NECCA - New England Center for Circus Arts

09/01/2026

Say hello to Natalie! Circus artist, engineer, singer, and our newest coach! With 10+ years performing nationally and internationally (Circus Smirkus, Circadium, Aloft Circus Arts, and more), she's bringing serious expertise in aerial rope, hand balancing, and hula hoops to NECCA this fall.

New this session:
🌀 Hoop: Wed 7:30–8:50 PM
🪢 Rope Advanced: Wed 6:00–7:20 PM
🪢 Rope Intermediate: Thurs 6:00–7:20 PM

Also offering private lessons (hoop, rope, fabric, hand balancing) with tiered pricing. Find our classes and register here: https://buff.ly/286BlMc

Welcome to NECCA Natalie!

NECCAcircus HulaHoop CircusClasses AerialRope

08/29/2026

We're back with another Vermont Circus Festival Coach Spotlight! These folks are bringing so epic workshops to the VTCF this year. Here's a quick bit on these superstars:

🧡 Josh Shack .shack
Joshua Shack has been performing as a clown since childhood, touring with Circus Smirkus as a teen and later with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, and now co-creates The Piccolini Trio. He's also a prolific director, with credits ranging from Circus Smirkus's 2024 Big Top Tour to Opera Vermont, and currently serves as a teaching artist-in-residence and longtime creative leader with Circus Smirkus.

🩷 Eleanor Parker
Eleanor Parker is a multi-disciplinary circus performer and educator based in Chicago. A ProTrack graduate of the class of 2020 at NECCA, Eleanor has had the incredible opportunity of traveling all over the world with companies including AIDA Cruises, Cirque Dreams, and more. Her recent work on aerial rope weaves together intricate research, personal story telling, and dynamic movement.

💙 Elly Craig
lly Craig is happy to be back in good ol’ Bratt! They graduated from NECCA's ProTrack program in 2022 and have been touring with independent ensemble companies ever since. They specialize in cyr wheel, partner acrobatics, and bits and bobs of other things like juggling hot dogs. Joy and play is an incredible driving force for Elly and it is relevant in all the art they make.

💜 Scott Dare
Scott Dare is a Chicago-based circus and physical theatre artist specializing in partner acrobatics and the Frantic Assembly devising method, with a Master's in Contemporary Theatre from Royal Holloway and a black belt in martial arts. He's performed internationally across Germany, England, and Scotland, collaborating with companies including Aloft, Actors Gymnasium, and Theater Unspeakable.

ℹ️ Find our workshop schedule online and start planning your schedule for the festival today! https://necenterforcircusarts.org/vtcf-2026-workshops/

Register early to save your spot. And don't forget, if you buy a Festival Pass you will get 10% off all workshops (and other perks, we highly recommend)!

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08/26/2026

We can't believe it, but Pole-a-Palooza is NEXT WEEK! Don't miss out on the first ever (that we know of) Pole Meeting in the US! 💪🏼❤️‍🔥

We have amazing coaches and participants joining us September 3 - 6 to jam on all things Pole... Chinese, Aerial, Dance... It'll be in the Trapezium!

Check out the workshop lineup and registration details online.
https://necenterforcircusarts.org/about/pole-a-palooza/

Will we see you there?

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08/24/2026

Show feature! We've got some great performances planned for the Vermont Circus Festival. Here's the first three you'll see during the week!

🌕 Nov. 1: FREE! To the Moon and Back by Joy Powers and Aaron Dewitt
🦋 Nov. 4: Circus Stories from the Moth Community Engagement Program
😊 Nov. 5: Happy To Be Here by Jan Damm

‼️ And hey! If you snag a Festival Pass, you'll get $5 off every show AND a bunch of other goodies (10% off workshops? Yes please!).

Get your tickets and Passes online today: https://necenterforcircusarts.org/about/vermont-circus-festival/

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08/22/2026

🎉 We're honored! NECCA has been voted Best Recreational Facility in the 2026 Brattleboro Readers' Choice Awards!

Every single vote came from ya'll: our students, families, community... Thank you for showing up for us over and over! It means everything.
Here's to more flips, more shows, more community magic. 🤸‍♀️🎪🧡

Town of Brattleboro • Downtown Brattleboro • Brattleboro Reformer
BestOfBrattleboro NECCAcircus CircusArtsVermont

08/20/2026

Hey Brattleboro (and beyond)! Curious about circus arts? Come explore a variety of classic circus skills in our Circus Sampler Classes! Grab a friend, bring your parent, or come solo!

These classes include two focus areas each day (one aerial and one ground) in trapeze, fabric, aerial sling, tight wire, Chinese pole, juggling, trampoline, and more!
No two classes will be the same and there are no pre-requisites!

Come try your favorite circus arts or sign up for all of them.
🎪 September 13
🎪 September 27
🎪 October 11

🧡 Register here: https://necenterforcircusarts.asapconnected.com/ =294837

NECCAcircus CircusClasses VermontCircus

08/18/2026

Don't miss The Pieces by Aloft Circus Arts at the Vermont Circus Festival!

I did break my cardinal rule of touring with this show, which is to Never Take A Show on the Road Until You Are 100% Certain That’s Its Good.

This show came straight out of the frying pan of a grueling rehearsal schedule and into the fire of Edinburgh Festival Fringe with no reviews and just 5 hotter-than-hell preview shows under our belt. I had a feeling there was something there but it was hard to see under all my anxiety of financial concerns, the health of the artists, the logistics of travel, missing my family and other nefarious intrusive thoughts.

But after a clean dress rehearsal in our gorgeous tent The Beauty at the Circus Hub, I started to breathe a bit easier. And when we nailed our first show and the audience came outside to linger and chat and take photos with us, I realized that I had a goodie on my hands.

As much as you’re not supposed to care about reviews, how could you not. Mostly I’m happy when they say they got it. When the ideas and concepts came through. I’d rather have a 2 star review where the reviewer understood the core principles and motivations of the show, but just didn’t really like it, than a 5 star review where they said “big flips cool”.

Just kidding. I’d take the 5 stars lol. I’m a human trying not to lose her shirt at the fringe.

Anyway. After a week of shows, based on audience reactions, press reviews and the way my heart feels, I can confidently say it’s good.

Thank you to the amazing artists in this show who dedicated themselves so fully to this crazy concept. More about you all in a different post. Thank you to our delightful, unbelievable lighting designer, and to J. OATEN PHOTOGRAPHER FILMMAKER for capturing us in those perfect lights.

Only 800 more chances to see us at the fringe! See you at 1 everyday in the Meadows!

08/18/2026

Check out the Homegrown Festival with Next Stage Arts on August 30! We will be bringing a student showcase to the event!

Performing with the Little Big Band, Zara sings the song "My Dear C...