Kids in Newburgh line the Safe Harbors Green, listening attentively to performers from Big Apple Circus and Cirque du Soleil. They copy their movements, stretch their muscles before hoisting themselves onto trapezes or lining themselves up for a pyramid. Throughout it all, they smile, laugh, and make long-lasting connections. This is the Ritz Kids Circus, a free two-week program hosted by Safe Harbors of the Hudson, culminating in a grand performance on August 15.
Safe Harbors is a nonprofit arts and housing organization based in downtown Newburgh. They started hosting the Ritz Kids Circus in 2016, born from the idea of a “social circus”—a noncompetitive environment where the tools of circus are used as a vehicle to teach empathy, interpersonal skills, and creativity. The thought came from community member Jonathan Duell, who was able to bring together a team of professional circus performers to teach the kids and allow the program to flourish.
In the circus camp, kids learn tumbling, acrobatics, comedy, music, dance, and trapezeing. The camp is free to participate in, and so is attendance to the final performance, in which the kids show off their new skills. “A lot of Safe Harbors programming is offered for free, and part of that is recognition of the historically underserved community that we live and work in in Newburgh,” says Manda Martin of Safe Harbors. “Not everyone in our community can afford summer camps. Accessibility and providing new, transformative experiences is part of our mission.”
Circus Weekend
What’s special about this year’s camp is the expanded circus weekend that invites anyone to join in on the fun. Safe Harbors is hosting tailored workshops hosted by circus professionals. On August 16, there will be a trapeze class from 11am to 1pm, followed by an open trapeze swing from 1pm to 3pm. Saturday’s grand finale is a free professional circus show at 6pm, with special guest Storm Marrero from the Big Apple Circus as ringleader. Then, on August 17, there’s a general circus workshop from 12-3pm, another open swing from 2-3pm, and another trapeze lesson from 4-6pm.
“There’s a whimsy and possibility that circus represents, and I think that’s a really powerful thing to invite people to participate in in Newburgh,” says Martin. “Even if you don’t know the circus is happening, you can’t miss it if you are downtown. It’s in a park, so there’s no tickets, no line to wait in to get in. It’s an uplifting thing to see kids doing these incredible feats.”
The Ritz Kids Circus is a celebration of circus performance, inviting kids to fall in love with it along the way. They have the opportunity to make new friends and learn new things all day long with coaches that are committed to their wellbeing and education. Some kids have even returned to the camp as coaches-in-training, teaching news students the skills that they once learned.
“The transformation that we’ve seen the kids undergo from day one to the end of week two is pretty incredible,” says Martin. “They come in as individuals, and through conscious facilitation of our coaching team, as well as just the experiences they have with their peers, they’re learning how to work together and trust each other.”
