Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophia Herscu.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
All four owners at the Commonwealth Circus Center are passionate circus performers and teachers. We had all been working in the Boston area for years when we realized that there was an opportunity to open a circus school in Boston itself. There are several studios that offer high-quality instruction for recreational circus enthusiasts, youth, and aspiring professionals on the other side of the Charles, but there was a vacuum of the circus on the Boston side.
About a year ago, we began searching for ideal locations for a circus school in Boston. It’s been a whirlwind journey since we found our current home in Jamaica Plain, but we’ve now opened our doors and couldn’t be more excited to offer circus classes for youth and adults on the Boston side of the river.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s hard to believe that we started planning C3 just over a year ago. As a new entrepreneur, I have since learned that starting a new business is a rewarding challenge. Between creating the business plan and budget, creating marketing materials, and building the physical studio, it was a mad dash to open back in July.
The biggest obstacle to the C3 business thus far has been the general scope of the project. We decided to open in a big studio from the very beginning, so we didn’t get the chance to grow from a small school to a big one over time. Right off the bat, we had 15 instructors, 180 students, and 70 recreational circus classes running weekly for youth and adults.
Working in a team of four co-founder/owners has made the process of opening this school relatively smooth and joyful. Working with Steve Minnihan, the other co-owner/manager helps to make the day-to-day tasks manageable. The two other co-owners, Ellen Waylonis and Roger May, brought a wealth of prior experience to the team, and have been irreplaceable mentors and colleagues.
We’ve been overwhelmed with the support we’ve received from the community thus far! I’ll never forget the opening day when the first youth students stepped through the door and saw the studio. Their eyes lit up when they saw the fabrics hanging from the ceiling and all the mats covering the floor. Those moments of joy always make the long hours and the expansiveness of this project worth it.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Commonwealth Circus Center story. Tell us more about the business.
The Commonwealth Circus center is a place where anyone can learn about movement arts and self-expression in a joyful circus environment. Recreational circus blends dance, fitness, and community and evolved from a family tradition where each member of a circus was valued for their own unique strengths. With so many disciplines from which to choose—from ground acrobatics and aerial dance to juggling and flexibility—recreational circus has something for everyone. Our classes for youth and adults are a taught by professional instructors in a space that is safe and welcoming to anyone regardless of background, experience, or ability.
The Commonwealth Circus center has also partnered with Circus Up, a local social circus organization, to offer free and reduced-cost programming to local youth. We are excited to make circus more accessible to the city of Boston. What we are most proud of, and what we have committed ourselves to from the beginning, is creating an inclusive circus community.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
When I moved to Boston four years ago for graduate school I instantly felt welcomed by the circus community here. Circus is a family. All four of the C3 co-founders discovered circus as adults in our twenties, so we know how circus can change lives for the better and feel lucky both to have found circus and to have made it our life’s work.
In terms of the business, we were lucky to find such an ideal space on which to build and open C3 in Jamaica Plain. High ceilings in an open space are essential for a school that offers classes in aerials, and spaces like this are few and far between in Boston. In terms of size, height, and location, this building is really a dream space for a circus school, and we feel lucky to have found it. Being in Jamaica Plain, a short walk away from multiple schools gave us hope for neighborhood circus school programming and we are less than half a mile from the Tat Forest Hills or Green St. Location was a huge factor in our decision to go ahead and open C3.
Pricing:
- Fly With a Friend Taster Classes—$25 for two people
- 8-week sessions for $240
- Weekly 1-hour Drop-In Circus Taster or Fitness Classes—$25/class
Contact Info:
- Address: 8 Brookley Road, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
- Website: www.commonwealthcircus.com
- Email: info@commonwealthcircus.com
- Instagram: @commonwealthcircus
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commonwealthcircus/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/commonwealth-circus-center-boston
Image Credit:
David Spiegel, Tess Scheflan
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