Circus Smirkus is a non-profit international youth circus founded in 1987 by Rob Mermin. It is based in Greensboro, Vermont. Smirkus' performers and coaches have come from Canada, China,

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, United Kingdom,

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, France,

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, Germany, Hungary,

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, Israel, Italy,

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, New Zealand, Russia, Sweden,

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, Zambia, ten Native American nations and 20 US states. At the International Children's Festival at

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in September 2000, Circus Smirkus was introduced as "the United Nations of the youth circus world."

Summer camp

Circus Smirkus has a summer camp that trains children in areas such as aerials, clowning/performance, acrobatics and juggling. Participants may also choose to train in other skills such as

human pyramid A human pyramid is an acrobatics, acrobatic formation of three or more people in which two or more people support a tier of higher people, who in turn may support other, higher tiers of people. People above the bottom tier may kneel or stand on ...

s, unicycling and stilt walking. Smirkus Camp opened its Summer 2015 season at new, permanent facilities—a 135-year-old farmhouse, two dormitories, circus tents for training, and Baylin's Balance Barn- on in Greensboro, Vermont. The camp sessions offered throughout the season vary from one night overnight camps, one and two-week camps, and advanced camps, including Road Show, Intermediate Skills Intensive, Advanced Individual Acts, and Advanced Ensemble. Smirkus Camp also offers an all ages camp for friends and family at the end of the summer season. From 1990 to 2010, the circus had more than 4,000 youths aged 10–18 in its summer camps. Prior to 2016 when Smirkus Camp built its own home in Greensboro, Vermont, the camp moved around and used facilities at places like Bolton Valley Ski Resort, White Mountain School, Sterling College, Lyndon State College, and Burke Mountain Academy.

Awards and honors

* 1992: Vermont Arts Council's Award of Excellence * 1994: Dove Foundation Award for Family Values * 1994: Named "one of America's best circuses" by ''Family Fun Magazine'' * 1997: The Bessie Award from Burlington City Arts * 1998: People's Choice Award at "Circus Youth of Today" Festival in Sweden * 2000: Dubbed "the United Nations of the youth circus world" by Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts * 2004: Smirkus founder Rob Mermin awarded the Lund Family Center's "It Takes a Village" Award * 2004: Smirkus founder Rob Mermin awarded Vermont Arts Council's Citation of Merit "for distinguished service to the arts in Vermont" * 2008: Smirkus founder Rob Mermin awarded the Vermont Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts

Collaborations

Notable alumni

* Dan Brown, stunt performer for films including '' Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'', '' Letters from Iwo Jima'' * Jade Kindar-Martin, highwire walker, holds

Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...

for double skywalk across the

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* Spencer Novich, eccentric contortionist, bronze medalist at the 2012 Festival Mondial Du Cirque De Demain, * Molly Saudek, tightwire dancer, silver medalist at the 1998 Festival Mondial Du Cirque De Demain in

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* Jacob and Nathaniel Sharpe,

diabolo The diabolo ( ; commonly misspelled ''diablo'') is a juggling or circus skills, circus juggling prop, prop consisting of an axle () and two cone, cups (hourglass/egg timer shaped) or cylinder, discs derived from the Chinese yo-yo. This object i ...

ists, performed at 2007 Festival Mondial Du Cirque De Demain in

* John Stork, finalist on '' Who Wants to Be a Superhero?'' * Taylor Wright-Sanson, unicyclist, equilibrist, 2008 winner of Canada's national unicycle competition, the Ottawa Unicycle Invasion * Ariana Wunderle, tightwire walker, 2022 Guinness World Record for farthest distance walked on a wire in high heelsfarthest distance walked on a wire in high heels
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Footnotes

External links

Circus Smirkus websiteWatch Circus Smirkus on YouTube"Circus Dreams" - a documentary featuring Circus Smirkus
{{Authority control American circuses Vermont culture Circus schools Greensboro, Vermont Education in Orleans County, Vermont 1987 establishments in Vermont