Gym Dandies - History

History

The Gym Dandies" Children’s Circus of Scarborough, Maine came into existence when Jon Cahill, the director of this group, began incorporating circus skills into the physical education program. Mr. Cahill soon realized that circus arts had the potential to be much more than just an alternate activity in the physical education curriculum. There were numerous potential benefits that could be realized by children as a result of participating in this unusual, challenging, and exciting endeavor. But, something was missing. The children loved to demonstrate their skills. They wanted to perform, and this was the birth of "The Gym Dandies".

In 1981, "The Gym Dandies", the little "Big Top" of Scarborough, consisted of ten enthusiastic fifth and sixth grade boys and girls and a box full of tennis balls. Circus arts are naturally motivating for children at this age and soon it became obvious that juggling, although challenging, was not enough. "The Gym Dandies" held what might have been the "World’s First Juggle -A-Thon" in the spring of 1981. Funds raised from the Juggle-A-Thon went toward the purchase of unicycles. By the spring of 1982, after a great deal of hard work, “The Gym Dandies" had evolved into a stylized unicycling and juggling group normally found only in professional circuses.

Approximately 230 children now participate each school year. There are beginner and advanced groups and each member meets once a week to practice. The age range of participants is 8 to 18 hears years old. Well over 2,000 Scarborough, Maine school children have participated in the Gym Dandies circus arts program since 1981.