Philadelphia School of Circus Arts Presents World Circus Day Celebration and Festival

Come one, come all! Philadelphia School of Circus Arts presents Philly's 1st Annual World Circus Day Celebration and Festival on Saturday, April 20th, from 11:00am to 8:00pm. The celebration will take place at the region's "big top" called Circus Campus, at 6452 Greene Street, in West Mount Airy, with free parking on site. The new all ages, all day festival will feature classes, demonstrations and performances for kids to adults, newbies to those with experience, and everyone in between. Activities will include Youth Trampoline, Family Intro to Circus, German Wheel, Pole Taster, Upside-Down, Inside Out, Aerial Playground, Skills offered will include Tippy Lyra, Teardrop, Ladder, Cube, Single Point Lyra, Dance Trapeze, and more. Performances will include PSCA's Youth Troupe and Trenton Circus Squad featuring young acrobats, jugglers and unicyclists from the Philly and Trenton areas. The World Circus Day Celebration will culminate at 8:00pm with a pay-what-you-can “Spectacular Staff” circus show featuring professional artists from our faculty. RSVP and tickets are available now at www.phillycircus.com/upcoming-shows-events. For more about PSCA and World Circus Day, visit @phillycircus on Social Media.

Philly's 1st Annual World Circus Day Celebration and Festival will feature something for everyone - from kids to adults to families, and things for new/beginners to more advanced students. There is a lot of "plates spinning" for the day with something for every age and every ability and skill level. Sign-ups are encouraged, but walk-ins are allowed if space permits.

What is World Circus Day?

Established in 2010 by H.S.H. Princess Stéphanie of Monaco to “publicize the role of circus as part of our shared cultural heritage,” World Circus Day is held each year with hundreds of circuses around the world participating in the celebration. In Philadelphia, this event is hosted by the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, and supported by Circadium and Trenton Circus Squad.

“We’re always proud to be part of this international celebration, and this year we’re opening our doors for free community workshops,” says PSCA Executive Director Kitsie O’Neill.  “It’s really an opportunity for more people to experience the fun and challenge of participating in circus arts.”

“We’re especially excited to break out some special apparatus that we don’t get to use every day, like the Aerial Teardrop and the German Wheel,” says PSCA Head Coach Rachel Lancaster.

Activities will include:

11:00am
Youth Trampoline (ages 6-17) ($10)  

Coach Charlie will show you the basics of our trampoline!  Learn to jump and drop in several high flying poses. Open to all skill levels.

12:00pm
Family Intro to Circus (age 6 and up) (NO CHARGE)

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages...Join us for our Intro to Circus Workshop Open House!  This 1 hour sample class provides a fearless opportunity to try out the sling, fabric, static trapeze, tight wire, and juggling with other brand-new beginners. Ages 6 - 106, spectators welcome!

1:00pm
Performances (NO CHARGE)

Performances by the PSCA Youth Troupe & Trenton Circus Squad (all ages) (FREE) Circus performers can be kids!  Check out these talented young acrobats, jugglers, and unicyclists from both the Philadelphia and Trenton areas.

2:00pm
German Wheel (16+) ($45)

Learn how to rock and roll your way upside down in our Intro to German Wheel class!  

2:00pm
Pole Taster (18+) (NO CHARGE)

Have you been interested in trying pole classes? Here's your chance! This class is specifically designed for people who have never done a pole class before. Pole does require skin-to-pole contact, so shorts are recommended. No lotion or jewelry.

3:00pm
Upside-Down, Inside Out with Jeremy Cline (18+) ($35)

Using movements from capoeira, breaking, contact improvisation, and contemporary dance, you will learn how to add creativity and flow to your acrobatic routine, smoothly transitioning from floor to air to standing. Workshop one focuses on solo material and workshop two will be with a partner. Please bring long sleeves, pants, and athletic shoes for this workshop.

3:00pm
Aerial Playground (18+) ($45)

This workshop is for our intermediate level aerial students.  The playground will consist of aerial equipment that is not typically used in our regular classes.  This time is for you to explore and put your existing aerial knowledge to use as you interact with different equipment. Equipment may include: Tippy Lyra, Teardrop, Ladder, Cube, Single Point Lyra, and Dance Trapeze.  Coaches will be on-site.

8:00pm
Spectacular World Circus Show

The World Circus Day Celebration will culminate at 8:00pm with a pay-what-you-can “Spectacular Staff” circus show featuring professional artists from our faculty, including:

Rachel Lancaster, Aerial Cube
Melissa Mellon, Flying Lollipop
Lesley Berkowitz-Zak, Trapeze
Lesley Berkowitz-Zak, Trapeze
Leah Owen-Oliner, Silks
Alison Gerber - Lyra
Josie Sepel & Jack Kavanagh - Rope
Bethany McPherson - Tightwire
Michelle Barnett - Lyra
Shira Prusky - Lyra and acrobatics

The entire World Circus Day event is free for entry and observation, and includes several free circus workshops and experiences throughout the day from community partners, such as Circadium, Trenton Circus Squad, and more.

ARTIST BIOS FOR SHOW:

Rachel Lancaster, Aerial Cube
Rachel Mae Lancaster is the head coach at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts. She teaches a variety of classes for students of all ages and skill levels. Rachel has directed a number of showcases, staff shows, and youth performances at PSCA. In addition to coaching, Rachel is a versatile performer who specializes in aerial acrobatics and circus arts. She began her dance career at the age of 3 and quickly discovered her love for performing. Through her journey in the dance world she found a passion for theater and decided that she wanted to learn more about acting and directing. She received a BFA at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in theater arts. After graduation, she continued to develop her talents while traveling and performing with a variety of different companies such as ToUch Performance Art, Innovative Juggler, and Airplay Entertainment.

Melissa Mellon, Flying Lollipop
Melissa (she/her) studied Theatre Performance at Juniata College, where she trained in acting, movement expression, Skinner Releasing, Fitzmaurice Voicework, and was introduced to single point trapeze. She finally made her way to training at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts where she is now a youth and adult coach.
Melissa is skilled in aerial arts on the lyra, trapeze (single point and static), pole, lollipop, and sling. She is also trained in fire flow and safety.

Lesley Berkowitz-Zak, trapeze
Lesley has been working at PSCA for almost a decade, starting as a work study and eventually becoming events coordinator and an aerial coach. Her favorite apparatuses are currently trapeze, fabric and stilts. When not at PSCA she can be found playing with her kids, doing cross stitch or attempting to bring some joy and hilarity to her bubble with performances.

Leah Owen-Oliner, silks
Leah Owen-Oliner is a youth and aerials coach here at PSCA and a long-time student of PSCA herself. Having started at PSCA in 2010, Leah has spent more than a decade in love with the circus and can't wait to bring the same love to you! When she's not up in the air, Leah is working her way through medical school at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (and probably wishing she were on the silks instead).

Alison Gerber - lyra
Alison discovered circus arts about 10 years ago when she attended a student showcase at PSCA and has been a dedicated circus enthusiast ever since!  Alison started coaching at PSCA about a year ago.  She loves teaching birthday parties, workshops, and intro classes. You may also find Alison subbing some youth classes.  When Alison is not circusing, she works as a Speech and Language Pathologist with preschool students, rollerskates, and spends lots of time snuggling her feline sidekick Ginger.

Josie Sepel & Jack Kavanagh - rope
Back in 2011, Josie started as a student at PSCA and fell in love with aerials. She's been finding new ways to hang upside down ever since and loves helping others do the same!
Jack is a graduate of The New England Center of Circus Arts, Jack is a multidisciplinary artist based in Philadelphia working in circus, clown, dance, and Drag. He is also the creator of the performance and design company Open Ring Concepts. Jack has performed with Big Teeth Performance Collective, and Almanac Circus Dance Theater and has toured the Northeast and Canada with Coated the 1944 Circus Fire Project.  Jack’s main circus disciplines are Rope and Handstands.

Bethany McPherson - tightwire
Bethany attended NECCA's Protrack program with a major in tightwire and a minor in acro dance.  She's also earned a Bachelor's Degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology from West Virginia University.  When she's not training or working, she loves to cook, hang with her dog Sophie, and do puzzles.

Michelle Barnett - lyra
I started taking pole classes in 2018 at a studio near my hometown in Kentucky. Since then I have participated in 2 PSO competitions and a couple of pole showcases after moving to Philly in 2021. After starting classes at PSCA in March of 2022 I joined the front desk team later in the year and then pole staff in 2023. I have a love for learning, creating, and performing with pole and lyra. Outside of aerials I enjoy reading, drawing, and spending time with friends.

Shira Prusky - lyra and acrobatics
Shira is a native of Philadelphia and is excited to move back to the city after living in Vermont. Shira fell in love with the circus while an undergrad at Bard College, eventually becoming the club head of the campus circus and a teacher to other students. She completed her aerial teacher training through Paper Doll Militia and began working as an aerial dance instructor at Murmurations, coaching students of all ages and abilities. She is excited to join the Philadelphia circus community and bring her background in teaching and circus instruction work as a coach and co-manager of the Circus AfterSchool program! Shira joined PSCA in 2023 as a coach for PSCA’s summer camp and is looking forward to growing the program as the year progresses.

ABOUT PSCA

Philadelphia School for Circus Arts (PSCA) is the region’s center of contemporary circus arts.  PSCA presents professional and student productions during the year.  Seasoned faculty lead a curriculum featuring aerials (static trapeze, sling, aerial silks and lyra), juggling, unicycling, tightwire, tumbling, acrobatics, and physical conditioning.  In addition to ongoing classes, PSCA also offers introductory workshops, birthday parties, rental space, summer camp and special guest performances.  Students are all ages and all levels. For more information, visit www.phillycircus.com.

ABOUT CIRCADIUM

Circadium is the only accredited higher-education program for circus in the United States, granting a Diploma of Circus Arts licensed by the Pennsylvania Board of Education, and accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.  Our program places a strong emphasis of the integration of theatre, dance, and other art forms into contemporary circus.  The curriculum includes History of Circus, Dramaturgy, Career Planning, and more.  

Learn more about Circadium, and our admissions process, at www.circadium.edu

ABOUT TRENTON CIRCUS SQUAD

Trenton Circus Squad is a non-profit organization that inspires young people to take big leaps in life. Through our free circus programs, squad members learn how to cooperate, push themselves and serve their community – all through the astonishing practice of circus arts.

Squad members learn physical techniques, life skills and build trust with teens from other neighborhoods. They lead community engagement through workshops and performances with younger children and families. It’s an often breathtaking experience filled with exercise, learning and joyful laughter for kids of all ages. https://trentoncircussquad.org/

ABOUT CIRCUS CAMPUS

Founded in 2017, Circus Campus is the home of the Philadelphia Circus Arts and Circadium, as well as a number of other studios such as Danse4Nia and Cocoon Philly Yoga. The Campus is housed in a former Catholic church in West Mount Airy, with surrounding green space.  Striking a balance between historic preservation and adaptive reuse, Circus Campus is proud to have created a new hub for arts organizations in Northwest Philadelphia. www.circuscampusphiladelphia.com