The flying children of Circus Harmony took off at the St. Louis Lambert International Airport! What more natural place to exhibit Circus Harmony’s fabulous flying children than at Lambert International Airport? Who better to welcome visitors or returning residents than the bounciest ambassadors of this metropolis? The photography exhibit Watch Out for Flying Children, was at the Lambert Gallery on the lower level near Gate C from March 15- September 15, 2022. The exhibit was a photographic journey that follows the flying children of Circus Harmony as they defy gravity, soar with confidence and leap over social barriers in St. Louis and beyond! The exhibit was made possible through Via Partnership and the Regional Arts Commission who create public exhibits at St. Louis Lambert International Airport to show the best of the St. Louis Art and Culture. The young subjects of these photos are amazing aviators in their own right.
On Saturday, March 26, there was a live show by Circus Harmony youth circus performers in the ticketing area of the main terminal at Lambert Airport, followed by an opening reception in the Lambert gallery.
Watch Out for Flying Children showed the children defying gravity in their home ring at City Museum, under the big top in the annual appearance with Circus Flora, on the streets of St. Louis, the boardwalk of Tel Aviv, the countryside of Puerto Rico, and many other places where they have brought the joy and triumph of the circus to people in St. Louis and around the world.
In 1989, the first 10 children took flight as members of the St. Louis Arches youth circus troupe. To keep the program going and expand circus opportunities for more St. Louis young people, Jessica Hentoff founded Circus Harmony as a non-profit arts education and youth development organization in 2001. Since that time, Circus Harmony has developed into a world-renowned social circus organization that uses circus arts to motivate social change. They are also St. Louis’ only complete circus school and pre-professional circus training location. By inspiring individuals and connecting communities with their circus education and entertainment programs, they have a positive impact on the St. Louis area and beyond.
In 2007, they started their first Peace Through Pyramids partnership with the Galilee Circus— a Jewish/Arab youth circus from Israel! In 2015, they brought the Peace Through Pyramids program to Ferguson and have now expanded to other St. Louis communities, Puerto Rico, and Germany! In 2019, Circus Harmony was the recipient of the Missouri Arts Award for Arts Education, and in 2020 received the What’s Right with the Region honor from Focus St. Louis! You never know where the flying children may land. Alumni from Circus Harmony can currently be seen performing with Cirque du Soleil, Les 7 Doigts de la Main, Australia’s Circa Contemporary Circus, the Flying Wallendas and other companies. One became the youngest female human cannonball on Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey. If you are in St. Louis, you can catch the current flock of flying children in their weekly shows at City Museum.