Circadium

FEDEC member since 2018

Circadium opened in 2017 in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia. It is a 3-year, full-time program that offers a state-recognized Diploma of Circus Arts upon graduation.  

Circadium was formed to meet a need.  In the United States, which is brimming with classical circus imagery and recreational circus practitioners, there has not been, until now, a higher education program for circus.  American circus talents have either languished, or traveled abroad for their further training and work opportunities.  And in a country as large and diverse as ours, we are committed to changing that - and changing the art form itself.

Our influences come from many places: from the physical theatre and dance worlds, to the deep and extensive youth and recreational circus communities, and to the grand traditions of American traveling circuses. 

Circus in America is independent and entrepreneurial. It is multi-cultural, hard-working, and welcoming. We cherish these qualities. But we are learning continually from our European and Canadian circus school role models, and bringing new elements to our school as well: experimentation, self-expression, polyvalence, refinement.  

And so we provide coursework in artistic as well as technical elements.  We utilize tools from theater, dance, writing, visual arts and other disciplines to enhance the creativity of our circus practice. The students present new creation projects at the end of every week. And our business curriculum promotes the long-term sustainability of the circus arts and the individual artist.

The students spend about 1/2 of their time in technical circus classes, and the other 1/2 in Dance (6 hours / week), Theatre (6 hours / week), and academic classes (4.5 hours / week).  In the first year they study History (of Circus, Theatre, and Dance), Music, and Writing.  In the second year they study Photography, Videography, Lighting Design, Sound Design, Costume Design, and Prop-Building.  And in the 3rd year they study Financial Management, Business Planning, and Marketing.   

Training offered

Diploma of Circus Arts, 3 years full-time.  35 hours / week, 34 weeks / year  (3012 hours).

Disciplines taught

• Aerial rope
• Aerial silks
• Chinese hoop diving
• Chinese pole
• Contortion
• Dance Trapeze
• Cyr wheel
• Floor acrobatics 
• Hand to hand / Banquine 
• Handbalancing
• Juggling - Object manipulation
• Lyra
• Rope
• Static Trapeze / Duo Trapeze
• Rola Bola
• Teeterboard
• Tightwire
• Trampoline
• Unicycle

Learn more about this member

Founded in 2017

Management

• Executive Director :  Shana Kennedy

Teaching language

English

Location

Circadium
6452 Greene Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19119
United States