This Week — 23 April 2021

There are many opportunities this weekend to behold cinematic circus talents, advocate for circus as a legitimate art form, and celebrate the end of a virtual variety era!

SUBMIT

SUBMIT YOUR VIDEO – DEADLINE EXTENDED!

Why do you love circus? This is the question we’re answering in our upcoming video compilation to celebrate World Circus Day and the First of May, when many traditional circuses used to start their touring seasons. Use your phone to film a 30-second video telling us why you love circus so we can include it in the compilation, which will appear on our Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. All the tools for submission are in this Google form.

GIVE PROPS A NEW LIFE

A local math teacher and juggler has this message for the Circus District community: Hi, my name is John Chase (me@jchase.com) and I am a DC-area juggler and a friend of the late great Henry Benton. Kathie, Henry’s mom, asked if I would accept Henry’s old juggling props and help pass them along to jugglers Henry knew. I agreed that this would be a meaningful thing to do. She has sent me two shipments so far. If you knew Henry and feel it would be meaningful to receive a few of his old props, please email me and introduce yourself. When you email me, I’ll share a list of items that are in this collection. The idea here is for you to incorporate these props into your own personal collection, not give away or sell them. I think it would be most meaningful for the props to be used by those who will be reminded of Henry when they use them. Once we make contact, we can also discuss how to complete the hand-off. I’d prefer not to ship these items, so I’m looking for people who are local, or who might be passing through the Rockville/DC area at least. Thanks for letting me offer you these props as a way to honor Henry’s legacy!
Read Henry’s obituary on EJuggle at this link.

WATCH

April 24 & 25

Zip Zap Circus will debut their cinematic reflection on the global pandemic through the eyes of South African youth in MOYA | An Acrobatic Art Film. Watch this stunning piece of filmmaking and movement on Saturday or Sunday. Get tickets to stream it at this link.

April 25

Dance among the stars, chase comets, dive through black holes and defy gravity during the Cirque Us live stream of StarStruck: A Cosmic Circus at 7 p.m. EDT. This 2018 show toured New England and will now visit your devices for an out-of-this-world experience from home. Proceeds from this event will help build a relationship between Circus Smirkus and Prescott Circus Theatre. Guests are advised to log in to view the show at 6:50 p.m. EDT. Get tickets at this link

April 26

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus presents Open Stage Quarantine Edition: Season 3 at 8 p.m. EST on Facebook and YouTube. This is the final edition of their virtual show in its present state, which has produced 50+ weekly shows to keeps us sane, employed, and distracted during this dark and tumultuous time. TUNE IN TO CELEBRATE THIS ACHIEVEMENT!

Anytime

Acrobatic Conundrum presents their virtual show taking circus beyond the tent in Between Dreams. This production is a cross between a show and a movie, collecting the Covid-stifled thoughts and emotions of 12 circus artists in a feature-length performance. The show premiered on April 17, but will be viewable through mid-May. Get tickets at this link.

LEARN

May 8

Fearless Fire founder Thomas Santiago will be running three fire-eating workshops, from beginner to advanced, in Baltimore. These workshops will be run according to the latest CDC guidelines and Covid-19 statistics in the area. Get more information and register at the Facebook event page.

ENROLL — KIDS’ SUMMER PROGRAMS

June 21-25

The Maryland Ensemble Theatre in Frederick is hosting The Greatest Showman, a camp for youth ages 10-15, this summer. Skills taught include physical comedy, juggling, flow arts, dance and more. Find out more details about this and other theatrical programs and enroll at this link.

ORGANIZE

Be the first to know the latest updates about the American Circus Alliance, which recently launched as the first national service and advocacy organization devoted to the circus industry. Sign up for their mailing list and join their #BeAnArtsHero campaign, which is lobbying elected officials to pass much-needed legislation that recognizes the massive economic contributions of artists to our country’s financial productivity and well-being. Visit this link for more information.