OUR MISSION
The Mission of the Circus
Center is to inspire passion for circus arts through training, performance,
and community outreach programs.
CIRCUS CENTER HISTORY
- In 1974 Peggy Snider and Larry Pisoni founded the Pickle
Family Circus.
- In 1984 Wendy Parkman and Judy Finelli founded the SF School
for Circus Arts as a special project of the Pickle Family Circus,
then housed on Potrero Hill. The first class contained 16 children.
- In 1986 Hannah Kahn took reigns of the school, directing
it over the next 10 years.
- In 1990 Ms. Finelli hired master trainer Lu Yi from the Nanjing
Acrobatic Troupe in the People's Republic of China
as well as other Chinese artists from Lu Yi's troupe.
- In 1993 the school incorporated and moved to the former Polytech
HS gymnasium in the Haight.
- In 1996 Lu Yi founded the SF Youth Circus in order to provide
students with performing opportunities. These young people have
performed at the Cowell Theatre at Fort Mason, Theatre Artaud, and
at the Julia Morgan Theatre.
- The Clown Conservatory was started in the fall of 2000 with
a grant from the NEA It is the only year-long circus clown training
program in the United States.
- In 2000 the school purchased the New Pickle Circus using
funding from contributions alone.
- The New Pickle Circus stages a professional show mounted
annually in San Francisco and participates in several special productions
throughout the year.
- Since 2001 both the professional Pickle Circus and the School
have been administered by the Circus Center.
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