My 2025 Circus Goals

I cannot believe that this year is already coming to an end. What a journey around the sun it has been, and I hope to have much more time on this Earth to do what I love.

Last year, I started my circus journey and set a goal for myself to create and perform an act by the end of 2024. I’m incredibly proud that I was able to achieve my goal. So I’m left with the question: now what?

I much prefer the term “goal” vs “resolution”. In my mind, goals can always be adjusted based on life circumstances. That being said, I have a few goals in the circus world for 2025:

1) Create at least one new act this year

After my first performance, I feel like I cannot get enough. The process of creating an act, seeing everything come together, adding in emotion/characterization, costumes, makeup, everything about it I am so completely in love. My school gives a good amount of opportunities to perform, so I’d love to create one new piece and perform it in 2025.

Fun shot from my Yule Cat act I performed in November 2024

2) Advance to Level 3 Lyra

I always want to build my skills and in addition to learning more advanced tricks, Level 3 and 4 classes perform group acts for the annual student show. I would love the opportunity to learn and collaborate with other students in this aspect.

3) Learn a Ground Skill

I’ve been very interested in getting involved with flow arts, especially fire performance. I’m so captivated by the dragon staff and fire fans and would love to add those skills to my repertoire. Some of these can also be learned with LED props which would be really cool as well. My cousin, a master juggler (and also the juggling coach for the Aloft Pro Track- whoa!!) encouraged me to check out the Full Moon Jam. Once the weather gets warmer, I plan to head out there and learn some of these skills while also benefitting the local community.

From Fire Flower’s Double Staff workshop on December 14, 2024 with Full Moon Jam (instagram.com/yogafirechick21)

4) Acquire a Lollipop/Lyra Pole/Plyra

I took a lollipop workshop around Christmas at Aloft with Kristi Alyssa, and I fell in love with it. There was a small learning curve as I adjusted to the new center of gravity vs a regular lyra, but once we got into the sequence I felt like I could play for hours. If I had it in my schedule, I may have considered signing up for the additional lollipop workshop afterwards just to have more time to perfect the sequence we learned- there are so many beautiful shapes to use and who doesn’t love an apparatus that can pretty much go anywhere? My hope is that by next Christmas I will be able to treat myself to my very own lollipop.

LyraPole from X-POLE US

5) Become more flexible

I’ve found that I’ve very quickly developed a ton of strength with my aerial training, which I am super proud of. There is still opportunity to become more flexible (isn’t there always tho?). I currently don’t have full splits, and would like to try and achieve that by the end of the year- or at least very close to full splits. I have a handful of tricks I would love to use in sequences that are just not up to my standards right now due to lack of flexibility. I’m making it my goal to stretch for at least 10 minutes daily in 2025.

First attempt at an optical split from earlier this year- working to get my free leg as close to my head as possible!

For my fellow circus friends: what are your goals for 2025? I would love to hear them!