International Women's Day - NICA Women are Circus Strong
Modern Circus: Where Strong Women Are Seen, Supported and Celebrated
This International Women’s Day, 8 March 2026, we are highlighting how circus empowers girls and women to connect with the strength their bodies are truly capable of.
Statistics of girls and young women being pushed out of traditional sports are shocking.
Adolescence is a key time for young women to develop healthy habits, strength and coping strategies to set themselves up for life. All these skills and more can be found through movement and sport.
Yet, research published in 2022 through Women in Sport shows that 43% of girls who once identified as “sporty” disengage from sport after primary school, often because they fear being judged, lack confidence, or don’t feel safe or supported in sport environments 1.
The Women’s Sports Foundation notes that barriers like unequal access, safety issues, social stigma and the decline in quality of experience contribute to girls leaving sport at around twice the rate of boys2.
These statistics highlight a broader issue. Girls and women don’t lack ability, but they are being told by their environments, that they don’t belong.
This is where modern circus shines, being both an athletic pursuit and art form.
At NICA, women are welcomed into movement. They are equipped to design their own outcomes, and define what the intersection of athleticism and art looks like.
“When I'm performing [Chinese] pole, how can I be as feminine as possible without undermining my own strength, and my own ability? I want to present these skills so they’re beautiful and articulated and delicate, but still be able to show [that] I am as strong as that other pole act you just saw, I’m just doing it differently, I'm not doing it, less. We’re so strong. And ... people think that’s weird, when girls are strong.”
- NICA Graduate, Maya Davies in ON/OFF 2023 Showcase
Circus training nurtures physical strength with creative expression, creating the perfect environment where girls and women have the resources, freedom and belonging to push the limits of what their bodies and minds can achieve.
The art of circus provides an environment where athleticism is celebrated without limitation, regardless of gender.
This makes circus training at NICA not just a path for professional performing artists, but a facilitator for empowering strong, innovative women through every stage of their lives.
Click here to donate to our student hardship fund, to help our young women and students reach the potential of their training without financial stress.
Or contact us to arrange bespoke support.
Sources: