On 22 June 2026, eight young Australian circus artists and three trainers from NICA embarked on a cultural exchange to the Shanghai Circus School. 

The exchange forms part of Beyond Our Boundaries, NICA's international partnership with the Shanghai Circus School, made possible through a grant awarded through the National Foundation for Australia–China Relations' 2024–25 Competitive Grants Round.

Over two weeks, students immersed themselves in one of the world's leading acrobatic schools, training alongside Chinese students and teachers, witnessing internationally acclaimed performances, exploring the cultural life of Shanghai and Hangzhou, and forming friendships that will continue when the Chinese delegation visits Melbourne later this year. 

The exchange builds on a history of over four decades between Australian and Chinese circus. That relationship dates back to the early 1980s, when members of the Nanjing Acrobatic Troupe first travelled to Australia, influencing the movement towards contemporary circus and circus education. It continued through collaborative programs, such as The Nanjing Project, which was integral to establishing NICA. 

The Beyond our Boundaries project recognises that while different, Australian and Chinese circus traditions have limitless value to offer each other. For NICA's Head of Circus Studies, Juliana Neves, creating opportunities for students to experience different approaches to circus training is invaluable: 

"I believe this is one of the most important things we can do—reach out to other schools and see what other people are doing," she said. "Coming to China is really a privilege because, in the circus world, China is at the top. To be able to learn with their teachers has been a wonderful experience." 

At the Shanghai Circus School, the project participants experienced a vast shared training hall where multiple disciplines are trained side by side. The atmosphere was intensely focused, and training prioritises repetition until precision. These young Australian artists witnessed firsthand the discipline that underpins China's internationally renowned acrobatic tradition, gaining a deeper appreciation for the consistency and resilience required to develop their highly detailed skills. For many of them, the fresh perspective proved just as valuable as learning any new technique. 

For Capri Palmer, a current second-year student at NICA specialising in Chinese pole, the ease in which she was able to connect with others, despite the language and cultural barrier, became one of the defining memories of the trip. 

"I've been most surprised about how friendly everyone has been," she said. "People have gone out of their way to make conversation with me... it's just been a really nice surprise and really welcoming." 

Whether navigating Shanghai's busy streets, sharing meals or exploring historic neighborhoods together, the learning didn’t stay confined to the training space. Students travelled by bullet train to Hangzhou, where they watched internationally acclaimed circus acts preparing for competitions such as Cirque de Demain and the Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival. They attended performances by Shanghai Circus Troupe and the internationally renowned ERA production, experiencing the full-scale sophistication that Chinese circus is known for around the world. 
 

Towards the end of the visit, Australian and Chinese students briefly put aside skill acquisition to simply create together. Through movement games, improvisation and collaborative choreography, ideas blossomed. Circus was the common language, where students were able to communicate with repertoire and creativity in lieu of words. It was this session that really expanded Beyond our Boundaries from sharing skills, to sharing cultures. 

 The long-term impact of this exchange holds loaded potential.  

The Australian student delegation has returned with fresh perspectives on training and form, which they will no doubt bring forward with them into their professional lives, enriching circus training spaces for years to come.  

It is clear that these in-person interactions create immeasurable impressions on youth; strengthening relationships and cross-cultural respect, beyond boarders, when our intention is to lift each other up.  

In many ways, that is exactly what happened through the collaborations that preceded this one. The 1990’s Nanjing projects influenced generations of artists and educators, helping to shape the Australian circus sector into what it is today. Beyond Our Boundaries builds upon that story, not by recreating the past, but by giving today's emerging artists the opportunity to shape the next chapter together. 

In November this year, Chinese students and teachers will travel to Melbourne for the third stage of Beyond our Boundaries, where they will experience NICA's approach to contemporary circus training and collaborate with Australian students to perform during NICA's 25th Anniversary celebration show. Just as Australian participants gained insight into China's traditions of technical excellence, their Chinese counterparts will experience an approach that places equal emphasis on experimentation and storytelling.
 

To witness this collaboration live in November 2026 – sign up to our performance newsletter or stay tuned for the anniversary show release. 
 

This project is supported by the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, which has awarded Beyond Our Boundaries a 2024–2025 Competitive Grants Round. Their support makes possible a reciprocal professional exchange between the National Institute of Circus Arts and the Shanghai Circus School, building on a legacy of collaboration since the 1980s, and continues to strengthen people-to-people links through cultural exchange. 

You can support future collaborations like this by donating to NICA’s Future Fund – a dedicated fund to bringing world-class excellence in education and training opportunities to Australian circus students.