Year 1 of our Professional Training Program is focused on building foundational skills and techniques, with 9 months dedicated to exploring new disciplines, developing generalist skills, and starting to develop your own unique work. With a wide introduction to varied topics in the circus arts, in the first trimester we aim to expose our students to many circus disciplines. In addition to exploring many topics in the circus arts, the first trimester also includes education (goal setting, nutrition, injury prevention etc.) to help you succeed in the program and in your training as a circus artist.

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In the second trimester, you will choose your major discipline to focus on (with an optional minor discipline). Classes to help you become a well-rounded and competitive circus artist such as dance, acro, theater, conditioning, flexibility, juggling, classroom and more are included in your weekly classes with your cohort throughout the entire program. During the first trimester you may also take up to 5 evening classes in our advanced recreational program for further study. During the second trimester you will select your major coach (and declare an optional minor if you’d like) who will work with you in a one hour private lesson per week to help you develop your end of year act. Your act will be shown in an end of year cabaret show as well as some ensemble demonstrations of group work classes (juggling, acro, dance etc.).

 

Unique to Aloft’s program - in addition to learning how to be a performer, we will teach you how to run a show! You will leave Year 1 a more marketable and empowered circus artist with more skills than just performing. Included in Year 1 is production class- where you will learn how to stage manage, run a sound and lighting board, artistically direct, rig and more in order to produce a bi-monthly open-mic style cabaret show. Ticket proceeds of that show will go directly back to your cohort and into a tuition pool to reduce the cost of tuition! You get to learn employable skills and reduce your own tuition at the same time! 

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Year Two/Lab Year will be a personalized residency focused on the creation of an exquisite graduation act which will combine intensive private coaching with two mentor coaches, a prescribed independent training plan, daily classes, personalized career guidance and a final show creation process featuring your act. Year 2 includes lab weeks where Aloft invites coaches from around the world to work with you. Past coaches have included Rain Anya, Terry Crane, Liza Rose, Chloe Farah, Tanya Burka, Amy Cohen and more.  Depending on student progress, this second year, if desired may supply opportunities for teacher training. Year Two will also culminate in the Lab Weeks, two major shows to perform in: a solo cabaret and an ensemble Show Creation with your guest director. Year Two is optional. If there are spots in the program during Year 2, we will hold auditions to accept qualified students directly into Year 2. 

 

Year 1 and Year 2 do not run concurrently, our next Year 2 cycle will be September 2027-2028. If you are interested in joining Year 2 directly - please watch our social media for audition announcements around late 2026.

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The mission of our program is to create curious and questioning artists committed to advancing the role of circus the US and abroad. We aim to inspire our students and give them the tools to make physically and emotionally rigorous work that challenges ideas of who we are and what we can do, as individuals and a unified force. We want to guide aspiring professional circus artists into exploring their own creative voice and putting their work out there into the world! 

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We are pleased to run the next cycle of the Aloft Professional Training Program, developed to deliver the same excellent artistic and technical training that Aloft is known for in a more accessible and efficient package. Our program seeks to be one of the most affordable professional training programs (without compromising quality!) with a schedule that provides more options for students to work and make a living outside of the program and expedites the process of skill acquisition in the first year. ​

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Who should apply?

At Aloft, we are here to meet you at whatever your unique goals are. We do not believe there is a timestamp on everyone's goal. Therefore, Aloft is open to all ages, 18+ as long as you are physically able to do the program. The Professional Training Program is an advanced/intermediate level program and is suitable for those at an intermediate/advanced level with previous training experience. It is not for those who have no circus training background (start in our recreational classes if that is you!)