Whitney Circus School

Floor 3, Theater

Open to all ages

1 pm: Clowning 101 
2 pm: Juggling And Beyond 
3 pm: Circus Surprise 
 
In celebration of High Wire: Calder’s Circus at 100, the Whitney invites visitors of all ages to join Whitney Circus School a series of interactive classes led by professional performers from The Circus Academy of New York. Master the art of clowning, embrace the rhythm of juggling, and join a surprise workshop. What will these performances awaken in you?

High Wire: Calder’s Circus at 100 celebrates the one-hundred-year-old birthday of one of Alexander Calder’s most iconic works and one of the most beloved works in the Whitney’s collection, Calder’s Circus. 

Calder grew up at the end of the golden age of the American circus. After seeing the circus live, Calder was filled with inspiration. In 1926, Calder began constructing his miniature multi-act circus while living in Paris, using everyday materials you might find around the house or at a hardware store—wire, fabric, cork, wood, string, and found objects—to create a cast of acrobats, animals, and other circus performers including clowns, a sword swallower, and a ringmaster. The figures were brought to life through performances that Calder staged for audiences of artists and friends. Calder would manipulate the figures with his hands and add sound effects with his own voice. These dynamic performances were set to music, complete with lighting, and could last up to two hours—representing a radical new form of performance art. Calder stored the Circus in a set of five suitcases and would travel back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean with his Circus all packed up and ready to go. 

Calder’s Circus shows his early fascination with movement, form, and suspense. Through his performances of the Circus, Calder honed the techniques that would shape his sculptures, including his groundbreaking invention of the mobile. 

The Circus Academy of New York 

The Circus Academy of New York is a school dedicated to teaching and celebrating the art of circus. With locations in Brooklyn and on Manhattan’s Pier 40, the Academy offers classes, workshops, and performance opportunities for all ages and levels. Students can learn skills such as flying trapeze, aerial arts, trampoline, juggling, and general circus techniques in a supportive and professional environment. 

Participants become part of a vibrant community that honors the rich tradition and creative spirit of circus arts in New York City.