The Founder of the Quebec Circus School Loses His Life in a Sailing Accident
CircusTalk is sad to deliver the news of the loss of life of the influential circus school founder, Michel Rousseau….
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North America
Sarasota High and Circus Arts Conservatory Partner for Magnet Program
Sarasota’s long-running history with circus arts will soon expand into the classrooms of Sarasota High School. In partnership with Circus…
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The Show Must Go On! Inside Cirque Du Soleil Founder Guy Laliberté’s Plan To Create Another Entertainment Phenomenon
Guy Laliberté stands on a dock at the old port of Montreal and surveys the skyline. This is the city of…
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Considering Circus – Photo Documentation of Montreal’s annual Circus Festival
In the staunchly conservative, predominantly catholic German village of my childhood, we children eagerly anticipated three occasions each year: Carnival…
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Alegria’s Opening Night in Gatineau Marred by Early Halt in Performance and Missing Finale
A shaky start and missing finale made for a worrying and ultimately disappointing premiere performance of Alegria on Thursday night….
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Protest the Circus Way in Puerto Rico
“Politicians wish to be a real Circus, where empathy, teamwork is practiced, the impossible is achieved and we take care…
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AGT Hoop Aerialist Matthew Richardson Makes Circus/Queer Film In Church
On Season 14 of America’s Got Talent, the judges are wowed by cyr wheel performer Matthew Richardson. The 33-year-old former…
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Gandini’s Spring Demonstrates the Abstract Beauty of Dance & Juggling Combined
Spring by Gandini Juggling arrived in Montreal midsummer (July 3-8) to be part of the Montréal Complètement Cirque Festival, filling up the…
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Adaptive Circus Arts at Camputee 2019 with Erin Ball
Erin Ball is a circus artist and coach based in Kingston, Ontario, the owner of Kingston Circus Arts and a…
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Bosch Dreams as Montreal Awakens to Complètement Cirque Festival
The 10th edition of the Montréal Complètement Cirque festival is sure to fill the city with a dazzling display of…
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Concordia Pulls Back the Curtain on the Creative Process of Contemporary Circus July 2-12
Home to Cirque du Soleil, the National Circus School, TOHU and more, Montreal is at the heart of Quebec’s billion-dollar…
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Sarasota’s Bello Nock to Perform Televised High-wire Act Over Active Volcano
Shortly before Nik Wallenda attempts a high-wire walk over Times Square for an ABC special, which airs Sunday, another Sarasota…
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Under the Tent with the Cuban National Circus
Journalist André Chung visited Cuba in 2017, teaching photography and photo journalism, when he bumped into a rehearsal of Circuba…
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Meet the Graduate from ENC, Ron Oppenheimer
Meet ENC (École Nationale de Cirque, Montréal) graduate Ron Oppenheimer! As the youngest of four siblings growing up in California,…
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Programming Contemporary Circus Preserves the Ludique in Life
Ruth Juliet Wikler is a name to know. Earlier this month, she was officially announced the Deputy Director of Programming,…
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It’s Official: Ruth Wikler is TOHU’s New Circus Arts Programming Director
This just in– good news from the Montréal circus venue TOHU announcing that the Deputy Director of Programming position has…
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Arts Sector Contributed $763.6 Billion to U.S. Economy—More Than Agriculture or Transportation, New Data Shows
The arts and cultural sector contributed over $763.6 billion to the American economy in 2015—more than the agriculture, transportation, or…
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Big Apple Circus Cancels Arena Tour Amid Low Ticket Sales, Internal Email Shows
The Big Apple Circus, which finished a month-long run in Oaks on Sunday, has called off its arena tour, which…
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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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Montreal’s Circus Festival Returns to the Quartier des Spectacles from July 4 to 14
Some of Montreal’s streets are about to turn into an open-air circus ring. From July 4 to 14, The Montreal…
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Circus Flora’s 33rd Season Takes Audience Members On Flying Adventure Inside Schnucks Grocery Store
Circus Flora is a longstanding tradition for many St. Louisans and is back in action this month for its 33rd…
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Stop and Read: Early 20th Century Juggling Manual Re-Release!
Juggling or How To Become a Juggler: the annotated edition is another piece of juggling literature from Modern Vaudeville Press…
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The Big Apple Circus Faces a Potential Crisis in Artistic Leadership
If one were to look at the development of the American circus in the last 40 years, as I have…
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‘The Final Farewell’ Showcases Ringling Bros. Circus’ Last Days
In a new documentary titled The Final Farewell about Ringling Bros., CEO Kenneth Feld is purported to have said “Ringling Bros….
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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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Legend Nik Wallenda Announces Walk Across A High Wire 25 Stories Above NYC’s Times Square
Legendary highwire acrobat Nik Wallenda announced on “Good Morning America”Thursday that he and his sister will embark on a high wire…
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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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Social Circus Takes on Social Issues, Builds Tolerance and Bravery
Wise Fool New Mexico Spokesperson, Life Coach and Educator Oriana Lee joins Wake Up Call Segment Host/Producer MK Mendoza to…
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A Day at the (Academic) Circus: Reporting from the Popular Culture Association National Conference
Last month in Washington DC, the Marriott Wardman Park hotel played host to the 2019 Popular Culture Association’s National Conference….
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CINAR President’s Lifetime Contribution to Performing Arts is Recognized
On May 27th, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec will induct 17 new cultural ambassadors from Quebec…
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The Reinvention of Ringling Clown Joel Jeske
“You have a sense of humor, you know what’s funny, but what’s your sense of humor?” is how Joel Jeske…
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Julio Revolledo, Considered the Greatest Historian of Mexican Circus, Has Died.
Julio Revolledo Cardenas, widely considered to be the number one historian of Mexican circus, passed away last night in the…
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Cirque du Soleil in New Vegas Show Leaves the Acrobats Out
The news just broke, Cirque du Soleil, in a continued effort to diversify and distance itself from their brand as…
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The Queens of Hot Brown Honey Are Finally Centerstage
Step into the Hive: the first thing you might notice on the Hot Brown Honey stage is the giant honeycomb…
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The 7 Fingers Hosts En Piste AGM Forum for Circus Artists
The En Piste AGM(Annual General Meeting) is a chance for the circus community to come together once a year to…
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NECCA Student Wins at International Circus Competition
BRATTLEBORO — The New England Center for Circus Arts is making its mark on the international performing arts scene. NECCA,…
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New Artists Congregate to St Jax Montreal for 2019’s Second Edition of le Monastère’s Circus-Cabaret
After dazzling its audience within the hallowed halls of St Jax Montreal (1439 St-Catherine Street West), at the premiere of…
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‘Viva Fest’ opens in Henderson Thursday, Features Top Aerialists, Acrobats
HENDERSON, Nev. (KLAS) — Some of the best aerialists and acrobats around the world return to Las Vegas this weekend….
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Break the Divide. Change Your Molecules with Circus: A Conversation with Programmer Monique Martin
In our new series called Meet the Presenter-Tag, we explore the world of circus arts programming with different presenters and…
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For a Brooklyn Circus School, a Real Estate High-Wire Act
On a recent Friday night inside The Muse Brooklyn, a circus-arts studio housed in a mammoth warehouse in Bushwick, aspiring…
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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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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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Drinking Deep from the Well of Juggling History with Thom Wall–A Book Review & Giveaway
After finishing my second read through of Thom Wall’s Juggling From Antiquity to the Middle Ages—the forgotten history of throwing…
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Video of the 2017 Nik Wallenda Accident Emerges
SARASOTA — A previously unknown video of the 2017 Circus Sarasota rehearsal that resulted in the collapse of Nik Wallenda’s…
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Alessandro Sciarroni Juggles Time at the ICA
This short review in the Boston Globe is an indicator of the growing trend of circus as a contemporary art…
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Petition Calls for Cancellation of Michael Jackson Show on Vegas Strip
The allegations against Michael Jackson in HBO’s new documentary “Leaving Neverland” are serious. In the two-part film which premiered on…
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Never Alone: Dualities of Circus Tradition and Innovation
“This is for you,” said director Bence Vági, handing me a printed paperback book whose cover showed blurred black and…
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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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Cirque’s ‘One Night’ Show Headed for Network TV
Liberace brought Las Vegas into the living rooms of families across the country in the late-1970s with his CBS-TV specials…
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New Mexico GOP Clown Bill Asking Money for ‘Circus Arts’
SANTA FE – A Democratic proposal that seeks to allocate $100,000 for “circus arts” education in New Mexico is drawing ridicule from…
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Concordia ‘Circademic’ Joe Culpepper is Developing New Ways to Practice and Experience Magic
Joe Culpepper first felt the magnetic pull of magic at 14, when the boy who would become his best friend…
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Bill Would Encourage Settlements in Circus Lawsuits
House Majority Leader K. Joseph Shekarchi introduced a bill that would protect defendants who settle in the Ringling Bros. case…
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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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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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A Mix Of Circus And Dance, ‘When Angels Fall’ Imagines A Dystopia That Pits Humanity Against Technology
In a dystopian future that doesn’t appear as far-fetched as it should, a looming, manipulative entity watches over a machine-run…
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Peter Bufano Awarded Newbury Comics Fellowship for the Study of Circus Music
Bufano, an assistant professor in Berklee’s Film Scoring Department, will document technology’s impact on circus music. Peter Bufano, assistant professor in…
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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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How Circus Training Helps Me Deal With My Anxiety Disorder
I hovered 30 feet off the ground, trying not to look down, a long loop of fabric my only support….
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Performers Make Way into Circus Ring of Fame
Four acts will be inducted into the Circus Ring of Fame on St. Armands Circle Jan. 13. They’ve walked the…
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The Body in Waiting
From July 3rd to 13th 2018, over twenty thinker-doers from a dozen countries, all practitioners and scholars of contemporary circus and/or…
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A Sequence of Blogs on Expertise and Ethics
From July 3rd to 13th 2018, over twenty thinker-doers from a dozen countries, all practitioners and scholars of contemporary circus and/or…
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Beyond the Big Top
A short documentary by Amanda Levenson exploring how circus in North America has evolved in recent years. The United States…
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Circus Artists to the Rescue–A Letter from New Victory Theater’s Director of Artistic Programming
We often hear stories of circus people coming forward to save the day–and New Victory Theater has as a good…
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Simple Thoughts
From July 3rd to 13th 2018, over twenty thinker-doers from a dozen countries, all practitioners and scholars of contemporary circus and/or…
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The New Circus: Season 2 Episode 3: Alexis Udo-Udoma
In season two of her video series The New Circus, in which she explores the major players and influences upon…
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New Jersey Becomes First State to Ban Use of Wild, Exotic Animals in Circuses
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed legislation Friday that made his state the first in the nation to ban…
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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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Gandini’s Smashed Delivers A Disquieting Minefield of Apples, Tea Sets and Gender Dynamics
I was blown away by Gandini Juggling’s production of Smashed this past Saturday. Apples become grenades and decimate the landscape….
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Coffee talk with Maddy and Stacey–Finding the Intersection Between Circus & Dance
From July 3rd to 13th 2018, over twenty thinker-doers from a dozen countries, all practitioners and scholars of contemporary circus and/or…
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Inclusive Juggling with Craig Quat–Finding the Flow
Internationally known as an innovator in the theory and practice of inclusive juggling, Craig Quat grew up attending a social…
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Cirque du Soleil Performer Falls off BMX Bike During SF ‘Volta’ Performance
A Cirque du Soleil performer fell off his BMX bike during a stunt in the final part of the organization’s…
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The More We Learn, The Less I Know
From July 3rd to 13th 2018, over twenty thinker-doers from a dozen countries, all practitioners and scholars of contemporary circus and/or…
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Cirque du Monde Grant Winners Announced for 2018!
It is that time of year again–when Cirque du Monde, the social outreach division of Cirque du Soleil, choses it’s…
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SF’s Treasure Island Has Something New — a Circus
Circus Bella has come a long way from its first performance, crashing an event in San Francisco’s Dolores Park to…
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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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PASSAGERS – Why We Need to Keep on Going
An imaginary train station, a train that forms and deconstructs itself in front of the eyes of hundreds of spectators,…
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Cirque du Soleil Casting Call Gives Clues to New Disney World Show
A casting notice posted this month offers a few clues to the new Cirque du Soleil show scheduled for Walt…
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Soundtracking Circus Creations: A Checklist and a Case Study
From July 3rd to 13th 2018, over twenty thinker-doers from a dozen countries, all practitioners and scholars of contemporary circus and/or…
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Creative Finance: Life’s a Circus for Montreal’s Shana Carroll
Montreal has long been a hub for creative innovators, entrepreneurs and artists. In this column, Brendan Kelly offers a snapshot…
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Cirque Éloize’s Stylish New Creation HOTEL
As part of our three-part series Circus Talk will run this year on the 25th anniversary of Cirque Éloize, we…
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Kicking Off CINARS with Circus!
From November 12th until the 17th, 2018, Canada’s biggest performing arts showcase CINARS will unfold in Montréal, churning out 190…
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What It Means When Circus Artists Take Part in Graduate Research Courses
From July 3rd to 13th 2018, over twenty thinker-doers from a dozen countries, all practitioners and scholars of contemporary circus and/or…
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Big Apple Circus: Back on its Feet, but Fastened to Tradition
A familiar blue tent is cozied amidst the daunting buildings of Lincoln Center. The Big Apple Circus has returned to…
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Agent Of Happiness–Fanny Kerwich
Fanny Kerwich is a woman in motion. Her energy is electric, light, and ever flowing. Much like her directorial sense,…
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Meanwhile, Backstage…
From July 3rd to 13th 2018, over twenty thinker-doers from a dozen countries, all practitioners and scholars of contemporary circus and/or…
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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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Cirque du Soleil’s Saudi Arabia Show ‘Difficult’ for Founder Guy Laliberte
MONTREAL — In the light of recent geopolitical tensions in Saudi Arabia, Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte has expressed…
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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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Everywhere and Nowhere: the New Wave of Site-Specific Circus
Typically, talking about site-specific circus means talking about a large outdoor space that’s converted (with, say, scaffolding or cranes or…
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American Circus Educators Come Together From Across the United States to EdCon 2018!
Circus educators and professionals from around the United States gathered this past weekend, October 4th-7th, at the American Circus Educators…
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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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Homeless Youth and Globe-Trotting Aerialists: The Circus Project Has a Big Tent
You no longer need to run away to join the Circus Project. After most of a decade spent walking budgetary…
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Devising Circus on the Fly: Lessons from the Plaid Lads
The Plaid Lads, a duo comprised of Sam Malcolm and Tony Steinbach, are darlings of the fringe world, having performed…
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PBS Mini-Series The Circus Delves in to US Circus History and Present
On Monday, October 8th, and Tuesday October 9th, PBS (The Public Broadcasting Service) is launching a new four hour mini…
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Orlando Ringmaster Enlivens PBS’ ‘Circus’
“The Circus,” a four-hour PBS documentary about the big top’s history, finds one of its most forceful witnesses in Orlando….
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UniverSoul Circus Marks 25 Years of Turning Everyone ‘Into a Kid Again’
In May 2017, after years of entertaining children of all ages, the curtain fell for the final time on the…
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The Greatest Showman Heading to Broadway
The Greatest Showman may not have been a massive critical success, but the musical has won over droves of fans…
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BWW Interview: Machine de Cirque Founder, Vincent Dubé, On Bringing Award-Winning Circus from Quebec to the New 42nd Street New Victory Theater This Fall!
Family fun will be reaching new heights this fall, as Machine de Cirque lands at the New 42nd Street New…
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Cirque du Soleil Swings into TV with Big Top Academy
Discovery Kids Latin America and Cirque du Soleil Images, the multimedia production division of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, have partnered…
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