PEACE THROUGH PYRAMIDS: PUERTO RICO

Circus Harmony's St. Louis Arches are joining forces with the social circus students of  The National School of Circus of Puerto Rico (ENC)   to share the hope, joy and inspiration  that is circus from July 3-17, 2018 in Puerto Rico! 

The two troupes of young people will create a show to bring some much-needed happiness and entertainment to Puerto Ricans who are still working to rebuild after the destruction of the hurricanes. The combined troupes will start in Dorado and plan to go to communities who were among those most impacted by the disaster including Corozal, Naranjito, Comerío, and Morovis.

 

Watch this short video:

Peace Through Pyramids: Puerto Rico!

Racial divides, natural disasters, poverty... many issues can devastate a community.  One of the greatest needs in the face of these overwhelming challenges is hope - young people especially need to feel that there is a way to get to a better and higher place.  Our Peace Through Pyramids partnership with the Galilee Circus in Israel and between children in different neighborhoods in St. Louis have helped children reach new heights physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.  In addition to bringing the joy, hope and inspiration that is the circus to the people of Puerto Rico, this new partnership will expand our own students' experience of life outside St. Louis and has already connected us with the vibrant
Puerto Rican community here! We believe building pyramids with people is a great way to teach young people to support each other while they build bridges between communities.

You can read more about this exciting initiative in this St. Louis Magazine story 

We still need your support! Here are ways you can help:

• Donate directly at www.circusharmony.org/support
• Join us Monday, Memorial Day, May 28 at Shake Shack in the Central West End. Say you are there to support us and 20% of the cost of your meal will go to Circus Harmony!
• Join us at the Maplewood Strange Donuts for their Cirque du Donut on National Donut Day, June 2
• Sponsor a show at a location of your choice in Puerto Rico. Call us at 314-436-7676 to learn how
• Sponsor a meal for us in Puerto Rico
• Share this information!

Thank you! Don't forget to follow our cross-cultural circus adventure in Puerto Rico on social media July 3-17. 

Since 2007, Circus Harmony in St. Louis has used the circus arts to break down the social, economic and emotional barriers that divide us through its Peace Through Pyramids program. This internationally-renowned initiative unites children from diverse communities through the cross-cultural appeal of circus and motivates social change in St. Louis and beyond.

 

On May 9, 2018, Circus Harmony was awarded a $25,000 Art Works grant from The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to offer free 15-week circus classes at multiple locations across the St. Louis area. The NEA Art Works grants program supports projects that focus on public engagement with the arts and the strengthening of diverse communities.

 

"The variety and quality of these projects speak to the wealth of creativity and diversity in our country," said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. "Through the work of organizations such as Circus Harmony in St. Louis, NEA funding invests in local communities, helping people celebrate the arts wherever they are."

 

Thanks to NEA funding, children at multiple sites will participate in circus classes in their schools, learning skills such as acrobatics, balancing, object manipulation, and presentation. At the end of training, the children will join their fellow performers from across the region for seveal public shows at Circus Harmony's home in City Museum. All classes will be taught by circus teaching artists and peer mentors from the Circus Harmony Teacher Training Program, which allows advanced students a way to perform community service, earn money and receive job readiness training.

 

Jessica Hentoff, Circus Harmony's Artistic/Executive Director, said "Through Peace Through Pyramids, children learn their race, religion and background don't matter. What matters is what YOU bring to the ring. This program builds strong relationships between these young people and develops creativity, problem-solving and self-control skills they use in and out of the ring. By focusing on what connects them instead of what divides them, these young people create something amazing. This program changes their perceptions about each other and also changes pre-conceived notions the public may have about them. By being involved in this circus, they defy both gravity and other limitations!"

 

To learn more about Peace Through Pyramids, visit    www.circusharmony.org/peace-through-pyramids.