Cirque Wonderland

★★★★★Julie Larson

What a fun way to celebrate my daughter's 13th birthday! Two knowledgeable and fun team members from Cirque Wonderland led the instruction and supported all 9 girls as they learned and had fun perfecting different tricks. The place was clean, the environment fun and welcoming and everyone had the best time. Highly recommend for a unique and engaging party!

★Malia Hansen

My experience with Cirque Wonderland was not a positive one, and it has been frustrating to process over time. What was presented as a welcoming and inclusive space did not always align with my personal experience there. When I spoke up about my concerns, I felt they were dismissed or minimized, which made it difficult for me to feel heard or supported in the space. This came after I shared that I experienced what I perceived as confrontational and inappropriate verbal behavior from a neighboring business owner at the time. I was told the cameras in the building were not working at that time, which added to my discomfort with the situation. I rented a room in the space for four years, prior to its expansion. In April 2023, I was told via phone call that a change in my massage clientele to better fit the space would be something to consider to fit the gym more, or that it might be best for me to leave. Later , I received an email stating it would be best for me to leave, along with a move-out timeline. I asked to have a conversation in person or by phone to try to come to a more mutual agreement, especially since I was there regularly, but that request was declined. I then received formal communication via email, which felt abrupt and uncomfortable, and reinforced my concerns based on my experience about how situations like this were handled compared to what I had understood when I first joined the space. In private conversations, I've heard perspectives that echoed some of my concerns around a disconnect between stated values and lived experiences. I understand that others may have different experiences, and I can only speak to my own. One example of that disconnect, from my point of view, was messaging like "any body can do aerial" not always feeling fully reflected in practice, particularly when some policies felt like they created barriers for people with different needs in my experience. For me, what started as a business misalignment became more personal over time. I’m sharing this to bring awareness and to encourage better alignment between values and action. I also always wondered why they seemed they were the only aerial arts place in des moines when they werent I do want to acknowledge that there were coaches I appreciated working with, including Bonnie, who I felt did embody the values that were expressed. This is being shared in the hope that it encourages reflection. My experience was disappointing, both as a business owner and as a person navigating the situation. TO CIRQUE AND FELICIA IN RESPONSE TO THEIR RESPONSE Thank you for your response. I understand that your perspective may differ. What I've shared reflects my personal experience with Felicia , our shared records of emails + the leasing agreement and how I was approached and was impacted by those interactions at the time. I'm not interested in continuing this conversation privately, as I've already attempted to have direct discussions in the past with Felicia without resolution or response. Many others have told me they experienced this as well. This comment feels like it is for show and not action. Many have stated that this gym might as well just be for kids because the adults often feel disregarded , lied to and unheard.

★★★★★Nina Moser

Cirque Wonderland has become my home away from home. I’ve been meaning to write a review for a while now and for the last four years aerial arts has become my favorite hobby! The coaches are all amazing! (Special shoutout to Bonnie, Erin, and Allison!) If you want to find a place that is inclusive, kind, encouraging, supportive, and incredibly fun—-this is it! I’ve grown so much since I began my journey. I couldn’t do anything when I started but you build strength with each class and each week you see progress. And feel like an absolute badass when you nail something you weren’t sure you would ever be able to! I’ve made some incredible friends and love being a part of the circus community. My daughter and I have had opportunities to perform in student showcases, take fun themed choreography classes (like K-Pop Demon Hunters, Thriller, and Hot To Go) be on their street team and I even got cast in an aerial version of The Wizard of Oz called Cirque De Oz. My daughter takes youth classes here, too. I love that we can share in this community together, as well!

★★★★★Amanda Fender

We had the absolute best time at the Cirque Wonderland Studio!! We had a private party with 3 of us, all at different levels. Felicia took the time to go through the tricks with each of us that matched our ability level! She was so encouraging! We all fell in love with it and can't wait to go back!

★★★★★Susannah Lautensleger

We have had the best experience at this studio! My daughter loves that she’s always learning new fun tricks and is being supported by the instructors! She feels safe and seen while at Cirque Wonderland!