Donna Wood-Babcock
Donna Wood-Babcock began her career in the arts when she attended Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey’s Clown College in 1981.After working as a performer for several years she discovered the world of arts education by teaching children how to juggle and perform as clowns. Recognizing the appeal of circus arts to all youth, she began focusing her attention on teaching children at risk.This led her to the world of Social Circus, teaching life skills through circus arts.
Her experience as a Circus Arts teacher includes working as a trainer for Cirque du Monde, Cirque du Soleil’s social outreach program, creating the Circus Arts program for City Hearts, Kids Say Yes to the Arts, working as a Director of Clown College at Ocean Park, Hong Kong, and teaching thousands of students and directing dozens of youth circuses at schools and community centers throughout Los Angeles.
Her arts administration experience includes developing the position of Director of Education for the Los Angeles Foundation of the Circus Arts, working as the office manager for Shows That Teach and holding the position of Executive Director of the Jumbo Shrimp Circus Academy.Donna also created the Hope St. Youth Circus in downtown Los Angeles and was the director of that program for 15 years.
Wood-Babcock holds a BA in Human Development with a specialization in Arts Education from Pacific Oaks University.