Picture a place where dreams take flight. That place is the San Francisco Circus Center. It is the heart of circus arts in San Francisco. Founded in the 1980s by the Pickle Family Circus, the Circus Center is a true gem. It stands as one of the oldest and largest circus training centers in the United States.
The Circus Center’s history began in 1974. Peggy Snider and Larry Pisoni founded The Pickle Family Circus. This iconic Bay Area troupe kicked off the United States’ circus renaissance.
Let’s step back to 1984. Pickle Family members Wendy Parkman and Judy Finelli opened a school. It was called the San Francisco School for Circus Arts. In 2001, it was renamed Circus Center. The goal was to train youth in circus arts.
In 1993, the Circus Center moved. Its original location was an old church. It moved to the vacant West Gym of Polytechnic High School. It remains there today. The Circus Center began offering both professional and recreational training. It has a world-renowned team of instructors. They include Master Lu Yi, master of Chinese acrobatics. They also include Elena Panova, an award-winning Russian trapeze artist. Master Lu Yi retired from teaching in 2014. He now directs an acrobatic troupe. It is composed of many former Circus Center students.
Over 30 years, the Circus Center became one of the most advanced schools of circus arts on the West Coast. Training includes clowning, acrobatics, aerial arts, and contortion. With its international instructors, the Circus Center trains artists. These artists work professionally in circuses around the world. Several former students have founded schools and circuses of their own.
The Circus Center remains a San Francisco institution. It brings circus arts to the community. Anyone can experience the innovation and wonder of circus here.
Today the Circus Center offers classes for every level. You can learn flying trapeze, acrobatics, and aerial arts. Contortion and juggling are also taught. It is a vibrant hub of the circus community on the West Coast. The Circus Center produces professional-quality shows throughout the year. These shows star students, instructors, and community members. Its youth troupe has sent students to circuses around the world. A scholarship program helps young artists pursue their dreams.
A unique program is the Clown Conservatory. The National Endowment for the Arts supports it. It is the only year-long professional circus clown training program in the United States.
The instructors have performed with elite circuses. These include the Nanjing Acrobatic Troupe and Moscow Circus. You might recognize Cirque du Soleil and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. The Big Apple Circus is also on the list.
You can find a social circus outreach program here too. It serves under-resourced youth and youth with learning differences. The program operates in locations around the Bay Area.
So whether you’re here for fun, fitness, or a circus career, you are welcome to discover the magic of circus at San Francisco Circus Center.