Interested in getting your taxes in line while working in multiple time zones or international jurisdictions? Want to apply to circus school starting next fall? Have a dynamite idea for a geeky burlesque act but don’t know where to start? The Circus District has your answers below!
EDUCATION
October 23
- Give yourself the financial base to empower your artistic work across the globe at the Taxes for Professional Development Workshop presented by Hamiltonian Artists in D.C. This virtual program is led by Dunia Best Sunnreich, a musician, composer, and enrolled agent designated by the U.S. Treasury to represent taxpayers before the IRS. She is here to address the unique life situations of artists and address the complex issues of local and international artists alike. Register at this link.
October 27
- Interested in learning the nuanced, entertaining and extraordinarily fun art of Nerdlesque? Look no further than the Hitchhiker’s Guide to Nerdlesque presented by Maki Roll at The Nest at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Building at 6:30 p.m. This workshop will focus on character-building and how to engage audiences through your favorite icons of nerd-dom through burlesque. Get tickets at this link.
APPLICATIONS
- Circadium is now accepting applications for Fall 2022 students. Visit this link to fill out the application for this three-year program, designed to bolster your movement and performance skills and prepare you for a professional career in circus arts The deadline to apply is January 31, 2022.
- Circus artists who identify as persons of color living in the U.S. can now apply for CSAW‘s December $1,000 microgrant. You can also consider applying for the upcoming tuition grant ($5,000), which can be used for any circus education related expenses. Find more information at this link.
CIRCUS BOOKS BY CIRCUS FOLKS
- Jugga Spin Jaxx Discovers His Hidden Talent, a children’s book by the DMV’s own C.A. Matt, is now available on digital shelves. Order the softcover or e-book here! Also, check out the Jugga Spin website for a great selection of juggling lifestyle apparel.
- Former Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey clown Rich Potter has created a beautiful coffee-table book titled Cirkus in Quarantine: A Book of Live Art. This collection of hand-drawn and painted artwork is a testament to the perseverance of circus arts through the pandemic, as it joyously portrays the weekly roster of Bindlestiff Family Cirkus’s live-streamed open stage variety shows in 2019 and 2020. Order a copy — and perhaps some extra visual art perks — by donating to the book’s IndieGoGo campaign here.
LIVE SHOWS
***Stay safe, and know before you go! Be sure to check out each venue’s Covid safety regulations prior to attending in-person events.***
October 23 & 24 Final Weekend!
- The Maryland Renaissance Festival concludes this Saturday and Sunday, with the line-up of performers as stellar as always at this completely outdoor event in Crownsville/Annapolis. Get tickets and check out this weekend’s schedule at this link.
October 27 – November 7
- BrouHaHa by Happenstance Theater returns to the Baltimore Theatre Project to delight audiences with an existential, apocalyptic work of ensemble comedy genius. This production takes cues from Fellini’s La Strada, Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, and the works of Samuel Beckett. Get tickets at this link.
November 11
- Dr. Sketchy’s Anti Art School returns to the Creative Alliance in Baltimore at 7 p.m. This unique evening of community art slash performance spotlights fabulous burlesque performer Bebe Bardot as the muse for your own drawings. Sip on a delicious cocktail as you create your masterpiece. Remember to bring your own drawing materials and cash tips for the model. Get tickets at this link.
November 18 – January 9
- Omnium: A Bold New Circus lands in Tysons III for a long run of shows under the big top featuring a diverse and multi-abled cast of circus artists performing in an accessible environment. This production emerged in quarantine as a critically acclaimed virtual spectacle. The live version will offer ADA seating, audio description, braille and large print programs, integrated ASL interpreters, a calming area in the lobby, STEAM based study guides and more! Get tickets at this link.
GALAS
November 13
- The 2021 Circadium Gala will be an in-person spectacle to behold this year, with proceeds supporting the first and only diploma-granting institution of higher education for circus artists in the United States. Visit this link to donate and get a ticket. If you can make it to Philly, look forward to an action-packed evening including live performances on the ground and in the air accompanied by the West Philly Orchestra from 7-10 p.m. If you can’t make it in person, consider participating in the online silent auction happening live during the gala.
GATHERINGS
October 27
- The Baltimore Jugglers will meet from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Locus Point Recreation Center. Assuming good weather, the gathering will begin outside and then head indoors when it gets dark. Join the Baltimore Jugglers page on Facebook to be totally sure that meetings are happening each week.
- The UMD Juggling Club will meet outdoors on McKeldin Mall from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. All are welcome to attend. Join the club’s Facebook group for updates throughout the semester.
October 28
- The Fairfax Jugglers will meet on Thursdays from 7:30-10 p.m. in the Key Middle School cafeteria. Visitors must wear masks and sign a liability waiver. If you would like to help with the club’s newly required insurance expenses, email bsperling@cox.net.