TLDR; Your employer may match donations. Look it up and see how you can contribute to our year-end giving campaign.

Did you know that your dollar can go further at ZERO cost to you?

  
A lot of companies, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area, will match donations.

What does that mean?

Matching gifts are a type of corporate giving program that essentially double an employee’s initial donation to an eligible nonprofit organization.

In essence, if you give Circus Center $1,000, your company may match that gift with a $1,000 donation of their own to Circus Center. Depending on your company’s policy, there may be opportunities to TRIPLE or even QUADRUPLE your contribution!

This corporate match is essentially a no-cost donation after you make your donation.

For Circus Center, it means that we can keep bringing equity to the center ring. We can build a bigger tent for even more to enjoy and for even more to participate.

You may be thinking - Great! I’d love to do this and support Circus Center! But, how do I do this?

Upside: Most companies make it really easy to initiate this process.

Downside: You, our esteemed community member, have to initiate this process internally.

So, what does this process look like?

Generally, it follows this structure:

Although the submission process varies for each corporate matching gift program, the standard matching gift process follows these steps:

Make a Contribution to Circus Center. You can do that HERE. Minutes within your donation, Circus Center will send you a donation acknowledgment.
Make a Matching Gift Request to Your Employer. Find the matching gift protocol on your company’s internal site and submit your request!
Your Company Reviews Circus Center to Determine Eligibility. Circus Center is a 501c3 non-profit organization, so this process usually goes pretty smoothly.
Circus Center Verifies Your Donation. Your company may reach out to us to confirm that your donation was made.
Circus Center Receives Your Company’s Matching Gift!

Help Circus Center build a bigger tent. Let’s keep moving equity to the center ring.

Donate Today

Still have questions? Contact Emily Hong Daniel (emily@circuscenter.org) with questions!

The past two years have been tough, but they have also shined a light on the things that are near and dear to the hearts of our community. Circus Center has always valued diversity, equity, and inclusion. Now, with your help, we are moving equity into the center ring. 
 
We are working to break down the financial barriers that prevent people, especially children and youth, from accessing our programs.
 
100% of your contribution to this campaign will go to two things:

1. Expanding our need-based tuition assistance program

Thanks to support from donors like you, we have offered tuition assistance to 18 families since September 1, including 38% of the members of our SF Youth Circus training program. The average award size for SFYC members is over $2,500/year!

Dylan's Story

Dylan is a 15-year-old SF Youth Circus member. Hear what they have to say: "I’ve been training at the Circus Center for the past 10 years. That’s all thanks to the people who contribute to the Tuition Assistance Fund. As a recipient, I’ve been able to learn so much about myself from the circus community. Because of circus, I have a place in a larger collective and the confidence to perform and speak publicly."

2. Engaging long-term in historically excluded and under-resourced communities

This work started in 2017 thanks to pilot funding from individual donors who believed in our vision: Circus For All, regardless of ability to pay. Today, we receive a $23,000/year grant from the City for our work in the Tenderloin neighborhood, and we are supporting and expanding that work with over $60,000 in funds raised from community members just like you.

Texas' Story

Texas is our Community Engagement Director. She’s spent every week possible during the pandemic with the children at the Tenderloin Rec Center. Here’s how she describes our work:

"The Tenderloin Tumblers need our support. This program is bringing these youth the opportunity to contribute some joy and fun INTO their community through appearances at events, community gatherings, and festivals. Having ownership and actively participating in their community bolsters a sense of belonging for our students, at a time when this particular community is struggling. These students are excited to learn circus and take their skills and their funny into the community. They enjoy being seen walking tall and representing Circus Center, the Tenderloin, their families, and themselves as individuals."

Circus Center has already committed $200,000 toward our equity programs.

Now let's take that even further.

In the coming year, Circus Center wants to do even more to move equity to the center of our values, conversations, and actions:

• Expand financial aid for adults, youth, and artists of color
• Serve more children through more community partnerships, like our new relationship with SF Rec & Parks
• Offer new professional development opportunities for coaches, including:
  • Trauma-Informed Teaching
  • Working with Neurodiverse People
  • Spotting People of All Body Types
  • And much more.

In this season of giving, will you invest in bringing the joy of circus to even more Bay Area families?

What your gift means:

Winter 2022 Session Schedule

CLICK HERE to view the Winter 2022 Session Schedule!

COVID and Full Session Enrollment

In 2022 we anticipate maintaining our high-safety standards while hopefully benefiting from the increased availability of vaccinations to our ages-6-and-up student body.  With this in mind, please only session enroll if you are willing to:

1. Continue to stay "fully vaccinated" even if this definition changes.  If the city or state eventually requires booster shots to qualify an individual as fully vaccinated, we will not offer refunds for students who opt out.  These mandates are always offered with plenty of time for students and staff to reach compliance, so it may not  happen in the winter session, but we will continue to operate in full compliance with all health orders for the safety of our students and staff.
2. Be comfortable training in a space with unmasked students or staff.  You won't be asked to remove your mask if you prefer to keep training with a mask on, but it is possible that we will allow students and staff to train without masks at some point during the winter session and if you are not comfortable continuing to train in that setting, we won't be offering refunds for session enrolled students.

New Classes, New Teachers, New Discounts

To encourage you to get the most out of your training, we are offering TWO discounts for full session enrollees in the winter!

• NEW! 20% discount on full session enrollment in weekday daytime classes. Do you have a flexible workday? Can you get here and get your sweat on before 4:00pm? Then you can save 20% on the cost of full session enrollments in any weekday daytime classes.
• Performance Department discount bundle: All adult students who purchase a Full Session Enrollment for a Performance Department class this Winter will receive a 75% off credit toward winter 2022 session enrollment in any additional adult circus class – regular or premium.

As Circus Center returns to full strength, there are so many things to be excited about in this new schedule!

• MORE TISSU, including the return of the ever-popular Amy Olson as a Senior Instructor!
• MORE Beginner Aerial classes, including Aerial Conditioning and Intro to Mixed Aerials
• MORE classes in the Stretching and Contortion Department, offered by three new instructors – Mackenzie Pike, Julia Maimone, and Azzaya Batbileg
• MORE Beginner and Intermediate Acro classes, from Jeremy Vik, Ori Doria-Quesada, and Enmeng Song
• Monday Night Flying Trapeze!
• PLUS the expanded offerings in the Performance Department

How (and Why) to Session Enroll

Session enrollment means you pay upfront and are guaranteed a spot in the same class each week of the session. Session enrollment has been a part of Circus Center's culture and approach to circus training for many years, because we know that a regular, consistent training regimen is the best way to learn. So we don't just offer session enrollment – we make it our best, most attractive deal for you!

• Priority enrollment period (first shot at some of our most coveted classes!);
• The ONLY way to get our lowest prices:
  • $32/class for regular in-person classes,
  • $40/class for premium in-person classes,
  • $14/class for 60/90-minute online classes, and
  • $25/class for 2 hr online classes; plus
• One free drop-in credit per enrollment, in case you have to miss or just want to try something new! 

Session enrollment for Winter classes opens on Thursday, November 11 at 10am PST (UTC -8). The priority enrollment period lasts over two weeks, until registration opens for students using class credits and packs on November 29. Many classes will fill up with session enrollees!

To session enroll:

1. Pick out classes (Fall schedule came out today, November 9)
2. Make sure you have an updated payment method on your MindBody account
3. If you want to enroll in a class with a pre-requisite, check with the Front Desk team (info@circuscenter.org) and make sure the pre-req is on your account
4. Draft an email to info@circuscenter.org with your request. Include your first and last name, email associated with your MindBody account, and a list of all the classes you'd like to enroll in. For example, "Beginning Contortion Online on Saturdays at 4pm" or "All Levels Flying Trapeze on Tuesdays at 6:30pm."
5. Schedule it to send (or be at your computer ready to click send) right at 10:00am PST on 11/11
    

When you review the class schedule for Winter 2022, we recommend considering a backup class or two just in case you don't get into your first choice. You can include your backup classes in your session enrollment request email. Please make it clear that they are backup options in the event the original classes you requested fill up.

Winter 2022 session runs January 3 – March 27, 2022. See you in class! 

A fanfare and drum roll please! The Department of Performance is BACK in the winter session, bigger, louder, and just as much fun.

During the longest nights and darkest months, one group of students will continue its journey into the world of Human Animation, while another group will start down the road to becoming their amplified selves.

PLUS, we have two new classes and the same incredibly LOW discounts as we offered in the Fall – so it’s definitely time to GET IN THE RING with us!

All adult students registered for a Performance Department class this Fall will receive a 75% off credit toward winter session enrollment in any additional adult circus class – regular or premium.

COLIN JOHNSON is teaching CIRCUS & PERFORMANCE ON FILM

Colin is a director of stage, circus, and film and will help you master the killer app of today’s successful circus artist: video. Colin is an expert at using video tools and you will learn through collaboration to develop and generate your own multimedia support and content.

RORY DAVIS is teaching RORYOGRAPHY: An Eccentric Dance Class

The inimitable, irrepressible dancer/choreographer Rory Davis is in the house full-time! Rory was part of my faculty in Clown Conservatory, and now he’s here for EVERYONE with his own brand of wacky eccentric dance that is also quite the workout! The Alice in Winterland cast members, along with people across the city, know that this is the most fun dance class in town. And now it’s here at CC!

AND ALSO: SARA TOBY MOORE is teaching HUMAN ANIMATION & ADVANCED HUMAN ANIMATION

The first HA course is for those seeking to strengthen and focus their performance skills through Toby’s own toolkit of exercises and games designed to bring out your most amplified self. Advanced HA is for those who took the first course or or for experienced performers who want to up their game. Learn performance the fun way.

The Performance Department is here to WAKE UP the Performer in you, give you a little gussy and shine, and then get you connected with an audience through your character, your act, your story – your art. GET IN HERE!

Sara Toby Moore, Director, Department of Performance

ATTIRE
Comfortable Cocktail + Clown Chic + Colorful Costumes!

We’re dressing up, but we also are aware that shopping can be a chore.

With the San Francisco summer behind us, the fog may be in full force. The forecast projects the weather to be in the low to mid-60s, so we recommend dressing for warmth with flair! 

Bring your most important accessory: your vaccination card!

EVENT DETAILS
EVENING SCHEDULE

• 5:30pm - Outdoor Snacks & Street Performances
• 6:30pm - Doors open for Premium Ticket Holders
• 7:15pm - Doors open for General Admission
• 8:00pm - Live Acrobatic & Awards Show begins
• 10:00pm - Silent Auction closes
• 10:30pm - Checkout + Goodbyes

SOME LOGISTICS + EXPECTATIONS
Our event will be fully masked indoors, please bring your mask (or two).

You should plan to arrive 30-45 minutes before the doors open for your ticket level to have enough time to eat outdoors before doors open for your ticket level.

When doors open for your ticket level, you will be ushered in the building’s lobby and into an elevator to head up to the fourth floor. When you arrive on the fourth floor, you will check-in and receive your wristband and reusable tumbler to use for drinks during the event. Please be ready to present proof of vaccination. All guests over the age of 12 will be asked to provide proof of vaccination, as requested by the Wilsey Center.

FOOD + DRINKS
WoKitchen will have food for all of our ticketed guests between 5:30-7pm. Their food truck will be parked on the southwest corner of McAllister Street + Van Ness Avenue. 

Our Premium ticket holders will be invited to get drinks from our Premium Bar Sponsor - Trade Routes.

Cocktails will include: 

• The Xiaohong Negroni
• The Saint Elaine
• The Uncharted Waters
• Other Well Drinks

General Admission ticket holders will be able to partake in zero-proof drinks, beer, and wine at a separate bar.

SILENT AUCTION
We will have items for you to bid on! Some items include: 

• Handcrafted Handstand Board + Blocks
• Private Lessons in Acro + Aerial
• Ice Cream Social with Marigold & Betty
• Green Door Life Nutrition Course
• Circus Center Merch + Show Tickets
• Tickets to “Dear San Francisco” at Club Fugazi
• Coffee of the Month Club from Wrecking Ball Coffee
• Full Body MRI Scan from Prenuvo
• Gift Card for the Drag Pumpkin Patch

Be sure to use your paddle number (on the back of YOUR program) to bid!

FUND-A-NEED
During the Theater Show, Circus Center will ask you to raise your paddle (program) to give a specific amount of support. We’ll request donations of varying dollar amounts to give you the opportunity to help us reach our goal! There’s no limit to the number of times you can raise your paddle. Anything you donate is tax-deductible and will help Circus Center continue our work and mission.

DIRECTIONS + PARKING

Taking a Rideshare
Request a ride to 401 Van Ness Avenue, 94109. Please ask your driver to drop you off on Van Ness Avenue, there is a drop-off zone where it is safer to exit vehicles.

Driving
FROM THE SOUTH BAY OR PENINSULA                                                                                

• Take 101 North and exit 9th Street
• Turn left on 9th Street
• At Market Street bear right onto Larkin Street
• Turn left on McAllister Street
• Turn left on Van Ness Avenue                                                       

FROM THE EAST BAY

• Take I-80 West and cross the Bay Bridge
• Take the 9th Street/Civic Center exit and stay right
• Turn left on Harrison Street
• Turn right on 9th Street
• At Market Street bear right onto Larkin Street
• Turn left on McAllister Street
• Turn left on Van Ness Avenue

FROM THE NORTH BAY

• Drive South on Highway 101 and cross the Golden Gate Bridge
• Follow signs to Downtown via Lombard Street
• Turn right on Van Ness Avenue
• Continue to Grove Street

PARKING

• Performing Arts Garage
  • 360 Grove Street (at Gough) | 415.252.8238
• Civic Center Plaza Garage
  • 355 McAllister Street (at Polk) | 415.863.1537

SAFETY INFORMATION
The health of our community is paramount and of the utmost importance and we’re doing even more to do our part.

In compliance with San Francisco’s latest health order:

• All attendees will be masked
• All attendees over the age of 12 will be required to provide proof of vaccination
• Performers will be more than 6 feet from the audience and some will be masked

OTHER QUESTIONS + QUERIES

• What do I need to bring to the event?
  • Please bring a mask and your vaccination card. These will be checked upon arrival at the Wilsey Center.
• Can I pay for a ticket the evening of the event?
  • Yes! However we recommend purchasing tickets in advance in order to ensure you are able to enjoy food outside.
• Can I upgrade my ticket the evening of the event?
  • Yes!
• Help! I didn’t receive my tickets! What do I do?
  • Don’t worry! We do not issue tickets.  Your name and the names of your guests should be on the list. You’ll simply check in with your name(s).

We are excited to launch our first Sideshow Cabaret on October 23, 2021. The purpose of the Sideshow Cabaret is to create artistic development opportunities for Circus Center’s students and staff. This show is a chance for students who have been working on acts to get them in front of an audience. The Sideshow Cabaret is also great for pros who are looking to season a new act or perform something a bit more experimental. This is not a professional show, but rather an artistic development opportunity. Performers will get a free drink and a video of their act. Tickets are $10 or pay what you can - just enough to cover the costs of the event.

The Sideshow Cabaret will have a variety show format with a loose theme (Halloween this month). This is a chance to show your act exactly how you intended it. You won’t be asked to change your music or adjust your character. But if you’d like some feedback or coaching on your act, we are happy to provide that. There will be a minimal time commitment for the Sideshow Cabaret. There will be a tech rehearsal and cue to cue the day of the show, a break, and then a show in the evening.

Do you have an act that you want to get in front of an audience? Send a video of your act to Sailor at sailor@circuscenter.org by October 1 to be considered for the Sideshow Cabaret - Halloween Edition. Feel free to reach out to Sailor or Felicity with any questions (felicity@circuscenter.org).

Dear Circus Center Community,

A lot of people have been asking, “Is the Circus Center Cabaret coming back this year?”  The Circus Center Cabaret was a special part of our production season since 2015.  Steve Smith brilliantly brought our Theater to life with delicious cocktails, jumping jazz tunes by the Roger Glenn Trio, comedy and class by Madame Leanne Borghesi, and of course dazzling and awe-inspiring circus performances.  Personally, I loved performing in the Cabaret just as much as I enjoyed attending it.

After more than a year of the Pandemic, it is clear that we cannot bring the Cabaret back in the same form as before.  This may be disappointing for audiences and performers alike.  As we rebuild our capacity, we want to be smart about what our budget, staff, and space can handle.  We also want to make sure our programs and productions are serving Circus Center’s mission and community.  

Therefore, I am pleased to announce that we will have a Cabaret Season but with a twist.  This year we will have two kinds of Cabarets:  Sideshow Cabarets and a Classic Cabaret.  We are keeping the Cabaret that we all know and love (Classic Cabaret), but we are also developing a new kind of Cabaret (Sideshow Cabaret) that will create more opportunities for our students and allow us to push the boundaries of circus as an art form.

This Spring we are getting the team back together for a Classic Cabaret just like you remember.   This October, we will debut our Sideshow Cabaret with a Halloween show.  The Sideshow Cabaret will be a delightfully wild and thrilling show featuring Circus Center’s high level students as well as circus pros looking to present new or experimental acts.  The Sideshow Cabaret will be more inclusive for our student community, less expensive for the audience to attend, and hopefully a bit cutting edge.  

Keep following our newsletters, social media, and website for more details on how to perform in or attend our Cabarets.  

Sincerely,

Felicity Hesed, Artistic Director

This December Circus Center will premiere our fantastical new holiday showcase, Alice In Winterland, a theatrical-circus telling of the wonderland adventure set right here in our beloved San Francisco. With Alice all grown up and with kids of her own, she one day finds herself mysteriously called back to the land of her childhood dream only to find it’s oddly parallel to the joys and challenges of our own world. Ever brave and curious, Alice and her two kiddos follow the White Rabbit and his own bunny kiddos through the foggy night and find old friends in hilarious new conundrums, from a stuck-in-the-air Cheshire Cat to a members-only Mad Hatter’s Tea Party to an anti-holiday Red Queen! Alice and her family have the adventure of their lives by inspiring and discovering anew what the holidays are truly about, right underneath the cool gray city of love! This show is performed entirely by our curiouser and curiouser SF Youth Circus and adult students of Circus Center with their many wonderful circus skills and bold characterizations. Not to be missed this holiday season! 

Audition Date/ Time: August 22nd - 10am-4pm PDT (Lunch Break 12-1pm)

Appointments: Email sailor@circuscenter.org with “Alice in Winterland Auditions” as the subject line to schedule a time. And please fill out our survey at: https://forms.gle/k474dQDf2ZfYN7sg9 

Location: Circus Center

755 Frederick St.

San Francisco, CA 94117

Personnel: Directors: Colin Johnson, Sara Toby Moore

Artistic Director: Felicity Hesed

Production Manager: Sailor Galaviz

Preparation: If possible, please prepare a circus act showcasing your skills, a clown act, or a comedic monologue (under three minutes). *We understand that after a year+ of lockdown, many people will not have an act ready for auditions. That’s okay!  Please audition anyway! Come ready to play with an open mind and show us a few of your favorite tricks. Auditions open to all members of our circus community! 

Note: Students enrolled in classes in the Performance Department (Human Animation, Contortion Group Act Creation, and SFYC Performance Troupe) this Fall will automatically have a place in the show if they want. However, if you’d like to perform a featured circus act or a lead role, please still schedule an audition!

Winter Showcase Rehearsal & Class Schedule

[Not all participants will be required to attend all rehearsals, workshops, and classes - your involvement in the show will dictate the track you are placed on]

AUDITIONS

Sun August 22, 2021 - 10am-4pm

REHEARSALS:

Sunday 9/12/21 5pm-8pm
Sunday 9/19/21 5pm-8pm
Sunday 10/24/21 5pm-8pm 
Sunday 11/07/21 5pm-8pm
Sunday 11/14/21 5pm-8pm 
Sunday 11/21/21 5pm-8pm
Sunday 11/28/21 5pm-8pm

WORKSHOPS:

Saturday 9/18/21 2-5pm - Character Development Workshop - Studio
Saturday 9/25/21 2-5pm - Individual 
Saturday 10/02/21 2-5pm - Music Selection + Choreography - Studio
Saturday 10/16/21 2-5pm - Individual
Saturday 10/23/21 2-5pm - Costuming - Studio
Saturday 11/06/21 2-5pm - Individual 
Saturday 11/13/21 2-5pm - Individual 
Saturday 11/20/21 2-5pm - Makeup Workshop - Studio or Backstage

TECH:

Saturday 12/04/21 12m-10pm (Cast call 1pm)
Sunday 12/05/21 12pm-10pm (Cast call 1pm)
Thursday 12/09/21 4pm-10pm - Dress Rehearsal

PERFORMANCES:

Friday 12/10/21 7:30pm (call 5:00pm)
Saturday 12/11/21 2:00pm (call 12:00pm) and 7:30pm (call 6:00pm)
Sunday 12/12/2021 2:00pm (call 12:00pm)

This fall, we are very pleased to bring back Full Session Enrollment as a registration option for our adult students. Moreover, we are making session enrollment available for both in-person AND online classes!

Session enrollment means you pay upfront and are guaranteed a spot in the same class each week of the session. Session enrollment has been a part of Circus Center's culture and approach to circus training for many years, because we know that a regular, consistent training regimen is the best way to learn. So we don't just offer session enrollment – we make it our best, most attractive deal for you!

• Priority enrollment period (first shot at some of our most coveted classes!);
• The ONLY way to get our lowest prices:
  • $32/class for regular in-person classes,
  • $40/class for premium in-person classes,
  • $14/class for 60/90-minute online classes, and
  • $25/class for 2 hr online classes; plus
• One free drop-in credit per enrollment, in case you have to miss or just want to try something new!

Session enrollment for Fall classes opens on Tuesday, August 3 at 10am PDT (UTC -7). The priority enrollment period lasts almost two weeks, until registration opens for students using class credits and packs on August 16. Many classes will fill up with session enrollees!

To session enroll:

1. Pick out classes (Fall schedule comes out this Friday, July 30)
2. Make sure you have an updated payment method on your MindBody account
3. If you want to enroll in a class with a pre-requisite, check with the Front Desk team (info@circuscenter.org) and make sure the pre-req is on your account
4. Draft an email to info@circuscenter.org with your request. Include your first and last name, email associated with your MindBody account, and a list of all the classes you'd like to enroll in. For example, "Beginning Contortion Online on Saturdays at 4pm" or "All Levels Flying Trapeze on Tuesdays at 6:30pm."
5. Schedule it to send (or be at your computer ready to click send) right at 10:00am PDT on 8/3

When you review the class schedule for Fall 2021, we recommend considering a backup class or two just in case you don't get into your first choice. You can include your backup classes in your session enrollment request email. Please make it clear that they are backup options in the event the original classes you requested fill up.

Fall 2021 session runs September 7 – December 22, 2021. See you in class! 

 Dear Circus Center community,

As some of you already know, Circus Center very recently instituted a policy permitting verified fully vaccinated students to train without masks during certain times of day. Unfortunately, in light of recent developments in the pandemic, we are reversing course for now and requiring all students, staff, community members, and visitors to wear masks at all times inside our facility.

The rise of the Delta variant changes the risk mitigation equation. Delta is much more transmissible than previous versions of COVID. It prompts the body to produce, carry, and spread a much higher viral load, which translates into more serious sickness. And evidence from other countries and less vaccinated regions of our own country suggests that the Delta variant carries higher risks of infection and serious illness for children. Although San Francisco has very high vaccination rates, and the vaccines prevent serious illness, breakthrough cases are not uncommon, thereby creating more opportunities for community spread.

Our organization serves many children every day. As they are among the most vulnerable now in this pandemic, we must prioritize their health and safety. Although we mostly separate youth training times and spaces from adult training, the separation is imperfect, and instructors teach both populations constantly.

In addition to requiring masks at all times indoors, we are also taking additional measures to improve and test our ventilation regularly. Finally, please, everyone, WASH YOUR HANDS, and continue to wear a mask as much as possible indoors. We can get through this together, but only by taking action, not just for ourselves, but for the most vulnerable among us.

Courage,

Barry