CLASSES ARE LIVE!! Join us on Wednesdays at 5 pm at Great Lakes Circus Center. Email us now to sign up!

About Us

What is CIRQUE BOUCLÉ?

Cirque Bouclé is French for "Curly Circus," a nod to the natural hair community. We are a Black-owned, woman-owned, equity-minded, all-inclusive community pilot project seeking to increase equity in the contemporary circus arts right here in Grand Rapids.

Are you open?

We now offer free aerial silk classes inside Great Lakes Circus Center on Wednesdays from 5 - 6 pm. Class sizes are limited and are restricted to our service areas (Southeast Side and Neighborhoods of Focus).

If you are interested in signing up for classes, please email our instructor at sierra@cirqueboucle.com.

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Our Founder

Sierra Hatfield (she/her) is a Kentucky native who, after spending six years with SORA Aerial Arts/Contemporary Circus in Lexington, stepped into the philanthropic side of circus arts to share her passion with her hometown in rural Appalachia. Now, she lives and works in Grand Rapids where she continues to promote equity. She provides trainings in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to City of Grand Rapids employees in the City's Office of Equity & Engagement, and uses her free time to promote equity in circus arts through Cirque Bouclé.

She is an alumna of the University of Kentucky and the Ebony Road Players Visionary Academy, whose support inspired her to establish Cirque Bouclé as an investment in her new community.

Our Values

Equity

Increasing diverse representation in the contemporary circus arts.

Art

Create, be silly, and challenge yourself as a circus artist!

Health

Get stronger and have fun doing it!

Theater

Perform and explore career opportunities in circus and theater.

What is contemporary circus art?

Contemporary circus art is the modern version of the traditional family circus. It believes that anyone can train to perform. It is mainly created and enjoyed inside a theater setting where you can be fully immersed in a story of lights, emotion, and gravity-defying feats of strength.

What kind of classes do you offer?

We offer a full aerial theatre program! We specialize in beginner aerial silks lessons for anyone eight and over. We will also learn about acting and stage presence in class as we prepare for student showcases and productions. For those interested in careers in circus or theater, we provide shadowing opportunities and offer a co-creative approach to show design. There's a little something for everyone here at Cirque Bouclé!

We may explore offering acrobatics and more aerial apparatuses, such as lyra and rope, but we do not offer these at this time.

Are you a gym or a theater company?

Both! Cirque Bouclé focuses on the intersection of art, health, and theatre in circus arts.

How do you increase equity in circus arts?

All of our aerial instruction for kids and adults is 100% free.
We are located right next to Ward 3/the Southeast Side (of Grand Rapids, MI).
A portion of our budget is a dedicated Equity Fund.
We strive to create culturally-appropriate spaces in the circus arts.

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