Around the world, we are in the midst of a circus education revolution. After centuries of circus know-how being passed from generation to generation or shared via apprenticeship, institutions dedicated to circus learning are emerging rapidly. In this special series, Amy Cohen explores institutions around the world that are contributing to the professional circus field via their role in the education and inspiration of young artists.

In 2010 I was sitting around a table at the Roundhouse, a London venue dedicated to producing the hottest performing arts while focusing on supporting young artists and social change. I was taking part in a one day social circus conference that was paired with a performance by Circolombia, a professional touring circus company from Cali, Colombia. The show was sold out. A month previously, a favorable and admiring preview of Circolombia had been published by the Telegraph. As we were sitting around the table discussing social circus, Circolombia’s fiery and passionate founding director and creative producer Felicity Simpson was in a fit of rage over the article. The headline was all wrong, she said. It was the same problem over and over again. The title read “Circolombia: From Street Urchins to Circus Stars.” The article that had enraged Felicity was written by a reporter who had traveled to France to shadow Felicity as she was creating the acclaimed sh...