Showing Up Creatively, Even During a Pandemic with Isabelle Chasse
This is the episode where Shannon fangirls for an hour over aerial ICON Isabelle Chasse. Isabelle immortalized the aerial act…
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Advice
Returning to Circus and Aerial Training After COVID-19 Quarantine
Who was your pandemic circus self? Many of us found that our love for circus training had to change during…
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“Being With” — How to Enhance Relationships with Your Circus Students
At The School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts (SANCA), where I am the Director of Social Circus, we seek…
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Congratulations! You Graduated from Circus School…Now What?
Congratulations graduate! You graduated from circus school and are ready to embark on a career in circus. Perhaps you will…
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Make the Transition from Circus Artist to Circus Director, Tips from Joel Baker
Joel Baker is a seasoned theater clown whose work has spanned the globe. Known for his unique brand of physical comedy,…
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The Importance of Nondisclosure Agreements
Nondisclosure agreements are the essential ingredient to protecting your work as an artist. Before you have any discussion about creating,…
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The Guide to A Modern Circus Artist’s (Not Always So) Digital Tool Box
There is no right and wrong in art. So much depends on the context, timing, mood and message. Compare that…
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Urgent Concerns– Panel Talk: Circus Artists Respond to COVID-19
Welcome to CircusTalk’s online panel discussion series where we gather experts from around the world in the circus sector to…
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Urgent Concerns-Panel Talk: Circus & Well-Being During COVID-19 Pandemic
During this discussion with our panelists, we ask important questions about the impact of the COVID-19 virus on the physical…
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Where Gig Economy Workers and Freelancers can Look for Some Relief Today
In an economy stricken by a pandemic — with the demand for services across the board falling dramatically — some…
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Cancelled Gigs Due to Coronavirus? Here’s What You Can Do
Many performing artists and performing arts organizations are experiencing the first wave of coronavirus-related cancellations. While fears about cash flow,…
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How to Hire Artists Put Out of Work by Coronavirus Cancellations
This article offers a local solution in response to the sudden unemployment within arts/entertainment community due to COVID-19. Hopefully this…
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Urgent Concerns– Panel Talk: Circus Community Responds to COVID-19
Welcome to CircusTalk’s first online panel discussion where we gathered experts from around the world in the circus sector to…
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Prevention of COVID-19 Spread in Circus
As the spread of COVID-19 (also known as the coronavirus) increases, reaching every corner of the globe, the circus industry,…
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Is Juggling Liquid? – Obstacles and Opportunities in Artistic Research in Circus
Thoughts on practice as Research in Circus, by Robin Dale, creator and performer of “What Does Stuff Do?” Thinking it…
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Promoting Your Show with Your Circus Trailer –An Interview with Lukas Stelter
In the continuation of our short series about the making of circus trailers, we spoke with the founder of Promotion…
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5 Lessons I Learned Growing Up – and Then Working at– A Circus Camp
It’s rare that we get the chance to interact with the same institution from many positions. Circus Smirkus camp, the…
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Piecing It Together – How a Group of Circus Performances Becomes a Festival
It’s about 2013, I’m a recent university graduate, a wide-eyed and keen emerging producer in my early twenties and listening…
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New Year, New You? 5 New Year’s Resolutions for the Circus Artist
“You are never too old to set another goal, or to dream a new dream.” ― C.S. Lewis Making New…
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Million Dollar Creations Versus Projects of Passion–And the Importance of Knowing What Type of Circus Creation You Are About to Undertake
It was the day before the dress rehearsal of our show Limb(e)s in Montreal’s La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines venue. The…
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Why You Need a Video Trailer for Your Circus Show– Advice from Double Take Cinematic Circus
Recent research has shown some startling information about video content online. By 2020 80% of consumer social media content will…
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Cirque Physio’s Dr. Jen Crane Lays It All Out with Training Tips
Dr. Jen Crane has many credentials beyond her doctorate in physical therapy. Among other things, she is a board certified…
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The Pain Response–New Ways of Thinking
Without a shadow of a doubt, the modern-day circus artist is exposed to high training loads and increasingly competitive and…
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How to Make a Show That Walks the Walk-An International Touring Talk Panel
In the circus community, touring is commonly known as a very difficult thing to plan and then to execute. That’s…
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With A Net: Insurance for the Circus Arts
Insurance for circus performers feels like a no-brainer (or maybe a “save-your-brainer”) to protect your life and livelihood. But it…
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Creating a Mental Health-Conscious Circus Environment; An Interview with Dr. Fleur van Rens
I recently published an article called Mental Health & Circus; The Elephant in the Room– Crucial Resources and a Call…
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Circus Photography in a Nutshell with Mark Turner
Circus is an exciting and challenging subject for the camera. While there is no shortage of amateur and professional videographers…
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7 Simple Steps on How to Find a Circus Job & Make the Most of Your Profile on CircusTalk
At CircusTalk, the international circus community’s online professional network and resource, a large percentage of our email is from circus…
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Juggling and Playfulness: Wasn’t Juggling Supposed to Be Fun?
This last year, I’ve been researching playfulness in greater depth. It has always been an important part of my juggling…
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Hot Hints and Tips to Survive (and Thrive!) at Fringe
Fringe. Whether you’re talking Adelaide, Edinburgh, Hollywood or Prague, a Fringe Festival can make you or break you. As a…
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Negotiating an Artist Contract, a Complicated But an Essential Skill
As a self-employed artist, you have already negotiated many contracts but have you done it correctly? Did you forget to…
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Safety and Your Circus Business: Preparing for an Accident
If you own a circus/aerial arts studio, could your business survive financially if an accident occurred and you lost a…
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Six Benefits of Cross Training for Circus Artists & Students
As circus arts become more popular, people of all ages and backgrounds are exploring circus arts for recreation, for fitness,…
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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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25 Strategies for Training Acro with Another Human Being
Partner Acrobatics is a sport that requires another person. It’s the best and worst of two worlds; it allows us…
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Helping Male Silks Students Succeed
This month, I had the wonderful opportunity to perform in both The Hungry Hearts Cabaret in Flagstaff, and A Very…
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Saying No in a Culture of Yes: Artists Building a Code of Ethics in the #MeToo Era
As circus arts have increased in practice and popularity, many conversations within the circus community about representation, accessibility, and communication…
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Steal From an Artist with an Agent: Advice from APAP Pros on Artist Representation
The Association of Performing Arts Professionals conference, affectionately known as APAP, annually floods the midtown Hilton for a weekend in…
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The Benefits of Owning a Domain Name as a Circus Artist
A domain name is an address which directs you to a specific location on the internet. It can be a…
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The Circus Arc; My Time So Far at Circus School in France
The main circus hall of Arc En Cirque resembles the hull of a boat turned upside down – it’s ceiling…
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Exploring the Beauty Rituals of a Circus Performer
Rituals is a monthly column that looks at the obscure beauty routines and sacred acts of self self-care different professionals practice…
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Making Audiences Part of the Show – Audience Engagement as Artistic Practice
Circus festivals epitomise the evolution of circus, however, during one of the festivals I worked at this season I had…
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5 Tips For Physical Creation
I recently finished The E-Myth Revisited, which proposed thinking of your small business as if you wanted to franchise it. Basically,…
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Buskers Are the Only Performers Making Money at the Edinburgh Fringe. Here’s How.
So. You’re trudging down the Royal Mile taking it all in. The World’s largest festival of the performing arts, and…
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Yes Virginia, Professional Aerialists Do Use Crash Mats During Performances, and You Should Too
Mary Wolfe-Nielsen and Tyce Nielsen, aka Duo Transcend, performed a death-defying trapeze act on the July 17th episode of America’s…
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Warm-Ups for the Circus Artist, Part Two
In part one we established the scientific basis for why warm-ups are an integral part of circus practice. To summarise,…
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How to Grow a Festival–Five Tips for Five Years–A List from Physical Festival Chicago
Five years ago, we were two artists (Alice De Cunha and Marc Frost) based in Chicago who decided to start…
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Warm-Ups for the Circus Artist, Part One
Imagine you’re about to start warming up before your circus class. What will it look like? How long will you…
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Tree Rigging – Is it really Safe?
Ah, the weather has turned beautiful, it’s great to be outdoors, you don’t want to be stuck in a stuffy…
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5 Tips for Self-Marketing as an Artist
I was sitting in the chapel-turned-classroom at Ecole de cirque de Quebec, listening to Julie Lavergne talk about the overview…
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Frequently Asked Questions: Auditioning for a Circus School
The first time I auditioned for École nationale de cirque, I had only hung from stall bars a mere handful…
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Circus Talk Unleashes Events Feature for Circus Industry
CircusTalk added a new feature this week, and it is likely to be a very useful one for individuals as…
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Reflections on Rejections – My Nontraditional Path to a Career in Circus
Rejection never really gets easier, but it can be a useful tool. About seven years ago, I was rejected from…
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Simple Nutrition Hacks For Circus Artists
Have you ever had indigestion but had to perform anyway? Do you find your muscles seem to be perpetually sore?…
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When is the Best Time to See a Physical Therapist? [Hint: It’s Not When You Think!]
When the UK Deputy Prime Minister launched the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation in March 2015, it was…
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10 Ways Circus Is Getting Hi-Tech & 5 Tips to Get Tech in Your Work
Since the technology boom in the 1990s, technology has been changing the way people live, communicate, work, and do business….
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5 Top Tips To Get The Most From Your Physical Therapy Appointments
As a physiotherapist that specialises in circus and the founder of Perform Health— I have spent the last decade engaging…
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6 Ways Aerial Training Will Improve Your Circus Skills – Explore the Air and Test Your Own Strength!
Founders Elli Voulgari and Dora Charisiadi created Vertical Wise to make a place for pole artists and aerialists from around…
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5 Things Every Emerging Circus Company Should Know
I want to make a disclaimer here at the start: You should make whatever kind of circus you want to,…
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Forget Working for Free – Should You Be Working at All?
We’ve all seen the “why I don’t you shouldn’t work for free” posts and memes, but friends, I think we may…
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Life at Sea: Cruise Ship Performer Dos and Don’ts – Part 2
Performing on a cruise ship sounds like a fantasy job: exotic locations, lots of time off, and all expenses paid….
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Life At Sea – Part 1.
In our ongoing series about Life At Sea, we spoke to seasoned professionals for advice about how to keep those…
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How to Land a Life at Sea
Many performers dream of getting off the road and onto the sea. But how do you get hired in the…
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Rick Wallenda Speaks about High-Wire Safety
Zero Safety, a company that is focused on increasing safety awareness and practices at the workplace, interviewed Rick Wallenda about…
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Why Some Athletes Take Talents to Disney on Ice, Cirque Du Soleil
Alexandra Young has been skating since she was just 2 years old. She competed for years on a pairs team…
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Down on Clowns Lately? Not After Meeting This Ringling Bros. Clown Turned Entrepreneur
Clowns have gotten a bad rap lately in the news, but this clown turned entrepreneur, startup innovator, and TED talk…
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Circus Training Special: So You Want to Start an Acro Program at Your Dance Studio?
If you’re looking to enhance your dance curriculum, adding an acrobatics program is a valuable investment. Natural and exciting for students…
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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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Selling Circus
When audiences for her contemporary circus tours stagnated, Rachel Clare of Crying Out Loud realised a fresh approach was needed. She…
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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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The Power to Change
Is your own brain sabotaging your career aspirations? It’s not easy to pursue a non-traditional career, such as touring with…
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How to Make the Perfect Demo Reel II.
In this continuation of our two-part article, the experts chime in with tips about music, editing, and communicating before and…
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American Circus Educators Launches Circus Arts Safety Recognition Program
The American Circus Educators Association has developed programs to help circus studios standardize their safety policies and procedures. The popularity…
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How to Make the Perfect Demo Reel I.
The hardest part of booking a good act might be getting agents to see it. In this first of a…
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