PROGRAMS IN CIRCUS EDUCATION

On Circus Education. Circus combines the best of sport and art – it is physical skill-building in a non-competitive atmosphere. Circus crosses boundaries of language, culture, economics, and age – a remarkably agile and facilitative builder of community.

 After-School Circus Programs in San Diego’s City Heights. Since September 2023, Fern Street Circus has been resident at the former Central Elementary School campus. We occupy a 2,500 square foot gym with 20 foot ceiling, tall windows, a wood floor and a raised stage. Circus Fun classes take place two afternoons per week, teaching City Heights youth from beginners to advanced free-of-charge. Students are trained by skilled, paid instructors. Ages of students range from six year olds to teens; our bi-lingual staff works with parents to support the effort.

Every Wednesday, up to 35 Central students walk to Fern Street’s gym for circus instruction and snacks on the school’s minimum day, when school lets out at 12;30 p.m. The program allows parents to pick up their kids at their regular end of school time, 2:30; besides helping parents with childcare and ease of transportation, the program eliminates disruption of the parents’ workday.

City of San Diego Park & Recreation Department has hosted our programs since 1993; we currently teach weekly, year-round at Mid-City Gym.

Circus Youth Apprentice Program. An important component of our on-going After-School Circus Program, the Apprentice Program focuses on enhanced training and act creation for the most determined, gotta-have it students. Every year, determined students join coaches and other professional circus and musical artists in the month-long Neighborhood Tour to Mid-City San Diego parks. It is joyous and demanding, an empowering learning experience for young people.

In-School Residencies. With support of the California Arts Council (CAC), Fern Street artists teach circus during the school day at the new Central Elementary School campus in City Heights. Students receive 8 weeks of circus classes. In 2024. the program serves all of the school’s 24 classes from January through May.

After-School Circus Clubs in South Bay. Fern Street Circus works with South Bay Union School District to bring circus instruction four days per week throughout the school year. Currently, we teach at Central School, Imperial Beach, and Imperial Beach Charter.

 Other Instructional Programs. Fern Street Circus creates customized circus learning programs for schools and community organizations. We start with juggling, tumbling, and clowning, adding, for example, elements of literacy, conditioning, or nutrition to curricula.

Students learn excellent hand-eye coordination through juggling a variety of fun objects!

Our circus coaches teach balance, cartwheels, hand stands, flips and even more to come!

Learn to jump and land in style from our mini trampoline!

Fern Street Circus reaches beyond skills training and sparkling performance, to create social change. Children, teens, and their families join together in a nurturing, portable, creative place for making friends, growing up and marking milestones through collective achievement. 

Fern Street Circus is part of a global movement in creating and documenting the impact of circus as an agent of social justice and change. Fern Street has been designated Cirque du Soleil’s Social Action Partner in San Diego, a signal honor which speaks to our years of service to families in neighborhoods of need. Join us as we make change with infectious joy!