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With this research, I investigate the coexistence of academic and kinaesthetic curricular goals in post-secondary circus education in Quebec, Canada, specifically exploring how students, circus instructors, academic teachers and administrators value curricular elements within the context of their perceptions of their institution’s program objectives. The interdisciplinarity of circus studies invites analysis through methodologies and theories borrowed from other disciplines. From Sport Psychology I draw on models for assessing the kinaesthetic technical knowledge related to preparing an athletic body for elite performance (Bloom & Sosniak, 1985). The field of Curriculum Studies offers a lens through which to understand both the curricular models of each school and to assess the academic motivation of the students. The theoretical frameworks of hidden, null, implicit and explicit curricula provide a strong platform for investigating how circus schools communicate institutional values of subjects, student behaviour and career preparation (Apple & King, 1983; Eisner, 2002). In both post-secondary Quebec professionalizing circus programs, discussion groups of students, circus instructors, academic teachers and administrators were asked to define their institution’s program objectives and reflect upon the curricular content in light of those objectives. After reflection and analysis, it is apparent that the Quebec post-secondary circus education community has a common understanding of the learning objectives surrounding physical, artistic and vocational content, but disparate understandings of how academic content relates to the program objectives. [author summary]

This thesis will focus on the design of a ‘new circus’ building that will be developed from the study of interaction between different user groups within the context of the ‘new circus.’ The premise is that a much richer understanding of the needs of particular users of the space will lead to a more considerate design of the ‘new circus’ building. Understanding the needs of the users of the ‘new circus’ will enhance the experience of the performers and the audience while providing maximum flexibility for the ever-changing needs of the ‘new circus’ art form. The exploration of the terms performance and users as related to the study will lead to an evaluation of the history of the circus upon these terms. Particular emphasis will be placed on the ways members of user groups perceive each other as a group, as well as the ways individuals within a user groups perceive others in their own group. Architecture and the design of interior spaces has inherent to it the power of guiding users experiences through space. The ‘new circus’ building as an
experiential architectural place appends the additional element of theatrical performance to the day-to-day interactions of people in the space. These interactions between people, using all senses: visual, auricular, tactile, and impressional, are not only the premise for the ‘new circus’, but inherent to the architecture of the place. Adding to this mélange the experiential memory of the users concerning not only the architectural place, but also more importantly the memory of the other users - the circus as a place of joy and carefreeness - the circus becomes a mecca of sensory experiences. The research component strives to explore the above raised issues in a challenging interior design that aims to graft the ‘new circus’ building within a neo-
Greco-Roman building that dates from 1912. The research will evaluate existing models and discern from them the concepts and applications and from this establish techniques and methods for activating the architectural space. The design component will manifest in an architecture as expressive and thoughtful as the art performed within its confines. [editor summary]

Over the last several decades, Montreal has built an international reputation as a ‘circus city’. This reputation is tied to the tremendous success of Cirque du Soleil, but also related to the presence of a number of intermediaries in the city. This paper examines the role of one such intermediary – the École nationale de cirque (National Circus School). The National Circus School is one of the only schools in North America offering an accredited programme in circus arts. It is argued that the school plays an important role in the development of the local circus arts cluster and circus arts conventions by providing training and skill development, and by forging important networks. In particular, this paper examines how the school fosters ‘know-how’, ‘know-who’ and ‘know-what’. [authors summary]