As a performance-focused school, artistry and creativity are pillars of our program.
Our Creative Model
The creative vision of Circus Juventas is modeled after the cirque nouveau – or contemporary circus – style of performance. Simply put, this tradition seeks to blend storytelling with the circus arts. With the incorporation of theatrical conventions including narrative, theme and character development, contemporary circus has undergone a natural evolution from the traditional roots of ancient circus practices to become a theatrical collaboration of performing artists.
Circus Juventas actively engages artists practicing in many mediums in order to craft our productions. Not only do these partnerships add flavor to our shows, they often result in a richer education for our students, as artists are encouraged to teach and otherwise interact with the student body in a variety of ways. One year, a puppeteer’s puppet-building workshops led to the resulting work being included in our summer show. Genre-specific dance classes – such as Chinese, ballet, ballroom, belly or hip-hop – are often included in our curriculum and taught by local aficionados as adjunct instructors so that their specialties can add to the authenticity in our productions. The same goes for martial artists, stage combat experts, mask makers, fire performers, etc.
Creating a world-class experience for our students is paramount. The creative content of Circus Juventas’ curriculum and performances reflects both contemporary circus arts and the wider artistic landscape. In this way, we hope to contribute to contemporary circus’ continuing creative evolution.
