Help Jessica Join the Circus!
Donation protected
My name is Jessica Funes. I’m 18 years old and I live in Oakland, California.
I have recently been accepted into one of the best circus training schools in the country – Seattle’s School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts (SANCA) Professional Preparatory Program – and I need $9450 to cover tuition. At SANCA I will be able to take my training to the next level and prepare for a career in theatrical circus performance & instruction. I'll polish the skills I've learned from many years of practice including conditioning, strength training, unicycling, globe, juggling, clowning, acrobatics and my great love: contortion (please watch my video below). This summer I graduate from high school and SANCA is the next step on the road to realizing my circus dreams that started when I was 6. Will you help?
Following my dream has never been easy, but along the way, people have reached out to help me and I am so grateful. I was born 9 of 12 children. My family has always struggled to make ends meet. There is no money to spend on higher education and training.
I first fell in love with circus when I was a young girl, after watching an amazing Cirque du Soleil performance. I knew instantly that I wanted to live my life as an artist and performer in a circus ring: creating and performing inspiring acts and telling stories that both entertain and connect with people’s hearts and minds.
At 6 years old, Aileen Moffit, the Co Founder and director of Oakland’s Prescott Family Circus , brought a program to my school teaching basic circus skills and traditional stilt dancing to at-risk youth. I was hooked!
At 14, I auditioned for and received a full scholarship to join the prestigious Kinetic Arts Center Circus Spire Youth Troupe, a group of pre-professional circus students ages 9-19 that perform regularly around Oakland. I train 15+ hours 6 days a week and also teach camps and perform at birthday parties.
I have received numerous scholarships in circus arts and dance over the past 12 years including with Prescott, Kinetic Arts Center and the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts where I trained in ballet, hip hop, modern, African stilt dancing and Ham Bone.
Circus has given me so much: confidence, creativity, friendship, even a job. It has changed the way I think about life and about what I want to be: a creative performer, an artistic director, and an instructor. I love theatrical circus like Cirque du Soleil that combines music, costumes, sets and inspiring performers to tell a wonderful story. I dream of one day touring and being part of the creative process to produce such a show. I also want to teach and coach other circus performers to follow their own dreams, especially at-risk kids.
SANCA’s Professional Preparatory Program is a nine month, 30 hour a week program that will give me the tools I need to pursue a professional career in circus arts. Now I must find a way to pay the $9450 tuition as well as my living and travel expenses to attend.
In a few weeks I graduate from high school with high grades including 6 advanced placement courses. Unfortunately, I can find no scholarships available to follow my circus dream because most scholarships focus on more traditional performing arts like dance and theater . . . or they require you to attend an accredited college and not a vocational school like SANCA.
But I believe that no dream is impossible no matter where you come from if you are willing to follow your heart, take risks and work very hard. Here is my plan and how you can help!
1) WORK! I hope to find work in Seattle to cover living/travel expenses. I am especially interested in finding a work/live-in situation for the 2015-16 school year and can start this summer. I have LOTS of experience caring for younger siblings and babies as well as coaching children’s circus camps and after-school programs. I can also coordinate and perform at kids' birthday parties or provide private circus arts instruction. If you have ideas for the Seattle area, please email me at this GoFundMe address.
2) GOFUNDME! campaign to help with tuition. Every little contribution helps! I have just a few months to raise my tuition. A donation of any amount will help me attend SANCA and achieve my circus dream. And please consider sharing my story with family and friends by email or any social media you use.
Thank you for reading my story and considering supporting me. I send love, laughter and much positive energy your way!
P.S. Thank you to Eric Gillet of Shoot That Klown Photography for use of his beautiful circus photos.
I have recently been accepted into one of the best circus training schools in the country – Seattle’s School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts (SANCA) Professional Preparatory Program – and I need $9450 to cover tuition. At SANCA I will be able to take my training to the next level and prepare for a career in theatrical circus performance & instruction. I'll polish the skills I've learned from many years of practice including conditioning, strength training, unicycling, globe, juggling, clowning, acrobatics and my great love: contortion (please watch my video below). This summer I graduate from high school and SANCA is the next step on the road to realizing my circus dreams that started when I was 6. Will you help?
Following my dream has never been easy, but along the way, people have reached out to help me and I am so grateful. I was born 9 of 12 children. My family has always struggled to make ends meet. There is no money to spend on higher education and training.
I first fell in love with circus when I was a young girl, after watching an amazing Cirque du Soleil performance. I knew instantly that I wanted to live my life as an artist and performer in a circus ring: creating and performing inspiring acts and telling stories that both entertain and connect with people’s hearts and minds.
At 6 years old, Aileen Moffit, the Co Founder and director of Oakland’s Prescott Family Circus , brought a program to my school teaching basic circus skills and traditional stilt dancing to at-risk youth. I was hooked!
At 14, I auditioned for and received a full scholarship to join the prestigious Kinetic Arts Center Circus Spire Youth Troupe, a group of pre-professional circus students ages 9-19 that perform regularly around Oakland. I train 15+ hours 6 days a week and also teach camps and perform at birthday parties.
I have received numerous scholarships in circus arts and dance over the past 12 years including with Prescott, Kinetic Arts Center and the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts where I trained in ballet, hip hop, modern, African stilt dancing and Ham Bone.
Circus has given me so much: confidence, creativity, friendship, even a job. It has changed the way I think about life and about what I want to be: a creative performer, an artistic director, and an instructor. I love theatrical circus like Cirque du Soleil that combines music, costumes, sets and inspiring performers to tell a wonderful story. I dream of one day touring and being part of the creative process to produce such a show. I also want to teach and coach other circus performers to follow their own dreams, especially at-risk kids.
SANCA’s Professional Preparatory Program is a nine month, 30 hour a week program that will give me the tools I need to pursue a professional career in circus arts. Now I must find a way to pay the $9450 tuition as well as my living and travel expenses to attend.
In a few weeks I graduate from high school with high grades including 6 advanced placement courses. Unfortunately, I can find no scholarships available to follow my circus dream because most scholarships focus on more traditional performing arts like dance and theater . . . or they require you to attend an accredited college and not a vocational school like SANCA.
But I believe that no dream is impossible no matter where you come from if you are willing to follow your heart, take risks and work very hard. Here is my plan and how you can help!
1) WORK! I hope to find work in Seattle to cover living/travel expenses. I am especially interested in finding a work/live-in situation for the 2015-16 school year and can start this summer. I have LOTS of experience caring for younger siblings and babies as well as coaching children’s circus camps and after-school programs. I can also coordinate and perform at kids' birthday parties or provide private circus arts instruction. If you have ideas for the Seattle area, please email me at this GoFundMe address.
2) GOFUNDME! campaign to help with tuition. Every little contribution helps! I have just a few months to raise my tuition. A donation of any amount will help me attend SANCA and achieve my circus dream. And please consider sharing my story with family and friends by email or any social media you use.
Thank you for reading my story and considering supporting me. I send love, laughter and much positive energy your way!
P.S. Thank you to Eric Gillet of Shoot That Klown Photography for use of his beautiful circus photos.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jessica Funes
Organizer
Oakland, CA
Carole Parker
Beneficiary