The Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center (CCIAC) hosted a family-friendly workshop on Sunday, providing children with the opportunity to learn juggling and acrobatics. 

Held in Prospect Park, these workshops aimed to teach youth the skills and techniques used by professional performers, including balancing, pyramid techniques and juggling multiple items. Led by experienced instructors, the workshops not only exposed children to an exciting art form but also opened doors to potential careers in the performing arts.

CCIAC is dedicated to uplifting artists and community members who are underserved or marginalized, ensuring accessibility in their workspaces, collaborations and overall culture.

Mickey The Clown, a juggler, highlighted the broader benefits of circus skills.

"Juggling is patterns that we learn in school,” he said. “It's numbers that we learn in school. If you're doing Diablo's, it's about hand-eye coordination that helps you further down the road. And then also, our imagination gets reignited when we come to the circus."

Parent Heather Cunningham, enrolled her son Jules in the workshop.

"He really loves it,” Cunningham said. “I mean, I didn't know he would like it so much. But obviously, I need to put him into the circus, maybe take him to the circus."

The CCIAC will continue to offer children's camps and workshops for ages 7-17 in Prospect Park until Aug. 18, and captivating circus performances from Aug. 18-20. For more information on how to get your child involved in these workshops, visit www.cciac.us.