The serious circus training did not historically have much room in higher education. Of course, some universities have troops of students and air courses, but these parascolia are not eligible for academic credit. The artists who really wanted to study the circus in depth had to attend a separate vocational training program which does not come with a university diploma.
Well, it changes this fall. Boston Conservatory in Berklee launches the very first of the United States Circus arts minor. “We will be the only higher -end institution that has an academic program in the circus in the country,” explains the Danse de la Danse Tommy Neblett. “This will fill a gap for students who want to go to university and who wish to take training on the circus.”
The circus is not completely new for school. The Dance Division of the Boston Conservatory began to offer circus lessons such as masks and clown in 2023. Even students who were initially hesitant ended up loveing it, according to an associate dance teacher Naomi Bailis. “The dancers do not realize that they are very good actors, largely because they already have this connection of mind to the shovel,” she says. “They took it beautifully.”
The new minor, launched this fall, will be based on these classes thanks to a collaboration with the theatrical division of the Boston Conservatory. Students working towards the minor will take a minimum of 12 credits in academic and experiential courses, such as tumbling, juggling, dell'arte commandon, skills in partnership and the history of the circus. Any student from Berklee interested – even a major voice, for example – is invited to declare a minor in circus arts.
The idea is to give students a well -balanced training as an artists. In particular in today's dance landscape, this type of versatility can be a major advantage. “As a dancer, if you have tumbling and acrobatic training, it's just an additional skill in your toolbox for career activities,” said Neblett. It indicates not only the Cirque du Soleil but the part-time show of the Super Bowl 2024 by Usher and Water for elephants On Broadway as examples of various works for artists with specialized circus training.
At the same time, Neblett is very realistic about the beginnings of the program. “I am no illusions that we will be a high -level circus training program that will directly feed the Cirque du Soleil – it takes years,” he said. “This is only the first step.” Neblett says that, for the moment, the minor is really designed for more or less beginner students in the circus. But its objective is possibly to develop the program to become a destination for a serious pre-professional circus training.
Fortunately, there is a lot of room to grow: the dance program opens three new studios in September, and five others will be added the following fall. Over the next five years, Neblett hopes to have a dedicated circus studio with a specialized rig to do air work such as bristles, strings, hoops and trapeze.
However, the students themselves are clearly excited: Neblett says that all the circus classes for this fall have a waiting list.
Bailis is not surprised. “Circus offers a counterpoint to the rigors of dance and allows dancers to learn to play and not to censor themselves and to allow their imagination to really take them somewhere,” she says. This can have positive undulation effects, whether the dancers are pursued an acrobatic career or pursue a choreography or make any type of show art projects. “It strengthens this ability to listen to and react, both outside and internally, which makes someone's artistic activities very fascinating to look at,” explains Bailis. “It's just another way to develop the incredible talent of these students.”
Find out more about the Boston Conservatory at Berklee Leading BFA programs in contemporary and commercial dance.
