Apply for Aloft's Professional Training Program ^expired

Applications are now open for Year 1 of Aloft Circus Arts Professional Training Program 2024-2025! Elevate your career with a company that tours circus show to international markets.

We are accepting 10 students who want to find their artistic voice and dive into 9 months of intensive circus study, skill acquisition and creative exploration.

Applications for auditions are now open and are accepted on a rolling basis. Our live audition is on March 28/29 2024.

Year 1 of our two-year Professional Training Program is focused on skill building. 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. 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 classes in our 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 act. Your act will be shown in an end of year cabaret show!

Year Two launches you into intensive training in act development with monthly guest Lab Coaches--leaders in the industry from around the world who come to Chicago to spend a week diving deep into your development. The program culminates with an 8 week creation process and development of a new show with a world-class diretor. Previous Lab Coaches and directors have invluded: Tanya Burka, Joe Pinzon, Rain Anya, Sarah Bebe Holmes, Chloe Farah, Carlos Alexis Cruz, Keith Bindlestiff, Cohdi Harrel, Emma Searjent, Terry Crane and many more.

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 earn at the same time!

Contact email:

Kristi Alyssa, Manager of Aloft Professional Training Programs

[email protected]