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CURRENT PRESS RELEASE
April 10, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Stacy Einck
Axiom Marketing
952-224-2939 ext. 13
seinck@axiomcom.com
Circus Juventas:
Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence in Circus Arts and Youth Development
Join Us for Our World Circus Day Celebration on April 13, 2019
St. Paul, Minn. (April 10, 2019) – The first 25 years have flown by at Circus Juventas – quite literally. Celebrating their first quarter century in the 2019-2020 season, the renowned St. Paul-based youth circus and community organization is launching a year of spectacle, imagination and nostalgia that will bring international artists to St. Paul and send some of the organization’s talented youth performers to competitions half way around the world.
Circus Juventas launches its 25th anniversary year, presented by HealthPartners and TRIA Orthopedics, with a World Circus Day celebration on April 13, 2019.
What: World Circus Day Celebration and 25th Anniversary Kick-Off
When: Saturday, April 13, 2019, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Where: 1270 Montreal Ave.; St. Paul, Minnesota
Who: All ages – Kids, Parents and Kids at Heart
Details: Enjoy thrilling performances throughout the evening, live music, face painting, food trucks, and more. Experience the circus in person on real circus equipment with the help of skilled performers.
Tickets are $25 to $35, see website for details: www.circusjuventas.org/world-circus-day.
Becoming the Largest Youth Circus in North America
Circus Juventas got its start in 1994 when Dan and Betty Butler decided to share their love of circus arts by starting an after-school program, then known as Circus of the Star, in a neighborhood recreation center in St. Paul, Minnesota. Initial offerings were limited, accommodating only 30 students training on hand-made equipment, but from the start, classes were filled to capacity. The organization began a capital campaign in 1997 to build a permanent home. The big top was built in 2001 on St. Paul’s Montreal Ave., and the organization was re-named Circus Juventas when the doors opened on July 9, 2001.
For the Butlers, the organization has grown in ways they never could’ve imagined. “We’re more about youth development than we are performing,” said Dan. “To do what we do, our students must work hard, act responsibly and be team players. However, performance is part of the learning process, but when it comes down to it, we are about personal growth, self-esteem, fitness and fun.”
In the last 25 years, Circus Juventas has grown to be the largest youth organization for circus arts in North America. More than 25,000 children and young adults have learned about discipline, conditioning, character building and teamwork under the big top. Each year, 1000+ students aged 2-21 are enrolled in classes. Staff and coaches come from across the globe and have performed with some of the best-known artists and organizations in the world, including Cirque du Soleil and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
“Youth circus does not mean what we do is easy. There’s a transformative aspect,” Butler says. “We have kids coming for the first time who are quiet and reserved, and the next thing we know they’re on a wire twenty feet in the air. It’s what makes it so satisfying to be here everyday.”
A recent example of their students’ hard work is the four Circus Juventas performers chosen to compete as pre-professionals at the 4th Australian Circus Festival this November in Brisbane, Australia. Additionally, in summer 2017, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival invited Circus Juventas to be one of the featured performers for their 50th anniversary celebration. After performing on the national mall, Circopedia honored the Saint Paul youth circus with the International Circopedia Award, the first American circus to be named to the international list – a true testament to the athleticism and grace exhibited by Circus Juventas performers during their lavish productions.
Part of the mission for this year’s anniversary celebration is to build greater awareness within the community about Circus Juventas and what they do. According to staff members, Circus Juventas is in a league of its own in size and skill-level among the small number of youth circuses in the U.S. That, they say, is part of why Circus Juventas is such a special place, and cause to celebrate in the coming year. The public will have plenty of opportunity to learn more about the organization and see the accomplishments of its students with performances starting with their World Circus Day celebration.
2019-2020 Schedule Brings the 25th Anniversary Celebration to Life
With so much to celebrate, a year of activities is planned to commemorate years past and launch Circus Juventas into the future.
Celebrate World Circus Day: April 13, 2019, 7-10 p.m.
To kick-off the anniversary season, Circus Juventas will celebrate circus arts and youth development in ways only a circus can! Coach Chimgee Haltarhuu’s Mission Manduhai will also be celebrating an anniversary milestone, 10-years, in this unprecedented evening of performance and hands-on circus magic to see under the big top and raise funds for both magnificent nonprofits.
Spring Show 2019: BON APPÉTIT! April 24 through May 4
Circus Juventas will host its annual spring shows highlighting the skills learned by students of all ages. It’s the time of year when all students have their chance to show their skills to friends and family. Circus Juventas will be serving up a delectable buffet of artistic delights honoring all things culinary in the 18th Annual Spring Celebration Performances, Bon Appétit!
Summer Show 2019: TWISTED: July 26 through August 11
Something is amiss in the Black Forest… The fairy tale world is thrown for a loop when sorceress Baba Yaga and her sisters brew up a devilish plan to tangle the traditional tales and sow the seeds of epic chaos, forcing beloved fairy tale characters to band together and strive to set their stories straight. Join in the story as Circus Juventas shares the depths and heights of contemporary circus performance in these sell-out shows.
L’homme Cirque – David Dimitri Presents His One-Man Circus: Sept. 8 through 22
Circus Juventas welcomes David Dimitri’s one-man show “One-Man Circus” or “L’homme Cirque.” A sparkling presentation of nouveau cirque, both intimate and compelling, will be performed in a touring circus tent designed and built for the production, which will be raised next to Circus Juventas’ location.
Annual Circus Juventas Gala: November 2
One of Circus Juventas’ most exciting events of the year is the annual gala, an evening pairing amazing performances by students with a three-course meal, live and silent auctions, a raffle, and so much more! This year will be even more special as Circus Juventas celebrates the spectacular spectacle of its 25th anniversary.
World Circus Day 2020
More information is forthcoming as Circus Juventas culminates its year of celebration with a fabulous community event for all ages.
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About Circus Juventas
Circus Juventas, the largest youth circus in North America, provides year-round circus training to youth ages 2-21 and presents two major public productions each year in the spring and late summer. CJ’s Spring Celebration Performances feature beginning- and intermediate-level students, while the summer production features advanced performers in a Cirque-du-Soleil-style production. CJ also offers a wide range of summer camp options, all of which create a safe space where students can have new adventures in a non-competitive, nurturing environment. Another of CJ’s exciting events is their annual gala, an evening that pairs students’ amazing performances with a three-course meal and more. Dedicated to making classes accessible to all, Circus Juventas boasts a robust scholarship program in addition to their Work-Study Leadership Program, where CJ students age 14+ leverage their circus training to become peer leaders while earning tuition credit. Now celebrating 25 years of excellence in circus arts and youth development, April 2019-April 2020 is featuring a wide range of new and exciting events and performances.
About Clear Channel
Clear Channel Outdoor’s goal is to be a responsible member of the communities we serve by taking a proactive role in making our neighborhoods better places to live.We do this by donating millions of dollars’ worth of public service advertising (PSA) to nonprofit and governmental organizations for their use in communicating information that positively affects the lives of those within our communities.We believe addressing the challenges, big and small, that affect people’s daily lives is critical for influencing greater societal change. Our support extends to both local and national organizations as they improve health and public safety, ensure a sustainable environment and promote arts, education and cultural diversity. This collaboration works to inspire citizens to make a difference within their own communities.
About HealthPartners / Park Nicollet Clinic
HealthPartners and Park Nicollet Clinic is part of HealthPartners, the largest consumer-governed, non-profit health care organization in the nation with a mission to improve health and well-being in partnership with members, patients and the community. HealthPartners Clinic serves the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area with 55 primary care clinics, 21 urgent care centers, 17 pharmacies and mail order pharmacy services. For more information, visit healthpartners.com.
About TRIA
TRIA is a comprehensive center for orthopedic medicine, providing incomparable clinical and surgical care, world-class research, and innovative programs. TRIA has over 70 highly-trained physicians with a variety of sub-specialties such as sports medicine, acute injury, shoulder, hip, knee, spine, hand and wrist, foot and ankle, and fractures. TRIA’s sports medicine specialists have served as official team physicians for Minnesota’s professional sports teams for over 25 
years. TRIA offers walk-in care through its Orthopedic Urgent Care. From diagnosis to treatment, to rehabilitation and even surgery, it is all available at convenient locations in Bloomington, Maple Grove, Woodbury and St. Paul. For more information, visit tria.com.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.