DFC co-founder Marci Diamond and colleague Clara LaFrance have initiated “Chispa”, a monthly boundary-crossing, welcoming creative space, designed to spark, support and share new artistic works (or old favorites), by a wide variety of performers, for an all-ages audience.
Marci and J.T. even reprised their original “Music Box” act – which they created for Granite State Circus a number of years ago – for the very first Chispa show in Somerville, MA on 1/13/18, video here: https://youtu.be/IEW42hc8gHE!
Please see the Chispa website https://chispashow.com/ to submit an act for a future show, get tickets and venue information, or learn more.
Diamond Family Circus, in our 6th appearance at The Waltham Riverfest, is pleased to collaborate with Granite State Circus, Aircraft Aerial Arts youth program, and CirqueUs, in a very special show at 1:15pm on Sat. 6/18 in Landry Park, Waltham, along the beautiful Charles River. Please join us for this free family fun day that includes great entertainment of all kinds, a parade (with pets!), food trucks, canoe rides, and more! And it’s just a taste of much more to come: please come catch us in the full Granite State Circus show under the big top in Weirs Beach, NH all summer long! http://downtownwaltham.org/2016-riverfest.html
2014 Diamond Family Circus highlights (to everything, there is a season…):
Winter: Olympics!
Opened the year with Marci performing aerials for the Opening Ceremonies of the 100th U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the TD Garden arena, sending off our Olympians in style! Thanks to Aircraft Aerial Arts, the Boston Skating Club and all involved. We also kicked off fantastic new sessions of aerial and flexibility classes at both Aircraft and Overhead Arts!
Spring:
Diamond Family Youth Troupe continued our annual traditions with encore performances at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center walk and Waltham Riverfest. Troupe member Doug Stewart co-coordinated the 1st Boston Regional American Youth Circus Organization festival at Aircraft, where Marisa and Marci offered multiple workshops, from aerial improv, lyra, and contortion, to pie throwing and water spitting, and Marci’s advanced teen students wowed the crowd with a rousing aerial airplane-themed finale to the festival showcase!
Seaside Summer:
We loved collaborating with Overhead Arts, Payomet Performing Arts Center, Wellfleet Preservation Hall, and Ringmaster J.T. Turner to present Circuscape on Cape Cod!
By night, we performed to sold-out crowds and by day we taught a multiweek circus arts program for youth…and sea creatures. We also traveled to teach master classes, including contortion and acro with the dance team of Dance Innovations in NH. And we were so proud to see 2 of our youth troupe members on tour with Circus Smirkus this summer, and another to complete her year-long internship with Circus Harmony in St. Louis!
Fall: School days!
DFC Youth Troupe maintained its annual performance committment in support of the REACHÂ Beyond Domestic Violence Festival.
Marci partnered with a new social circus initiative, Circus Up!, to bring circus arts to youth in underserved communities. Former youth troupe members were accepted to and began their professional circus training programs at SANCA and NECCA, another returned to ECQ, while others are now introducing circus to the hallowed halls of Yale and University of Michigan!
Winter, Again:
The greatest light of our winter was having the honor to collaborate with Granite State Circus to plan, promote and perform in 2 sold-out fundraising shows benefitting our beloved circus colleague and friend, Rick Davis and his family, as they face Rick’s serious injury and illness with such grace. Please join us in sending them light and love and contribute if you can.
Looking ahead to 2015: Marci will be introducing new lyra classes to the dance program at Boston University and expanding Circus Up! afterschool classes, & continues to teach adult and youth classes at Aircraft Aerial Arts. We look forward to new adventures and collaborations with you in 2015 – please continue to share and follow your dreams…nothing is impossible when you work for the circus!
We are available to perform, teach, and consult on circus & creative movement in the Boston area, as well as nationally and internationally.
DFC’s Co-founders Marci & Marisa, along with Ringmaster J.T., were featured performers with Granite State Circus, the first woman-founded and run tented circus in the U.S. We are now back to booking our popular professional performers’ acts & shows, offering visiting artist workshops and consultations, and supporting our youth performance troupe. Diamond Family Circus is approved for fee support through the MassHousing TAP Resident Programs & New England States Touring (NEST) artist grants, increasing accessibility to high quality programming for public housing & non-profit organizations.
Sampling of what’s available from Diamond Family Circus for a range of indoor and outdoor settings, along with our popular, community-building circus learning workshops:
Marci on lyra
Cabaret-style comedic-romantic partner acrobatics; family-focused partner acrobatics; comedic contortion; and a range of beautiful professional aerial acts from tango lyra and lyrical trapeze to rock, broadway and techno…as well as varied ambient and roving circus entertainment.
Diamond Family Circus Youth Troupe supports Brandeis-ACS Relay for Life 2011
Youth performance troupe: roving performers, balloon twisting, juggling of all types, aerial acts, acrobatics and more!
The Diamonds are available for work in films under SAG agreements (including student films). They can also provide workshops in conjunction with performances. Visit our contact page to inquire!
Film set photo of Marci by Rob Eckle and Kyle Daly
Currently, we offer group classes, special workshops, or private lessons for a range of ages and abilities online, and provide instruction and consultation in collaboration with theaters, film, universities, schools, NGOs,  dance & gymnastic studios, camps, etc. Details and references are available upon request.
DFC Director Marci Diamond, M.P.A., AEA, SAG-AFTRA, is an experienced instructor-coach in: functional flexibility, core strength, and conditioning; basic contortion; solo and duo acrobatics; lyra (aerial hoop); solo and duo trapeze; performance development and improvement; and other circus arts. She works with each individual’s strengths, goals, and needs, nurturing a safe learning environment for serious fun, discovery, and progress.
Marci’s teacher training includes completion of the Advanced Trapeze Teacher Training at the New England Center for Circus Arts, Circus Arts Therapy Training at Carrie Heller’s Circus Arts Institute, Circus Yoga- Ring One, and prior certification as a high school teacher. She is an active participant in the American Youth Circus Organization, including the AYCO Educators’ Conferences and national and regional festivals. She often teaches with her daughter Marisa Diamond, B.F.A., www.marisadiamond.com, also a professional performer and coach, who co-founded DFC.
American Youth Circus Organization
National resources promoting the participation of youth in circus arts; DFC founders and participants are active members, teaching workshops, serving on committees, etc – join us!
AYCO/ACE Social Circus Initative
Supporting social circus development across the U.S.; DFC’s Marci was a foundational consultant for this multi-year initiative of the American Youth Circus Organization and American Circus Educators, supported/funded by Cirque du Soleil.
New England States Touring (NEST) Program
As an approved provider, fee support for booking Diamond Family Circus may be available to nonprofit organizations through the New England States Touring (NEST) program of the New England Foundation for the Arts.