Business Profile: No more running away to join the circus.

As Atlantic Canada’s first and only school of circus arts, Atlantic Cirque’s mission is to make the world under the big top accessible to everyone.

Offering weekly classes, birthday parties, corporate team building, workshops and camps, Atlantic Cirque provides a structured and safe environment under the instruction and supervision of circus professionals who trained and performed all over the world. At Atlantic Cirque, individuals have the opportunity to learn aerial skills, acrobatics, contortion, trampoline, human pyramids, handstands, juggling, unicycle, stilt walking and much more.

Her Story: Anaïs Guimond fell in love with circus arts while she was still in high school.

After training at the École de Cirque de Québec and at the Cirque du Soleil studios in Montréal and Las Vegas, Anaïs spent several years as a professional acrobatic performer before moving to Halifax from Montréal in the summer of 2001. Discovering the Halifax International Busker Festival, Anaïs saw an opportunity to combine her entrepreneurial and performance talents. Working with CEED Halifax in the development of her business plan, and with the financial investment of CYBF, Atlantic Cirque opened its doors in the fall of 2002, on time and with 50 registrations.

Since then, Atlantic Cirque has grown to include 150 weekly participants, eight additional coaches, over 12 performing artists and a facility that is more than three times the size of the original location. The circus school has proved to be so successful that Anaïs is in the process of developing a second school – this time on the West coast, a true accomplishment for the young entrepreneur.

“My journey over the past decade has encompassed a lot of personal and business growth. I am a successful entrepreneur who did it all on her own in a new region, in a new language and with a very unique business idea. To the people who thought I wouldn’t make it with a circus school in Nova Scotia, I say, I told you so!”

Short Quote:
“If I had one piece of advice for a young entrpreneur, it would be to prepare to work hard and don’t take no as an answer. If one door is closed, open the next one. Be passionnate about your business and ask for advice, other entrepreneurs are usually happy to help when asked because they’ve been there and learned from their decisions, good and bad.”
- Anaïs Guimond, Atlantic Cirque

Mentor Quote:
“For a young entrepreneur, a close mentoring relationship is like having a big sister in the office. You can ask any question, without being judged. Building a professional network is still one of the hardest parts of starting a new business, but with the help of an experienced mentor, you’ll gain access to that person’s extensive network of contacts. If your mentor doesn’t have the answer to your question, she’ll know exactly who to call.”
- Anaïs Guimond, Atlantic Cirque

Canadian Youth Business Foundation
Canada’s Entrepreneur Gateway
The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is the ‘go to’ place for youth entrepreneurship. As a national charity, we are dedicated to growing Canada’s economy one young entrepreneur at a time. We look at character not collateral, when providing youth, age 18-34, with pre-launch coaching, business resources, start-up financing and mentoring, to help them launch and sustain a successful entrepreneurial business. www.cybf.ca

CEED Halifax
CEED is an organization devoted to helping people discover and use entrepreneurship as a vehicle to become self-reliant. CEED has programs for everyone, from at-risk youth to newly landed immigrants to retiring professionals, and works with pre-aspiring, aspiring, and existing entrepreneurs of all ages. www.ceed.info