FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ABOUT
Founded in 2014, the American
Circus Educators Association (ACE)
is a branch of the American Youth
Circus Organization (AYCO), a non-
profit organization that supports
the diversity of circus educators by
organizing festivals & conferences,
advocating for circus education,
generating and sharing resources
and information, and setting
guidelines for safety in circus
education and practice.
For information about events,
membership, or to get involved,
visit americancircuseducators.org
STAFF
Amy Cohen, Executive Director
Sam Boyles, Account Manager
Kim Campbell, Editor
Lucy Little, Graphic Design
BOARD
Jesse Alford, President
Jenn Cohen, Vice President
Maribeth Joy, Treasurer
Adam Woolley, Secretary
Jen Agans, Member
Tara Jacob, Member
Shana Kennedy, Member
Carlo Pellegrini, Member
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Subscriptions to ACE Magazine are a
benefit of ACE membership. Please
visit americancircuseducators.org
to become a member.
SUBMISSIONS
We invite any reader with a
circus-related story, opinion ,
review , poem , quote , or artwork
to submit inquires to editor@
americancircuseducators.org
KEEP IN TOUCH
T: 914.441.8834
E: [email protected]
W: americancircuseducators.org
Twitter: @ILoveAYCO
Facebook:
americanyouthcircusorganization
PHOTOS
Dear Community,
This season, our issue sheds light on the many highlights of the 2016 Educators
Conference—an intensely connective time for our community. The EdCon
brought us together, it nurtured us, invigorated us, and sparked us to action. It
was full of joy, inspiration, and hope.
The circus community is unique in that the more people who join in, the
less complicated things get. In unity, we find clarity. With shared resources,
solutions rise to the surface. In the small microcosm of the EdCon, this is
helpful. When we zoom out and face the world we are living in, this is critical.
It is a difficult time for many of us in our community. We have experienced the
tragic and premature loss of several beloved members of our community this
year and many of us are struggling to find a sense of hope or calm in light of
such hapless events. Additionally, as the national mood darkens due to recent
domestic and world events, many are experiencing paralyzing and painful fear
as a result of the racism, sexism, and xenophobia that is sadly on the rise in
our world. These prejudices are dramatically at odds with the nucleus of what
many believe to be the cornerstone of our circus values: inclusivity, openness
and diversity. In circus education, we are graced with the opportunity, and
the responsibility, to act within our abilities to support our students and
circus family in both feeling and being safe. You are a powerful and influential
individual to people in this community, and circus is a safe space to express
whatever is on our collective and individual minds and bodies. We have the
privilege and the responsibility to meet people where they are—and our work
and play is deep.
In our circus environments over the next weeks and months we may find that
what is on people's minds, and the stories they hold in their bodies, may be of
more importance than physically doing circus. If you sense this, I encourage
you to go with your instincts. I am heartened to learn about the actions circus
schools around the country are taking to support people in feeling safe.
For example, Aloft in Chicago is offering free self defense courses to the
community, the folks at Wise Fool in New Mexico are working day and night to
support their immigrant students, and schools around the US are opening their
doors so that people who feel safest at their circus school can spend more
time there.
In this issue of ACE, you will get a first person account of the growth and
healing that Edcon facilitated from the perspectives of an active member
of our youth board and also from a pillar of our circus educator community.
You will read about what still inspires a juggling coach who has 45 years of
experience teaching, delve into some sage advice on clowning and discover
concrete ways you can make your circus more accessible to people with many
different abilities or for people who are recovering from trauma. It is my hope
that with these examples of curiosity, open mindedness, perseverance and
exploration, we may see a glimpse of what we need to thrive as a community
and a nation going forward. Circus compassion and gratefulness to you!
Sincerely,
All photos are by Jenny Lowery
unless otherwise noted
Amy Cohen
Executive Director
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