Community Corner
Your Guide: OPENAIR Circus
Nearly 200 kids participated in the circus arts program this summer, learning things like stilting, juggling and leadership. There are big-tent performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
In Somerville, kids don't need to run away to join the circus.
Every summer for 28 years, lots of Somerville kids have attend OPENAIR Circus camp, where they learn things like juggling, stilting, baton twirling, commedia dell'arte, clowing, miming, stage combat and basic acrobatics, to name just a few things.
This year, about 200 kids participated, according to an email from OPENAIR Circus.
The program teaches kids how to do things like juggle flaming swords while balancing 100 feet above a large spikes on a tightrope.
Okay, that was an exaggeration. But by offering classes and workshops in circus skills, the program also teaches things like teen leadership, self-esteem and how to organize a large performance on a deadline.
That big-tent circus performance, the culmination of the summer program, happens this weekend.
Normally at Nunziato Field in Union Square, this year the circus takes place at Conway Park (because Nunziato Field is undergoing maintenance work).
There are performances on Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
You can learn more at the OPENAIR Circus website.
Also, check out the video above, taken at the 2011 circus.
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