WHO WE ARE

2021 School Statement

Our History

“While performing as an aerialist with Cirque du Soleil, I was trained by their physio therapists to become the company’s Pilates coach on tour to aid in my colleagues injury prevention.  During that time, I realized that a healthy circus performer—or anybody with any body —needs to have a keen understanding of whole-body wellness to maintain a long-lasting career and a healthy life. It’s this hybrid of circus skills and Pilates that shapes Cirque School’s foundation.”

-Aloysia Gavré, Cirque School founder

Aloysia Gavre's vision to offer circus arts training for both the amateur and emerging professional began in 2004. At the time, she was coaching out of a small Pilates studio in West Hollywood, and her vision – to create a space where “anybody with any body” could join the circus – quickly took hold.

With a continually growing number of enthusiasts looking for more diverse training, Gavre officially founded Cirque School in 2009 alongside her partner Rex Camphuis. Within a year the school’s enormous popularity resulted in a move to its current location in Hollywood.

Cirque School has since become one of the most prominent circus schools in the country, offering both recreational and supplemental / pre-professional training. Forty weekly classes in numerous circus disciplines are currently offered at various training levels. Thanks to Gavre’s performance history, this curriculum is also supplemented with specialty workshops taught by industry professionals throughout the year.

While the majority of Cirque School students attend for an alternative fitness program, numerous emerging and working professionals take advantage of the varied classes as supplemental training. In fact, the school’s high-caliber Student Showcases often attract professionals who long to be part of something artistically stimulating – creating an exciting space where novice and pro can take the stage side-by-side.

It’s this sense of community, as well as comprehensive and diverse programming being made available to participants at all physical levels, that makes Cirque School truly unique.