Michiko Tanaka On Making Circus Happen in Japan with Setouchi Circus Factory
I started producing contemporary circus in 2004 in Sapporo when I was working for the Hokkaido Shimbun Press (in Japan,…
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Meet the Organization
Cluster Arts: Brisbane’s Circus Management Team Backstage and Taking Care of Business
Transcribing my conversation with Deb Wilks (Executive Director) and Kate Malone (Executive Producer) of Cluster Arts was like time travel. We spoke…
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Cirkuliacija Festival in Lithuania Says “Let’s Meet Online”
The international contemporary circus festival Cirkuliacija is returning to Kaunas, Lithuania this June of 2020 in a new format due…
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Lifted from Poverty by a Cambodian Cirque du Soleil, Acrobats Support 1,200 Students Through Nightly Shows
With a madcap show featuring uproarious acrobatics accompanied by raucous music, Phare could be described as Cambodia’s answer to Cirque…
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Circus and Changing Realities 2020–The Evolving Field of Circus Media through the Eyes of INCAM Members
Welcome to Circus and Changing Realities 2020. In this episode titled The Evolving Field of Circus Media through the Eyes of INCAM…
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Contemporary Circus Programming at Montclair State Aims to Defy Expectations of Virtuosity
I remember sitting in a patch of sun after I had finished teaching for the morning. I spoke with Jed…
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The High-Flying Circus Firm for Pop and Rock Stars
Many of us dream of quitting our nine-to-five jobs, to, as the saying goes, “run away and join the circus.”…
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From the Archive: Up Close with the Students of the Shanghai Circus School
lt’s a tradition stretching back more than 3,000 years, a secret passed from master to disciple across the ages. Now…
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5 Ways Circus Artists Are Joining the Fight Against the Global Climate Crisis
In these difficult times, many circus artists and companies are feeling helpless as they face the COVID-19 global pandemic and…
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Under the Big Top with Escuela de Circo Carampa in Madrid
In October of 2019, CircusTalk went to Spain to participate in FIRCO and we made it a point to visit…
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Spotlight Africa: Ivory Coast’s Popular Circus Festival Expands Its Reach
The third iteration of the Circus Festival of Abidjan is taking place March 2nd to the 8th 2020 in the…
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Costumes at Cirque du Soleil–The Challenging Work of Preserving Circus Heritage
Cirque du Soleil was founded over 35 years ago, and in that time has produced thousands of costumes for 52…
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The Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center in Troy, NY: An Example of Emerging Scenes for the Circus Arts in the US
What do an architect, a financial lawyer, an actor, a proprietor of a historic-home-turned-B&B, a professor of French and performance…
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Females Join Ring at New Zoppe Circus Show
For families like the Zoppes, the circus isn’t just a way to make a living. It is part of their…
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Dynamo Workspace Makes Big Noise for Contemporary Circus
Gry Lambertsen and RuneVadstrøm Andersen started Dynamo Workspace a mere three years ago. In that short time, the venue has become…
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NoFit State Circus Brings Acclaimed Show Lexicon to The Roundhouse
The seeds of NoFit State Circus were sown in the politically charged atmosphere of the 1980s. They were five friends,…
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LEME CIRCUS FORUM “Matters”
LEME CIRCUS FORUM will take place from the 5th to the 8th of December 2019 as a joint project organized…
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Kiki Muukkonen and Subtopia: Carving New Paths for the Circus Movement
Subtopia is an artists’ and art organization’s mecca nestled near the east coast of Sweden. It is a facilitator of…
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Quick Talk with Tara Jacob, New Executive Director of the American Youth Circus Organization
As a teenager, Tara Jacob first fell in love with the fun, creativity, and community when she discovered in the…
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Underbelly: Exposing the Success of Circus at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
In our ongoing series called Meet the Presenter-Tag, we will explore the world of circus arts programming with different presenters…
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FUORI ASSE Project: Milan and the Culture of Contemporary Circus That Does (Not) Exist
In the last few years Italy’s capital of fashion and design is expanding its horizons. Being Italy’s second biggest city…
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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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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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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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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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Highlighting The Asian Social Circus Association
The American Circus Educators (part of AYCO) have made their leap from print to digital final by adopting a website…
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Circus For Sale: A Letter to Subcase
Dear Subcase, ‘A showcase of Nordic contemporary circus…Subcase is co-curated by a group of Nordic-Baltic performing arts professionals. All performances…
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Innovative Circus in Berlin with Chamāleon Productions
In our continuing series called Meet the Presenter-Tag, we will explore the world of circus arts programming with different presenters…
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Creative Exploration: the Heart of Brazil’s National Circus School in Rio di Janeiro
There are two entrances to Brazil’s Escola Nacional de Circo (ENC). The two entrances reflect the past and the future…
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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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Going PRO with Cirque de Demain for the 40th Anniversary
For most of us, four decades of existence can result in crow’s feet and beer bellies. For Cirque de Demain,…
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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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Transcending Boundaries–A Video Interview with Tilde Björfors of Circus Cirkör
In this interview with Tilde Bjorfors of Circus Cirkor, we learn about the origins and mission of this socially progressive…
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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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3 Days with Awaji Art Circus in Japan
Have you heard of Awaji island in Japan? Speaking of Japan, it’s rare to meet people who can name more…
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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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Backstage with Model Citizens : Words By Lucy Gamsby Frost & Photos by Luke David Kellett
A Day in the Life of Lucy Frost, Touring Production Manager at Circus Oz. Model Citizens Tour 2018 I wake…
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Beware of the Tigers. Two Festival Makers Take the Stand
Summer is approaching and with it high season for the circus festivals. Circus programmers spend the entire year putting together…
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Berlin Circus Festivals’ 4th Edition Offered Variety & Space for Reflection
A festival, a hangout, a space created for the whole spectrum of what circus is and might be. Musing on…
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Iberoamerican Circus Artists Seek Recognition, Then Prizes at FIRCO
Hello, Olá, Hola and welcome to the first year of the hopefully annual Festival Iberoamericano de Circo (FIRCO), an adjudicated showcase of…
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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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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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Meet the Circus School —Circus Juventas Prepares to Go Pro
In our new series titled Meet the Circus School, we will explore some of the many circus schools around the…
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Extraordinary Bodies Circus Challenges Disability Stereotypes
The circus arts have a chequered history when it comes to disability. However, the world has come a long way…
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Gravity & Other Myths Pushes Their Art Form to the Limit
Some of the routines and feats that Gravity & Other Myths, an Australian physical theater company, create, can be described…
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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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HARMAN Brings A Modern Look To New York’s Historic BIG APPLE CIRCUS
Veteran lighting designer Jeff Croiter recently deployed Martin by HARMAN lighting fixtures to create a new and contemporary lighting design…
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A Circus School Celebrates Palestinian Identity
BIRZEIT, Palestine—Music and laughter are all that can be heard under a circus tent in this town near Ramallah in…
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FEDEC Celebrates 20 Years of Circus Arts Training, Education, and Development
In April 2018, the European Federation of Professional Circus Schools (FEDEC), headquartered in Brussels, is celebrating 20 years of connecting…
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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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25 Moments from the Life of Cirque Éloize — Part 1.
As part of a three-part series Circus Talk will run this year on the 25th anniversary of Cirque Eloize, we…
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Circus Oz at 40: From Self-Made Tent to Global Success, in Many Tricky Moves
Tim Coldwell tosses a bolt of old canvas painted a faded green and gold on to a benchtop. He turns…
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After Maria, San Juan’s Circo Fest Wants to Make Puerto Rican Circus Stronger Than Ever
As soon as Circo Fest wrapped in San Juan last March, the organizers started working on the 2018 festival. It’s…
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Meet the Makers of the Hideaway Circus Podcast
Hideaway Circus is a Brooklyn-based production company run by creative producers Josh Aviner and Lyndsay Magid Aviner. The company’s live…
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Circus Celebrates its Fifth Year
Siem Reap’s ultra-funky Cambodian circus Phare celebrates its fifth anniversary this month, and its director of sales and marketing Craig…
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Palestinian Circus Show Highlights Life Twists of Mideast Refugees
RAMALLAH: A first-ever circus show inspired by stories of Middle East refugees was put on this week in the West Bank,…
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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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Year in Review: After Turmoil, NECCA Stronger Than Ever
For more than a week in July, the fate of the New England Center for Circus Arts balanced on a…
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Spinal Surgeon’s Mission to Rescue the Big Apple Circus
Things for the circus haven’t been so great as of late. The Greatest Show on Earth, the Ringling Bros. and…
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Circus Smirkus: A Life-Shaping Experience
With generous infusions of comedy and teamwork, “Midnight at the Museum” showcases the talents of 30 troupers in this life-changing…
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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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Behind the Scenes at Circo De Las Artes-An Interview with Ana Hepner
Circo De Las Artes is a professional training school of Circus and Movement Arts, located in the Tigre province of…
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Can This Trapeze Artist Turned Spinal Surgeon Save The Circus?
Neil Kahanovitz fell in love with the circus as a boy, and became a trapeze artist before qualifying as a…
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The Rise and Fall of Cirque du Soleil on Broadway
The early success of Disney on Broadway led other entertainment companies to believe that conquering the Great White Way was…
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Street Culture Roots Keep Cirque Du Soleil Alive for 33 Years Says CEO Daniel Lamarre
Daniel Lamarre is just a “ticket seller”. At least that’s how the president and chief executive of Cirque du Soleil…
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Creating Employment for Top Acrobats. A Conversation with Abdel Senhadji from Compagnie XY
I had arranged to meet up with Abdel Senhadji in the bar of Festival Circolo in Liempde, on a sunny…
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5 Ways Circotica is Rebuilding Circus in Christchurch, New Zealand
1. Re-establishing Circus with a Brand New Professional Circus Training Facility The earthquakes ruined everything: my city, my profession, my…
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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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Martin Burton: ‘Circus is Not Just A Job, It’s A Way of Life’
Like moths to the flame, people are surging towards a big neon sign saying Zippos Circus in the wide open…
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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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How to Manage a Bunch of Clowns: Q&A with the CEO of Cirque du Soleil
Nothing could have prepared Daniel Lamarre for his gig as chief executive officer of Cirque du Soleil—a company that employs…
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This Small, Animal-Free Circus in California is Doing What Ringling Bros. Couldn’t
Circus Vargas cuts costs and nixes animal acts to keep its show on the road. Circus Vargas trapeze artist Yasmin…
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While 146-Year-Old US Circus Closes, The Show Goes On In New Zealand
When the American Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced it was to shut earlier this week, it seemed the…
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Can the Big Apple Circus Be Saved?
The cherished New York institution, its finances depleted, is turning to online crowdfunding to sustain it. IN CUNNINGHAM PARK at…
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Good Lord, Cirque du Soleil Performers Eat Really Well
You might know Cirque du Soleil because you’ve seen one of its seven Vegas shows while drinking a margarita the size…
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Circus On Ice: How the Billionaire Feld Family Is Reinventing Ringling Brothers
Ringling Bros. show “Out Of This World” uses ice, a narrative and visual effects to attract a new generation to…
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Circus Oz to Follow New Ringleader Rob Tannion
Circus Oz is about to get tumbled. New artistic director Rob Tannion has taken charge of the trapeze and he’s planning…
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The Greatest Show On Earth’s Next Act: Reinvention in a Post-Elephant World
As the Ringling Bros.’ star attractions take their last bow, the circus embraces a wave of changes—including ice. Last fall,…
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Now or Never: Circus Focus
At the 2014 Circa Festival, in Auch, France, the French Institute for Programmers and Cultural Agents brought together 80 people…
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Starting a New Chapter—Double the Fun
Germany’s Circus Roncalli sends a second unit on tour. Circus Roncalli has always been a bit different compared to the…
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Cirque du Soleil Celebrates 30 Years under the Sun
As 2014 draws to a close, the most successful circus company in history celebrates its 30th anniversary by looking back…
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Rosgoscirk: 95 Years of Russian Circus
For almost a century, one centralized organization has been preserving and promoting the grand Russian circus tradition at home and…
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Circus Rosaire
Story of the Rosaire family, a 9th generation family of circus performers known for their unique and respectful manner of…
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Paulos Circus (2012)
The Paulos is one of the oldest circus family in the U.K. Paulos Circus was established in 1816 and is…
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Ramos Brothers Circus
For 105 years the Ramos family has operated a business unlike any other – a traveling circus. Sparrow Songs is…
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