On July 28th, Circus Juventas, the largest youth circus school in North America, will present their new production: Grimm—Happily Ever After! Through acrobatics and breathtaking aerial acts on swinging ropes and hoops and flying trapeze, 80 advanced level students will weave together magic and enchantment to perform tales based upon the stories of the Grimm Brothers: Cinderella; Hansel and Gretel; Snow White; Little Red Riding Hood; Rapunzel; and the Frog Prince.
A visit to Circus Juventas during rehearsals for the upcoming show promises a spectacular performance in the tradition of Cirque du Soleil. These photographs show the student performers hard at work and ready to create another enchanting summer performance.
Circus Juventas is the largest performing arts circus school for youth in North America, with a mission “dedicated to inspiring artistry and self-confidence through a multi-cultural circus arts experience.” The school provides a supportive and non-competitive environment that sees circus artistry as a “non-traditional athletic activity that provides an alternative to organized sports for youth that gives every child the opportunity to grow and to be challenged.” The offerings that Circus Juventas provides for neighborhood youth and for the community is evident in the school’s growth. What began 17 years ago as a small group of 30 in an after-school program at a neighborhood recreational center has now grown into a large 21,000-square-foot Big Top permanent home with over 800 students in enrollment and even more on a waiting list. With each year, interest and enrollment grows.
Correction: This article originally stated, erroneously, that the enrollment of Circus Juventas is 200 rather than 800, and that the waiting list is double the size of the student body. There is a waiting list, but it is not double the size of the student body.
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