The Greatest ‘Little’ Show of Kindness: Karen MacDonald-Basile and Ralph Basile & The Circus Arts Conservatory

By Tom Reese | Photo by Nancy Guth

The city of Sarasota will forever be entwined with the circus. John and Mable Ringling brought life to an entire area of Florida by making Sarasota the winter home of their world-renowned circus. 

Today, The Circus Arts Conservatory (CAC) works tirelessly to keep that legacy alive, primarily with help from passionate fans and generous donors such as Karen MacDonald-Basile and Ralph Basile. 

In September 1997, well before Karen and Ralph found Sarasota, The Circus Arts Conservatory was registered as a Florida nonprofit organization, originally known as The National Circus School of Performing Arts. 

As its support and programming grew, the name evolved with the organization. Today, in addition to running a premier youth circus arts training program, The Circus Arts Conservatory presents year-round world-class performances in the one-ring, five-star, European-style Ulla Searing Big Top, and other Sarasota venues. Acclaimed around the globe for its artistry and entertainment, as well as for preserving Sarasota’s unique circus legacy, The Circus Arts Conservatory also puts 80 percent of its ticket revenue into its community outreach programs. 

Karen knew little of this history when she entered the world of circus arts 15 years ago. Tasked with finding nonprofit organizations to benefit from her then-employer’s fundraising event, Karen remembered being blown away by her first circus experience. When she had attended a Sailor Circus show to see a friend’s daughter perform, she had fallen in love with the spirit of the show and the environment. 

The Sailor Circus, America’s longest-running youth circus program, is often referred to as “The Greatest ‘Little’ Show on Earth.” Over the years, a million spectators have come to watch children and young adults perform circus arts. Now part of The Circus Arts Conservatory, the Sailor Circus Academy provides a rigorous after-school circus training program where students develop life management skills, gain self-discipline, bolster confidence and commit to achieving their goals, all in a safe and nurturing circus atmosphere. 

“I was so impressed by the whole mission behind Sailor Circus. Not only are the performers amazing based on their abilities and their performances, but also what it’s all about in terms of helping them develop self-esteem and camaraderie,” says Karen.

Karen’s husband Ralph shared a similar story about falling in love with the circus. Ralph explained they visited the Sarasota area in the spring of 2008, immediately falling in love with its famous beaches and warm weather. They purchased a condo that same year and became official part-time residents of Sarasota County. After seeing their first Sailor Circus performance, he also became smitten with the circus and all it does beyond entertainment. 

“Ultimately we wanted to participate in the success of the circus and help it grow,” says Ralph. “It’s been a good avenue of getting to meet people and making new friends as well as getting to know the area and understanding its history.”

Originally both from Michigan, Karen and Ralph initially came to their Sarasota home a few days at a time. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, they started to spend much more time in Sarasota, eventually becoming traditional “snow birds” and living at their condo months at a time. As they spent more and more time in the area, they began spending more and more time at the circus as well.

Karen and Ralph wanted to share their newfound circus joy and exuberance with others. Karen flew her father in from Michigan for a visit so he could enjoy the warmth and sunshine of Siesta Key. Her mother had recently passed, and her father was a bit lonely and bored. After seeing his first Sailor Circus performance, he, too, fell in love with the circus. He visited a lot more and attended several performances before his passing.

At around that time, Karen and Ralph were given the opportunity to sponsor a portion of the floor of the newly renovated Sailor Circus Arena, in addition to their general support of the The Circus Arts Conservatory and the Sailor Circus Academy. 

“After being approached with this sponsor opportunity, I immediately thought of my dad. It had only been about a month since he passed away, and it just made sense knowing how much he loved it. It was the perfect way to remember him and honor him. That was the first major contribution we made to the organization,” says Karen. 

In 2022, Karen was invited to become part of The Circus Arts Conservatory’s Board of Directors. The board members gather monthly to review financial reports and help with the decision-making and planning of future initiatives and events. Recently, board members were involved in planning the renovations to the circus arena and its entranceway to make it more accessible and modern. 

Karen and Ralph also strongly support the Arts-Integrated (STEAM) Education program at The CAC, which uses the circus arts to teach STEAM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. 

The Arts-Integrated Education program has worked with area schools since 2012, reaching more than 30,000 local students in elementary and middle schools. By first capturing students’ enthusiasm through circus acts, the program can then introduce a new perspective on key academic subjects while meeting Florida standards for curriculum. Through the circus arts, all types of students can truly engage with otherwise daunting material.

One popular program, The Marvelous, Miraculous Circus Machine, brings the principles of Newtonian physics to fifth graders across Sarasota and Manatee counties. Circus artists introduce the program with an interactive, circus-based assembly at the schools, ending with a real-life cause-and-effect machine. Over the next weeks, the students work in groups to create their own “circus machines” based on Force, Motion, Friction, Gravity, and Acceleration. The program culminates in a trip to the Sailor Circus Arena to see a larger-than-life circus machine that fills the entire space and features live circus performances.

As more donors like Karen and Ralph step forward to support The Circus Arts Conservatory, the more The CAC can share its powerful impact throughout the local community. Steady growth has been something to brag about for the organization, as they work toward the goal of getting more people involved and educating the community on its history and significance. 

“It’s amazing to us how many people don’t know the general role of the circus in Sarasota. For us, it was one of the first things we’ve learned. We’ve been introducing it to our neighbors in Siesta Key and always shocked at how many of them have never been. We just want to continue to promote the circus, and the efforts of The Circus Arts Conservatory, which is really leading the way as a vital part of Sarasota,” says Ralph.

“It’s really a hidden gem in our community,” says Karen. “There are many people that do know about it, but there’s an awful lot that don’t. Once we bring our family and friends to a performance, they get the bug and fall in love too.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION on The Circus Arts Conservatory, please visit circusarts.org or call 941.355.9335.