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Arts nonprofit Circus Juventas has been selected as a Cirque du Soleil training center.

When Dan Bulter opened Circus Juventas with his wife Betty in 1994, he was not sure a youth circus school would work in the land of hockey and soccer. 

“We started with 30 kids and eight handmade pieces of equipment,” Butler said. “By the fifth year we were already raising money to build this $2.2 million custom structure.”

According to Butler, that custom facility in Highland Park is part of the reason Circus Juventas was chosen by Cirque du Soleil to become a talent development center for their NexGen program.  

“When [Cirque du Soleil] were here, they were like, ‘Oh, my God ... we can do anything in here.’” 

Circus Juventas is now one of two Cirque du Soleil NexGen development sites in the United States. The NexGen program aims to create training opportunities and develop emerging artists by holding workshops.

According to Butler, Circus Juventas has had an informal relationship with Cirque du Soleil for several years. This relationship includes a previous attempted partnership in which Circus Juventas could act as a site where Cirque du Soleil coaches could train — one that fell through. 

“You got to come and see our show, you got to see our space ... and you see what our kids do,” said Butler. “You’ll see why Cirque chose us.”  

Circus Juventas’ latest production, “Solstice,” opens December 9 and runs through December 18.

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Jacob Aloi

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Circus Juventas has been selected by Cirque du Soleil as part of their NexGen talent development program.

Circus Juventas Students perform on the stage

Cirque du Soleil taps talent from local circus school

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