Circus Harmony is thrilled to announce that, as a digital companion piece to their upcoming series, The Circus, American Experience PBS has produced the short film The Acrobat. While The Circus only covers the history of the circus in America up until 1956, The Acrobat shows what is happening in modern American circus today. This new, short film tells the story of one young man’s journey from inner city St. Louis to Circus Harmony to Cirque du Soleil!
Sidney ‘Iking’ Bateman is growing up running the streets of St. Louis when he is assigned a mentor who brings him to Circus Harmony, a social circus school that uses the teaching and performing of circus arts to motivate social change. While Sidney is learning to flip, fly, and fling, he also learns important life skills like focus, persistence, and teamwork. In addition, in this youth circus, he learns trust, responsibility, and discipline. With the help of Circus Harmony, Sidney auditions for and is accepted by the prestigious Ecole Nationale de Cirque, the National Circus School of Montreal, which launches his career as an international acrobat.
Currently, Sidney is touring with the famed Cirque du Soleil. The story of his remarkable journey and the power of social circus to change a life is depicted in the short digital film, The Acrobat, which premieres on Sunday, October 7 at American Experience PBS. Runaway online and view this mini-documentary that shows the modern circus still has transformative powers!
Visit AMERICAN EXPERIENCE PBS: THE CIRCUS starting October 7 to see The Acrobat!
Our Partners
We are very grateful for the support of the City Museum, National Endowment for the Arts, PNC Arts Alive, Regional Arts Commission, Cirque du Monde by Cirque Soleil, Missouri Arts Council, Dana Brown Charitable Trust, LLH/LHM Foundation, Saigh Foundation of St. Louis, Trio Foundation of St. Louis, Boeing Employee Community Fund, Wells Fargo Advisers, Edward Jones, Cardinals Care, Greater St. Louis Community Foundation, DCA Family Foundation, REA Charitable Foundation, Kranzberg Family Foundation, Macy’s Foundation, Moneta Charitable Foundation, Bommarito Automotive Group, Big Shark Bicycle Works, Goudurix, American Youth Circus Organization, Brentwood Minuteman Press, Stahl & Ponder, Circus Fans of America, Circus4Youth and people like you!