Serious circus training has historically not had much of a place in higher education. Of course, some universities have student troupes and aerial classes, but these extracurricular activities do not qualify for academic credit. Performers who wanted to really study circus in depth had to attend a separate vocational training program that did not come with a college degree.
Well, that changes this fall. Boston Conservatory at Berkeley releases the first in the US minor in circus arts. “We will be the only graduate school to have an academic circus program in the country,” says the dean of dance Tommy Neblett. “This will fill a gap for students who want to go to college and want to pursue circus training.”
The circus is not new to the school. Boston Conservatory’s dance department first began offering classes in circus arts such as masks and clowning in 2023. Even students who were initially hesitant ended up loving it, according to an associate professor of dance Naomi Bayliss. “Dancers don’t realize they’re very good actors, largely because they already have that mind-body connection in spades,” she says. “It was received beautifully.”
The new minor, starting this fall, will build on these classes through a collaboration with the Boston Conservatory’s Theater Department. Students working in the minor will take a minimum of 12 credits in academic and experiential courses such as acrobatics, juggling, commedia dell’arte, partnering skills, and circus history. Any interested Berklee student — even a voice major, for example — is welcome to declare a circus arts minor.
The idea is to give students a well-rounded training as artists so that they have a variety of career options after graduation. Especially in today’s dance landscape, that kind of flexibility can be a huge asset. “As a dancer, if you have acrobatics and acrobatics training, that’s just an additional skill in your toolbox for career pursuit,” says Neblett. He points not only to Cirque du Soleil, but Usher’s 2024 Super Bowl halftime show and: Water for elephants on Broadway as examples of various jobs for performers with specialized circus training.
At the same time, Neblett is very realistic about the program’s start. “I’m under no illusions that we’re going to be a high-level circus training program that feeds directly into Cirque du Soleil — that takes years,” he says. “This is only the first step.” Neblett says that for now the minor is really designed for students who are more or less new to the circus. But his goal is ultimately to build the program to become a destination for serious pre-professional circus training.
Fortunately, there is plenty of room for growth. The dance program is opening three new studios this September and five more will be added next fall. Within the next five years, Neblett hopes to have a dedicated circus studio with specialized equipment to perform aerial work such as silks, ropes, hoops and trapeze.
However, the students themselves are clearly excited. Neblett says all circus classes for this fall have a waiting list.
Bayliss is not surprised. “Circus offers a counterpoint to the difficulties of dance and allows dancers to learn how to perform rather than censor themselves and let their imaginations really take them somewhere,” she says. This can have positive ripple effects whether dancers pursue an acrobatic career or pursue choreography or do any performing arts projects. “It builds that ability to listen and respond, both externally and internally, which makes one’s artistic pursuits very fascinating to watch,” says Bayliss. “It’s just another way to develop the incredible talent of these students.”
Learn more about Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s top ranked BFA programs in contemporary and commercial dance.