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St. Paul-based youth circus school Circus Juventas will travel to Washington this summer to perform in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.


The festival, held on the National Mall, is marking its 50th anniversary with a 10-day celebration of the circus arts.


Circus Juventas co-founder and Executive Director Dan Butler said his young performers will present their show "Wonderland" daily in a circus tent that seats 2,000   people.


"Over 10 shows, 2,000 people," he said. "That's 20 thousand people that will see that show. But our students will be performing at other venues — single act over here, single act over there. We'll be outside giving demonstrations. The kids will get the chance to do master workshops with other well-known, extraordinary talented coaches."


Festival Director Sabrina Lynn Motley said Circus Juventas stood out from the approximately 150 other youth circus schools across the country.


"It's exciting that young people are not only pushing their bodies and expanding what they think is possible for them to do, but they're encouraged by mentors," she said. "You've got great people like [artistic director] Betty and Dan Butler who are telling them, really, the world is yours. With discipline and practice and community and your family, you can reach extraordinary heights."


Circus Juventas is one of 20 circuses that will perform on the Mall, provided it can raise $75,000 to pay for the trip.


The Folklife Festival runs June 29 to July 9, and draws close to a million visitors.

Arts and Culture

Marianne Combs

Author

If it can raise funds for the trip, Circus Juventas will perform for 10 days on the National Mall.

Youth circus invited to perform in Smithsonian festival

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