Circus Center Welcomes Dominic Cruz as New Performance Department Manager

San Francisco Circus Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Dominic Cruz as the new Performance Department Manager and Sr. Acrobatics Instructor. With a strong background in acrobatics instruction and performance, Cruz will play a key role leading the San Francisco Youth Circus (SFYC) and coaching the various acrobatic genres. He was most recently seen as a performance artist with The 7 Fingers in the Dear, San Francisco production at Club Fugazi Experiences for over 3 years.

Dom commuted to Circus Center throughout his childhood to participate in the San Francisco Youth Circus under Lu Yi, Xia Ki Min, and Xiaohong Weng, and training with Dominik Wyss. After graduating from the National Circus School of Montreal (ENC) he traveled the world as a professional circus artist with companies including Cirque Éloize, Midnight Circus, and was in the original cast and creation of Luzia with Cirque du Soleil. Cruz cofounded a Belgian circus company collective called Back Pocket as well as co-created and toured their award-winning first show La Vrille du Chat.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dom back to the place he began his career," said Betsy Ferguson, Executive Director at Circus Center. "His extensive experience as a performer and passion for teaching the circus arts makes him the perfect fit to lead our Performance Department and expand our acrobatic program.”

Dom’s coaching schedule will include the following disciplines: Partner Acrobatics, Trampoline, Chinese Pole, Teeter Board, and Juggling. In addition, he will teach specialty classes/workshops on such topics as: Teaching Techniques for Circus Arts, Stage Performance 101, Improv Skills, Stage Awareness, and Master Classes in Acro disciplines.

As Performance Department Manager he will be responsible for contributing to the artistic direction for shows including the Spring Showcase and Winter Performances, directing and developing the SFYC Program, and guiding the development of our youth curriculum to foster advancement in circus arts. Dom will also be offering Artistic Counseling to help artists build their shows and create individual acts.

"I am so excited to come back to my roots in San Francisco and share the knowledge I’ve gained throughout my career,” said Cruz. “I hope to inspire a new generation of circus artists.”

The community is invited to a free Meet & Greet/ Demo Session with Dom on Saturday, April 25 from 1 pm - 2 pm in the Circus Center Theatre. You can follow him on Instagram @dom_s_cruz

About San Francisco Circus Center:

For over 40 years Circus Center has been one of San Francisco’s most treasured arts institutions, offering classes for every age and level of ability in such disciplines as flying trapeze, acrobatics, aerial arts, contortion, and juggling. It is home to the celebrated San Francisco Youth Circus, a pre-professional youth troupe that has sent students on to careers in circuses around the world. Community engagement is a vital part of the mission of Circus Center. The Circus in the City Program brings the social-emotional benefits of circus to the Tenderloin and other underserved communities through a partnership with the City of San Francisco.