All–A Quick Talk
My 17-year-old son had just returned home from the European Juggling Convention where he was fortunate enough to see many…
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Sign Up for the Instructor in Circus Arts E-learning Program Offered by École Nationale de Cirque
Course Description: École Nationale de Cirque in Montreal now offers an online version of the circus arts Instructor program in…
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The Toad Knew -A Fitting Opening for the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
La Compagnie du Hanneton’s latest show The Toad Knew packed the house of the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, Chicago’s brand…
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Meet Ellie Dubois — The Force Behind The Award-Winning No Show
Director and artist Ellie Dubois’s show No Show won a Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year. Circus Talk’s…
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Vote for the Best Circus Logo for the 250th Anniversary of Traditional Circus
Update: A winner has been chosen fro the log contest! The winning image is a golden 250th with a silhouette…
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September Festival Roundup
Each month, Circus Talk will scour the globe to report on the hundreds of circus-based festivals and conferences that occur…
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Edinburgh Fringe Awards 2017–Circus Wins!
By all accounts, Edinburgh Fringe 2017 was as exciting as ever and now that the awards have been announced, we…
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Compañía de Circo “eia” to the Max!
Compañía de Circo “eia” has received a Max award (named after Max Estrella the protaganist of Bohemian Lights) for their…
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August Festival Roundup
Each month, Circus Talk will scour the globe to report on the hundreds of circus-based festivals and conferences that occur…
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Add This to Your Circus Library–A Nofit State Circus Coffee Table Book
This project is about that book; a coffee table book full of the wonder, passion and beauty of circus, suitable…
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Circus, Culture & Diversity Video Recap
The Circus, Culture & Diversity workshop Youtube video wrap up is here, so if you did not get to attend…
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The Australian Circus Influence via Antonella Casella of Circus Oz
Antonella Casella’s influence on Australian circus reads like a fascinating historical primer on this contemporary art form. Whatever company she…
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Your Complete Guide to Montréal Complètement Cirque
Summer in Montréal, poutine and beer, music drifting down cobble-stoned streets and thanks to Montréal Complètement Cirque festival–which is in…
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July Festival Roundup
Each month Circus Talk will scour the globe to report on the hundreds of circus-based festivals and conferences that occur…
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What We Need: This Round table on Circus, Culture & Diversity in Montréal
As circus artists, presenters and fans gather in Montréal for the Montréal Complètement Cirque festival that runs July 6 thru…
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Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde–Embracing Social Circus in a Suburb of Paris
Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde isn’t the littlest circus in the world anymore. Although they may have started out…
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375 Celebration Brings Big Circus: Cirque Éloize Explores Montréal’s Neighborhoods
This year Montreal is going above and beyond the usual summer fanfare to celebrate it’s 375th birthday. Just for some…
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375 Celebration Brings Big Circus: 7 Fingers Explores Montréal’s History
This year Montreal is going above and beyond the usual summer fanfare to celebrate it’s 375th birthday. Just for some…
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June Circus Festival Round Up
Each month Circus Talk will scour the globe to report on the hundreds of circus-based festivals and conferences that occur…
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Acrobatic Conundrum’s Terry Crane Keeps Spinning Yarns–An Interview
This past March in Chicago I sat down at a chai cafe with Acrobatic Conundrum’s artistic director and co-founder, Terry…
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Goodbye Ringling–Gone But Never Forgotten
When an institution has been around for 146 Years, there is little you can say about it that hasn’t been…
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Celebrating Juggler Thom Wall with His Video “30 Tricks for a 30 Year Old”
Referred to by my juggling son as his favorite ‘Gentleman juggler’, Thom Wall has celebrated at least his last two…
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May Circus Festival Roundup
Each month Circus Talk will scour the globe to report on the hundreds of circus-based festivals and conferences that occur…
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This Week: Comical Kallo Collective & Cirko Festival
When the Nordic countries have finally thawed out every May, circus artists from around the globe gather in Helsinki to…
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Big Top Life for New Circus Family
Taylor & Kelly Spring are a nouveau circus family, and just like the old circus families they are continuing the…
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Underbelly Festival Exposed
What do you get when you combine the Udderbelly Festival and London Wonderground Festival? You get Underbelly Festival, a mash-up…
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Experience Circus from Finland!
Circus in Finland often gets held up as an example of how a European country with the proper resources and…
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Circus Summer Seminar in Montreal
This year, Montreal is turning 375 years old and what better way to celebrate than with non-stop festivities? Montreal is…
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Paramour’s Curtain Closes on Broadway
Paramour, Cirque du Soleil’s Broadway musical , closed its curtain for the last time at Lyric Theatre on April 16th….
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Cirque Global Highlights Quebec’s Influence on Contemporary Circus
Collaborating professors Louis Patrick Leroux (of Montreal’s Concordia University) and Charles Batson (of Union College, NY) have put together a…
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A Call for Proposals for International Market of Contemporary Circus
Montréal has so much influence in the contemporary circus world. There is the Cirque du Soleil headquarters, located in circus…
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April 1st is Social Circus Day–No Kidding!
Social circus is a worldwide movement that has been growing exponentially in part due to the tireless work of pioneers…
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New Circus Doors in the US
With the launch of Circus Talk News came the unfortunate announcement of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey closing up…
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A Moment of Circus in Chicago
In a couple of weeks, both circus artists and circus fans in Chicago are going to be privvy to a…
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Looking Up with Circus Artist Vladimir Hrynchenko
Most people know Vladimir Hrynchenko as a circus artist. He was trained at Kiev Circus Academy as a hand balancer…
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Inside Ephemeral Architectures with Gandini Juggling
Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala have been the backbone of the juggling company Gandini for 24 years. Their signature style,…
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Festivals & Residencies—How, Why & Where to Get Your Work Out There
One of the most exciting things about being a professional circus artist is the increasing abundance of training and performance…
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Telling Stories with Body & Buildings; A Circus Tour of Melbourne with Emma Serjeant
Emma Serjeant is a prolific circus artist, producer, director and instructor from Australia whose work has touched all of their…
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Sign on the Dotted Line—the Importance of Contracts in Circus and How to Understand Them
“Any time there is an agreement between two people to do something, that agreement is a contract. The importance of…
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The Secrets of a Circus Casting Director—An Interview with Krista Monson
Krista Monson has worn many hats during her artistic career. She started out as a professional dancer and moved on…
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