BUY GIFTS
Look no further for unique, personable and amazing gifts made by circus artists this year.
DMV LOCAL
C.A. Matt wrote a personal and inspiring children’s book about a kid’s discovery of juggling, Jugga Spin Jaxx Discovers His Hidden Talent. Get it on Author House or Amazon at this link. And visit Jugga Spin’s website for awesome juggling lifestyle apparel (send a message for purchase inquiries). See That DC Dude’s interview of the force behind Jugga Spin at this link.
CDH Creations is juggler and expert woodworker Colin Hutchens, whose work ranges from minimalist Charlie Chaplin art to custom-made wooden bottle openers. Anime and Doctor Who fans: he’s got you covered. Visit his Etsy or Facebook page to view and order his work.
BakerByShawn — D.C. artist Shawn G. Hart creates beautiful prints, umbrellas and coloring books paying homage to the legendary burlesque artist Josephine Baker. Check out all of her offerings on her website, and order now for on-time holiday delivery.
BCakes, run by Monarca in Flight owner B. Keith Ryder, offers gorgeous homemade cakes for any occasion (even the non-circus ones). Visit his website and plan to make your next event delicious, colorful and memorable through his delectable works of art.
Bearcat Betty is a burlesque and sideshow performer with a flair for making exquisite leather goods, including keychains and costume pieces. Follow her on Facebook and send her a message if there’s a custom piece you have in mind. She also has great performer merchandise on her website.
Rachel Hipszer peddles tarot and playing cards that draw inspiration from real photos of the circus community. Purchase a deck at this link.
READING & VISUALS
YANA Magazine is an extraordinary publication founded and edited by Florence Huet, with visual and written contributions from some of the preeminent creative jugglers of our day. YANA stands for ‘You Are Not Alone.’ From ruminations on sexism in the juggling community to DIY crafts and polaroid snapshots of jugglers’ lives, these two issues contain a complex world of juggling within their colorful pages. Order at this link.
Modern Vaudeville Press, run by performer and author Thom Wall, has a variety of great gifts for circus fanatics. From the small treasures like juggling pins (and no I don’t mean clubs — actual pins you can wear) and stickers to their educational and entertaining books like Juggling: What It Is and How to Do It, MVP has something for everyone. Visit their website to treat yourself or your loved ones to circus education and history throughout the year.
Photo Pryntz, run by Avi Pryntz-Nadworny, is a photography company specializing in jaw-dropping photos of circus and movement. Visit Avi the Amazing on Instagram to contact him and purchase some of his prints. Check out more of his stunning portfolio on his website.
EQUIPMENT
Alchemy Juggling offers finely crafted juggling equipment including balls, flower sticks, bullwhips, backpacks and color-coded flow charts for trick progressions. You’ll also find fun stickers and RPG dice. Check out their full selection of products at this link.
Jan Damm builds strong and lightweight wooden handstand benches. Visit this link to purchase one, or contact him directly to inquire about custom creations.
STATIONARY, HANDMADE & MISCALLANY
Same Page Books is gymnast and visual artist Meghan McClure’s book-binding business. Check out her collection of journals available for purchase at this link. Custom-made journals are also possible.
Bri Crabtree has a colorful and vibrant online storefront featuring her ‘Goddess of Gravity’ stickers, greeting cards and posters which feature women jugglers and flow artists. She also sells adorable kitty club pins and a rainbow club magnet.
Alex Helber creates beautiful, one-of-a-kind works of pottery including mugs and bowls through his shop Rolling Pottery. Visit his Etsy shop to order, and check out his juggling videos on Instagram.
AERIAL ARTS
Embrace new sequences and routines with choreography card decks from Moody Street Circus. With prompts for aerial silks, sling, hoop, trapeze (coming soon) and belly dancing, these cleverly crafted decks will take your training or teaching to the next level. Shop at this link.
Through Willow Aerial, Amy Haderer makes art inspired by aerialists. Her creations stem from the natural world, art nouveau traditions, and the human figure’s relationship with the universe and the divine. From a flying pole laptop sleeve to a beautifully illustrated desk calendar with a wooden stand, her work is the perfect one-of-a-kind gift for circus artists and admirers alike. Check out her online shop here.
Aerialetics sells incredible ornaments with aerial artwork, alongside their full line of apparel and athletic wear made especially for aerialists. Visit their gift guide page, where you’ll also be able to access their complete catalogue.
Aerialist and wire dancer Courtney Prokopas grows and sculpts gorgeous hanging and potted plants for you to nurture and admire. Her company Living Infinities takes commissions to create tiny living worlds to enliven your room and your psyche. Visit her Instagram page to view her work and get in touch.
CLASSES & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Connecting Circus Students Around the World (CSAW) has been disbursing scholarships for BIPOC for the past year. You can support their mission of enabling the next generation of circus artists by purchasing their stylish products at this link. From ‘I Belong in the Circus’ hoodies to CSAW beanies and notebooks, there’s something for everyone!
Circus Squared has a ‘buy one, give one’ model of virtual juggling lessons. Each 30-minute juggling lesson purchased provides a free 30-minute juggling lesson for another household. Contact founder Christian Kloc (ctkloc@gmail.com) to sign up for a class or get more information. Become a Patron to earn special merch, classes, and video tutorials.
Cirque du Cambodia is a spirited documentary telling the story of two incredible circus artists who go from stand-outs at their Cambodian social circus to training at the National Circus School in Montreal. Visit the film’s merch page to support future screenings and distribution by purchasing a t-shirt, hoodie or fanny pack.
Got something special to add to our list? Message us at circusdistrict@gmail.com.