Phare Cambodian Circus: An Unbelievable Show

The Phare Cambodian Circus is a show that tells dazzling stories about Cambodian culture and its beliefs. It consists of a group of students who attend a performing arts school in Cambodia. The title of the show on the night we attended was Preu Chills. The performance addresses the fears and anxieties of human beings. If those students had any fears about the daring and dangerous stunts they were performing, then those fears were conquered with supreme confidence, skill, and genuine excitement. We were mesmerized during the entire one hour remarkable performance. The show displays its students’ great talent and discipline for their craft. Woven into the show is dance, juggling, human acrobatics at an intense speed, and mind-blowing contortion - to name a few.  The jaw-dropping performance left us awestruck from their impressive abilities. I cannot say enough about this show. It’s a must-see while in Cambodia. By attending the show we helped to fund a school that gives access to free education to hundreds of Cambodian children. The show cost between $15 and $30 depending on the seat. That cost pays for the salaries of everyone involved in the program.

Phare Cambodian Circus is run by an NGO (non-governmental organization) Phare Ponleu Selpak that supports youth arts education in Cambodia. The performers are kids who have come through the program and were previously orphaned, homeless, or trafficked. Through this NGO the students and their families are given the ability to live on their own. Independence is scarce in Cambodia. Many people still struggle from the aftermath of the war that destroyed the country.

To understand more about this incredible organization, I have provided an excerpt from their page. “Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS) is a Cambodian non-profit, non-governmental organization association. It was founded by 8 young men coming home from a refugee camp after the Khmer Rouge regime. They were greatly helped by art therapy and wanted to share this new skill among the poor, socially deprived and troubled youngsters in Battambang. They founded an art school. A public school followed to offer free education. A music school and theatre school were next and finally, for the kids who wanted more, the circus school. Today more than 1,200 pupils attend the public school daily and 500 attend the alternative schools. PPS also has extensive outreach programs, trying to help with the problems highlighted in their own tales.” To learn more about PPS please visit their website http://www.phareps.org/ 

Through this inspiring theatrical performance these students are transforming their lives. We were honored to witness such a beautiful transformation.

Circus was held in this tent