My Nonprofit Reviews

I am the parent of a child who went to Circus Smirkus summer camp for three years and then was encouraged to audition for the tour. She was accepted and what had been a fun pursuit for her turned into a passion. She toured for 2 years until she became too old. It happened that for her, this led to a professional circus career, though what she gained from the experience would be useful in any profession. What I saw as a parent was this: my child was stretched and challenged to work really hard to pursue her dream of making it to auditions and to be accepted to the tour. She developed a confidence I did not know she had. I witnessed her relating to the audience as a whole, interacting with individual fans young and old, and working hard with her fellow troupers, who became like family to her. I saw a sense of responsibility and teamwork in her and in the entire troupe that I did not think was possible in a group of young people. During the teenage years, human beings tend to be extremely self-centered and can be pretty inconsiderate of others. But I saw a group of young people who worked as hard on the show as a whole as they did to develop their own skills. It requires sometimes putting aside one's own desires for the good of the show. Those accepted to tour are all talented. They have incredible discipline in their individual training, but there are also many group acts and ensemble pieces, requiring endless rehearsal within the larger context of the troupe. Every day they have to work together not only in the ring, but behind the scenes. This includes many daily chores such as meal clean-up, picking up trash in the bleachers, etc, and also working with the ring crew. They have to keep themselves and each other safe and they have to help each other. Sometimes they literally hold each other's lives in their hands. This requires a degree of trust and honesty that most people do not have to face in the workplace. The directors and coaches are extraordinary. Although they bring out the personal best in each young person's skills, they set a high standard for professionalism and maturity for the troupe as a whole. They demand the best in character, behavior and attitude from each trouper. They treat the troupers with respect and are respected in return. My child spent her summers in this wholesome, challenging environment learning important life lessons and growing confident and mature. Oh, and they put on a heck of a great show!

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