You can select a category of questions to narrow down your search. If you can’t find the answer, you can also contact us here.
All contact questions can go to info@circuswest.com (or an email you have been given by a coordinator). We can also be phoned at 604-252-3679.
It depends on the level. On our CirKids registration page we include a list of activities students will try over their 10-month circus education.
Don’t worry, the answer to all these questions (and more) are included in your confirmation email when you are registered for the CirKids program. We have a closures list here and at the front desk that you can reference any time (as well as in the confirmation email).
Our full programming calendar is viewable online here. Payments are due on the 1st (or 15th) of every month for CirKids. More information about payment is included in your confirmation email and the “Tuition” section of this FAQ.
Our age “cut-off” is November 1st, if you or your student will age into the program by that time, we can accept the enrollment.
If the student is more than two months younger than the minimum age, we ask students to wait. This applies to all our classes with an age limit.
For Birthdays: please ensure the child is age 6-12 on the day of the party. Our birthday circus floor often has other activities, and we need all students to be able to follow instructions and stay on task. If you have a young child (age 3-5) interested in circus please send us an email, as we’re always guaging interest on classes we can run.
If you’d like to move a child up a level because they have other experience (gymnastics, dance, martial arts, etc). Let us know at the front desk or via our contact page and we’ll gladly discuss the case with you.
Those charges are most likely a membership fee ($16 yearly until Aug 31st) and an insurance fee ( $42 yearly until Aug 31st ). If you have an upper level student, they could also be the volunteer deposit (up to $30 monthly), and performance fee (up to $20 monthly).
What do those fees mean?
Membership: goes to CircusWest overall, and affords you a discount to our May shows.
Insurance: Covers equipment and any accidents on the gym floor.
Volunteer deposit: during the year we sometimes need volunteer assistance. These tasks sometimes involve set construction, working on our May show, costume/hair/makeup design, and more. If parents cannot commit that time, we charge the volunteer deposit to ensure we have the resources needed. Volunteer deposits are charged to upper level classes, and the total hours are indicated in your confirmation email.
You can keep track of your volunteer hours and get your deposit back by filling out the volunteer deposit form through the year, returning it to us before August 15th.
Performance fee: If you are part of the Performance troupe, you will be traveling to other locations representing CircusWest. You will also have a major role in the May show. The performance fees offset the costs of running circus shows for the public through the year.
Yes. We have 4-6 week classes focused on a specific skill, called sessionals, for both Adults & Teens (ages 13 and up) and CirKids Sessionals (ages 8-16, called TGIC: Thank Goodness It’s Circus).
Our CirKids classes do run September to June, but you do not need to commit to the full year when you register. Our withdrawal process has a two-week notice period and a form to fill out (found here). Your child’s last day will be two weeks from when we receive the completed form. You can withdraw at any point (although we hope you’ll love circus so much you’ll never leave!).
CircusWest also offers 5 day circus camps at Spring Break and all throughout July and August. This is a great way to try out circus and see if it is a fit. Many of our long time Cirkids started at one of our Circus Camps and never left. We think your child will too!
We also have self-directed training times for circus professionals and CircusWest students. Please visit our Informal Training page for more info on those. (Please note, you don’t need to pre-register for these — but please allow a few extra minutes for some paperwork if it’s your first time with us.)
Many factors decide whether a student stays in their CirKids level or moves up, and our coaches strive to make the best call for each student. Especially determining the students who enter Performance level.
If you want your coaches to reconsider, we are open to discussing the matter with you. A likely outcome is a probation period in the recommended level (eg: 3 months of the recommended level with terms and goals to achieve in that time).
When done correctly, yes, circus is safe. Further, we are insured by GymBC and follow all necessary procedures to help students recover in the unlikely event of an accident.
It is critical that students listen carefully to their instructors at all times. Our team of instructors work very hard to keep students safe in a healthy learning environment. If a student ignores their instructor, uses circus equipment alone, or pushes themself too hard, the student can get injured. These risks rise at higher levels of circus arts (Ensemble, Apprentice, Performance) – and again, it is essential that every student follows instructions to maintain safety.
All that said, part of why people do circus is to go beyond their limits, and the thrill of nailing a difficult circus act is what keeps circus artists coming back for years. It is up to the individual whether the risks are worth the rewards.
Firstly, we are very sorry if this the case. CircusWest aims to maintain a safe environment physically and emotionally, and understand how difficult it can be when interpersonal problems arise.
We take proper conduct very seriously. Every student and staff member is required to sign a Code of Conduct before working with CircusWest. If a student or staff member is found breaking rules, we will discuss consequences and next steps with everyone involved.
First, you are not alone. And there are plenty of resources to help with whatever you’re going through. Our coordinators are more than happy to help you, as well as help you find support outside CircusWest with what you’re going through.
For a list of resources (phone numbers, community groups, counseling services, etc.) click here.
Yes. Sessionals, private workshops, and special event workshops are all open to adults, as is Informal Training (which is not a class, but designed for adults to use the circus gym floor and have been registered in CircusWest Sessional classes or have been within the last four months).
Yes. We have Informal Training (IT) and Circus Artist Training Sessions (CATS) intended for students, staff, Fireflight performers, and active circus artists. If that applies to you, check the CATS/IT schedule here.
We schedule sessional classes very close together, so there is usually no space in our calendar for a “make up class”. When signing up for sessionals, please make sure you can attend all classes and expect to pay the listed price for the class.
The following policies apply to all students at CircusWest.
Student Code of Conduct: Required for all participants on the circus floor.
Registration Agreements: Scroll to the bottom of the page to review.
Privacy Policy: Our policy regarding the collection and use of information.
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Liability Form: Only needed for drop-ins, it covers everything already in the registration agreements.
Our pivacy policy can be viewed here.
Our other policies can be viewed on this page.