Lila Watkins strikes a pose inside Circus Arts Conservatory's performance and training space.

When circus arts performer Lila Watkins tore her ACL earlier this year, the injury could very well have derailed her dreams. The stresses put on a body while flying through the air are extreme even for highly trained acrobats with no injuries, so Watkins had an uphill battle to get back in the air, one that would see her power through grueling rehab and the disappointment of staying earthbound while healing. “I’ve definitely made some sacrifices for my dream,” Watkins says.

And that was on top of finishing her senior year of high school, most of which happened during a pandemic.

“It was difficult at times to balance everything,” she says, “but if you want to have a good circus career, you have to have an education to support it.” But along with her graduating class of budding performers who themselves are college bound, she found more than just a balance.

This month, she graduates from Sarasota High’s Sailor Circus Academy magnet program, the program’s second graduating class, with the goal of applying to École Nationale de Cirque in Montréal. The 3-year program would allow Watkins to build on her repertoire and skillset while also learning the ins and outs of keeping her body in tip-top shape, all in an academic setting that gives her access to an extensive library of scholarly literature from the profession.

To help bolster her chances of getting into the program, the Circus Arts Conservatory (CAC) managed to secure the expertise of instructors and former Cirque de Soleil performers. That support comes largely from the CAC’s connections in the industry as well as its world-class facility, which attracts performers from around the world looking for a place to train.

“Some of what we’re looking at doing is developing the magnet program into a sort of feeder program like [École Nationale de Cirque],” says CAC’s Jennifer Mitchell. The Montréal program boasts a 95% placement rate for its graduates, with many joining Cirque de Soleil or The Seven Fingers.

But for now, Mitchell is glad to see the aims of the program expressed so fully by Watkins. “There’s an experiential part of learning in the circus arts that can build confidence in students,” says Mitchell, “and that confidence can apply to any future opportunity.”

And it’s that same confidence and dedication that helped Watkins get through a circus of a year. “More than anything, I’m glad that COVID-19 didn’t stop us from inspiring other people,” says Watkins, “and showing them that, no matter what, the show will go on.”

Lila Watkins strikes a pose inside Circus Arts Conservatory's performance and training space.

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