If the circus has fascinated you since you were a kid, now's your chance to be a part of the fun -- and you don't even have to run away from home. All you have to do is head to the Uptown CircEsteem studio (4730 N. Sheridan Rd.), where General Circus Skills classes teach adults how to clown around.
CircEsteem's claim to fame is teaching kids from diverse backgrounds self-esteem and mutual respect through circus arts. Adults are notoriously harder to teach, but CircEsteem founder Paul Miller is willing to give it a try. The group first introduced adult Gym Wheel Classes in March. The full-body workout sessions are taught by CircEsteem artistic director Wolfgang Bientzle, who just happens to be an eight-time gym wheel world champion and former Cirque du Soleil performer.
Now, starting on Monday, April 6, CircEsteem is kicking off its second adult program in General Circus Skills. Your instructor will have you spinning plates, juggling, hanging from a trapeze, walking on stilts and performing classic clown routines. At the end of the program, you and your classmates will star in your own circus show. The classes run from 7:30-9PM every Monday night. You can sign up for the entire eight-week program ($180), or drop in for single classes ($30 each). And, you can check the class out before you fully commit to the circus arts -- the first session on April 6 is free.
In related news, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is hiring.
