Sailor Circus Presents “The 12 Days After Christmas”

This holiday season, the renowned Sailor Circus Academy of the Circus Arts Conservatory (CAC) will take audiences from Christmas through the early days of the New Year with acts that will electrify, amuse and amaze. Residents and visitors from near and far are invited to enjoy the gift of the circus arts as the Sailor Circus presents “The 12 Days After Christmas,” a seasonal celebration for all ages.

Sailor Circus creative director Jared Walker, now entering his second year with the CAC, has conceived a show that examines holiday traditions common to winter break, while shining a spotlight on the technical excellence and daring of the youth performers. From taking the decorations off the tree and playing with holiday gifts to travel, pampering, and a final blowout as kids resign themselves to going back to school, “The 12 Days After Christmas” will resonate with diverse audiences.

Audiences will enjoy new costumes, lighting, sound, and multi-media elements – and the air conditioning – in the newly-renovated Sailor Circus Arena. “The 12 Days After Christmas” will showcase the best of the Sailor Circus youth program, now in its 70th year.

Sailor Circus ringmaster and high wire performer Teagan Allen, 17, a senior at New Gate School, has been performing with the Sailor Circus since the 6th grade. She believes that everyone will enjoy the themes and characters in this show.

“It’s a really cool concept: everyone always focuses on the 12 days before Christmas but we’re looking at the 12 days AFTER Christmas,” she said. “No matter which holiday you celebrate and how you celebrate it, there are activities after the holidays that everyone can relate to.”

Nearly 70 adventurous students ages 8-18 will wow audiences as they perform a wide variety of acts, including acrobatics, aerial silks, contortion, flying trapeze, high wire, clowning, juggling, rola bola, unicycle, and more. Walker thinks audiences will particularly enjoy the return of the Roman rings, the signature act of CAC co-founder and 2015 NEA National Heritage Fellow Dolly Jacobs, who is training select female aerialists in the discipline.

“The Sailor Circus has had a big impact on me,” said Allen, who has juggled a rigorous IB academic program at New Gate School and circus practice five days a week. “The program has taught me how to work with people collaboratively and helped me learn how to balance things. It will help me when I go to college to be more independent.”

The Sailor Circus Academy is the longest-running youth circus arts training program in the country, training students in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Founded in 1949, it is known as “The Greatest ‘Little’ Show on Earth.” The program teaches students more than 30 disciplines of circus arts as well as helps them to learn life management skills, gain self-discipline, bolster confidence, and make a commitment to achievement.

“The 12 Days After Christmas” runs from Friday, December 27th through Monday, December 30th in the Sailor Circus Arena (2075 Bahia Vista, Sarasota). Showtimes are 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday, and 1 and 6 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $15-$30; call the Box Office at 941-355-9805.