The Sailor Circus Academy is Sarasota’s premier youth circus training program, serving students across Sarasota and Manatee counties. Known worldwide as “The Greatest Little Show on Earth,” Sailor Circus is the nation’s longest-running youth circus and has welcomed more than one million audience members to its annual performances. Our iconic arena is a one-of-a-kind training ground where young artists build confidence, develop discipline, and pursue big goals as they dive into acrobatics, soar through aerial artistry, sharpen stage presence, and bring life to clowning, juggling, bouncing, spinning, and twisting, just to name a few.

Founded in 1949 as a high school gymnastics class, Sailor Circus has grown into one of America’s leading youth circus schools, offering year-round training for students in grades 1 through 12 and beyond. Through rigorous performing arts and psychomotor skills programs, students learn in a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment. Sailor Circus Academy students carry forward Sarasota’s celebrated circus tradition and continue to shape the future of this beloved art form.