Over the past year, 36 members of our staff, board, and faculty developed a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging strategic plan. In order to provide visibility and invite community feedback, we've published our commitments here. In addition to acrobatics, our pro training program has an all-new clown concentration that will help you fly onto Chicago stages and beyond.
Services
We expand human and theatrical potential through the vital forms of circus arts by providing artistic and educational programs that push the limits of physical, emotional, and creative expression. Founded in 1995, we have grown to become one of the nation's premiere circus and performing arts training centers.
We've spent the last 25 years teaching thousands of adults and kids that they are capable of more than they ever thought was possible. It's that simple. Though our classes focus on juggling, stilts, aerial arts, and more, the most important skill we teach is confidence. You'll never forget the first time you mount a trapeze, and our students tell us that the self esteem they build here stays with them for the rest of their lives.
Our socially distanced summer camps are perfect for young performers who want to strengthen, stretch, and flex their creative muscles. Of the dozens of programs we offer to kids each year, our camps stand out as the most immersive and popular of them all. Each day begins with a warm-up, followed by training and workshops in circus, drama, and movement.
Our Professional Training Program is the clearest expression of our mission to develop well-rounded, physical performers. Today's most marketable performers have training in disciplines ranging from contact improv to acrobatics, dance, clown, devising, and more. In a sea of talented performers, quadruple threats are the new triple threats.
Everyone should see something at the Actors Gymnasium at least once. If only to remember the fluttery feeling of joy in your heart that only circus can invoke. There is limited metered parking in the Noyes Cultural Center Parking lot. Please leave extra time for locating parking, as other events in the building can make parking more difficult.
Reviews (9)
Rachel Daniel
Apr 06, 2021
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Pros: The staff and the gym space are very nice. It’s a welcoming environment. Cons: In my opinion, you do not get your money’s worth for the experience. The cost of one class is three times what I used to pay for an aerial class, and I only had about 30 minutes of time on the silk here versus the hour and a half I had at my old studio. The class also seems more geared towards professional aerialists, not beginner or intermediate. That being said I will be giving them another try just to be sure I didn’t have an outlier class, but I had been hoping for more.
Patrick
Aug 08, 2019
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Stefanny Castro
Jun 28, 2019
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Jean Carlos Claudio
Feb 04, 2019
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Alicia Yamada
Jan 15, 2019
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LynneBWilson
Nov 30, 2018
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Rose Barder
Nov 20, 2018
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Theodora Iancu
Jun 12, 2018
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Molly Hernandez
Jan 19, 2018
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The Actors Gymnasium saved me. I have a joint disorder which has caused me pain in all of my joints my entire life. They dislocate and move around and have limited my day-to-day life since as long as I can remember. As a child, I believed that I would never be able to hold my baby because my arms would be too weak. By high school, my arms were even too heavy for themselves and would dislocate on their own without provocation. I began training at the AG in high school for a performance Pippin and my life was changed. I had been in physical therapy for 8 years attempting to strengthen my body and
