Escuela Nacional Circo Para Todos / Circus for All National School

The organization Circo Para Todos was founded almost ten years ago by Felicity Simpson and Hector Cobo, two former circus artists who wanted to bring the circus arts to marginalized youth in Cali, Colombia. Cali known as the "salsa capital of the world" is also one of the most dangerous cities in the world where only 3 of 10 young males will reach the age of 30. The school receives funding from Cirque du Soleil's social development program "Cirque du Monde" as well as other sources. The school has four facets that include peer to peer teaching, community workshops, professional circus training and professional insertion.

All the students attend on full scholarships which includes transportation and meals. As part of their scholarship the students are required to teach community based workshops in low income neighborhoods. The program is a four year commitment where the students develop their own professional acts in which later they may be employed with. Once the students graduate they are invited by the foundation's agency Circo Colombia to participate as talent for hire. Any employment found through the agency takes a percentage of the contract salary in order to give back towards the schools expenses.

This year the foundation is celebrating their tenth year anniversary. Recently the school has recieved the honor of becoming Colombis'a official circus school, thus changing its name from La Escuela El Saman to La Escuela Nacional Circo Para Todos. Also they have been working with the recognized monthly cultural event called DELIRIO, which has received international acclaim.

This project is part of a larger personal work in progress that focuses on communities in Colombia.