Historically, serious circus training has not played much of a role in higher education. Sure, some colleges have student theater groups and aerial classes, but these extracurricular activities are not eligible for credit. Performers who want to truly delve into circus must take a separate professional training course that does not come with a college degree.
Well, that changed this fall. Berklee’s Boston Conservatory of Music is launching the nation’s first minor in circus arts. “We will be the only higher education institution in the country with an academic circus program,” said Tommy Neblett, dean of the School of Dance. “This will fill a gap for students who want to go to college and want to get circus training.”
The circus is no stranger to the school. The dance department at the Boston Conservatory of Music will begin offering classes in circus arts such as masking and clowning for the first time in 2023. “Dancers don’t realize that they are very good actors, largely because they already have this mind-body connection,” she said. “They loved it.”
A new minor offered this fall will build on these courses through a partnership with the Boston Conservatory’s Theater Department. Students in the minor will earn at least 12 credits in academic and experiential courses such as tumbling, juggling, improvisational comedy, partnering techniques and circus history. Any interested Berkeley student—even a voice major—can choose to minor in circus arts.
The idea is to provide students with comprehensive training as performing artists so that they have a variety of career options after graduation. Especially in today’s dance world, this versatility can be a major advantage. “As a dancer, if you’re trained in tumbling and acrobatics, it’s just an additional skill in your career toolbox,” Neblett said. He mentioned not only Cirque du Soleil but also Usher’s 2024 Super Bowl halftime show, water for elephants Examples of various jobs on Broadway as performers with specialized circus training.
At the same time, Neblett was also very realistic about the program’s start. “I have no illusions that we will become a high-level circus training program directly servicing Cirque du Soleil – that will take years,” he said. “This is just the first step.” For now, Neblett said, the minor is really designed for students who are more or less beginners in circus. But his goal is to eventually make the program a serious professional circus training destination.
Fortunately, there’s plenty of room for growth: The dance program will open three new studios this September and five more next fall. Within the next five years, Neblett hopes to have a dedicated circus studio with specialized rigging for aerial work such as silks, ropes, hoops and swings.
The students themselves are clearly excited, though: Neblett said there are waiting lists for all circus classes this fall.
Barris wasn’t surprised. “The circus provides a way to correspond with the rigor of dance, allowing dancers to learn how to perform without censoring themselves and letting their imaginations really take them somewhere,” she said. Whether a dancer pursues an acrobatic career, choreographs, or works on any type of performing arts project, this has a positive ripple effect. “It builds the ability to listen and respond, both externally and internally, which makes one’s artistic pursuits very fascinating,” Balis said. “This is just another way to nurture the incredible talents of these students.”
Learn more about Berklee College of Music Boston Top BFA Programs in modern and commercial dance.
