If you have ever wanted to try a trapeze, juggle clubs, or ride a unicycle, the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, also known as Philly Circus, is worth a look. It's a recreational school rather than a professional training program, and it takes students from age 2 up through adults. Shana Kennedy founded it after she started teaching aerial skills in her Germantown backyard in 2001, and the full facility opened in 2008.
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The school is at 6452 Greene Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119, in a former Gothic church. The space has forty-foot ceilings, wooden floors, and stained glass. The gymnasium is 5,000 square feet with 17-foot ceilings, there is an annex with 10 classrooms, and the building has rigging points for 18 pieces of aerial equipment. Parking is available around the back of the building, and the location is accessible by public transit.
Adults (18+) can join Intro, Beginner, Intermediate (with instructor approval), or Advanced classes. A single class costs $30, a 5-class pack $130, and a 10-class pack $220. If you plan to come every week, the monthly membership is $230, but it requires a three-month commitment. Classes meet on the same day and at the same time each week. The disciplines include aerial acrobatics such as static trapeze, sling (corde lisse), aerial silks, and lyra, along with juggling, unicycling, tightwire, tumbling, and conditioning. There are also single workshops such as German Wheel, Pole, and aerial playground equipment.
If you want to see the place before signing up, the Haunted Circus shows are this week. The adult show, COVEN, runs Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 at 8:30 pm, costs $25 per person, and recommends costumes. The family show, SPELLBOUND, is on Saturday, October 24 at 5:00 pm. Tickets cost $15 for adults (18+) and $10 for youth (ages 2–17) in advance, or $20 and $15 at the door.
Kids have options by age. Tots Circus is for ages 2–3, Kinder Circus for ages 4–5 ($87/month, 45-minute classes), and Junior Circus for ages 6–7 ($108/month, one-hour classes). Older kids can take Youth Circus (ages 8–12), Youth & Teen Aerial (ages 10–17, $160/month, 1.5-hour classes, with prerequisites), or Teen Circus (ages 13–18, $211/month, two-hour classes). Performance Prep is an intensive program for ages 10–18 that runs from September to May and ends with a Youth Soirée performance. It costs $356/month for two days a week or $471/month for three. The Youth Troupe is on pause and returns in 2027.
Circus After School serves kindergarten through 6th grade from August 24, 2026 to June 9, 2027. Pickup at 6:00 pm is from C.W. Henry, Lingelbach, Henry Houston, and Waldorf School of Philadelphia, and extended care until 7:00 pm costs $15 a day. Prices per day range from $207 for one day a week to $555 for five. Missed days are not made up, credited, or refunded. Summer camps include Youth Camp for kids 7 and up who have finished first grade, and Kindercamp for ages 5–6. Philadelphia Magazine named the summer camp Best of Philadelphia in 2025 and 2026.
The school is run by Kitsie O'Neill, who started part-time in 2008, became a co-owner in 2015, and has owned and managed PSCA alone since June 2026, after Shana Kennedy retired from the circus. The Head Coach is Rachel Lancaster, a University of the Arts graduate who specializes in aerial acrobatics. The assistant head coach is Eugenia Rincón.
A few practical notes: arrive 10 to 15 minutes before class. Cancel at least 12 hours ahead to get credit. Arriving more than 15 minutes late may mean being turned away, and late arrivals are not refunded. You can call 215.849.1991, email info@phillycircus.com, or check the website at www.phillycircus.com.
Published Date
21 October 2026
