The Ego Trap as a Teaching Artist

When I first started in this business, I had a singular, narrow vision: I wanted to be on stage. Period.

Back then, I actually resisted the idea of teaching circus programs in schools. I had fallen for that tired, damaging mantra: "Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach."

I was completely wrong.

Once I set my ego aside, I realized that teaching circus skills isn't a fallback, it’s an art form in itself. Turns out, you can excel on stage and empower the next generation. 🔥

Now, I live for moments like the one in this video.

The Story Behind the Video:

During a live performance, I usually give a student three attempts to land a trick. Enter Mark. He had been nailing his triple jump with a 90% success rate all week in practice, but live audience jitters are real.

Instead of giving up after three missed attempts, Mark stayed positive and asked for one more shot.

Watch until the end: that crowd reaction is every performer’s dream.

That’s why we do what we do. Helping a student build confidence through circus arts is just as rewarding as any standing ovation I’ve ever received.

Huge shoutout to the National Circus Project for giving me my start in arts education!