Benjamin Domask-Ruh is a performing artist combining the skill and technique of juggling with the theory and philosophy of clown under the aesthetic of corporeal mime to create a unique blend of circus and theatre.
With the use of his experience in Contemporary Circus and Physical Theatre, Benjamin strives to share a deeper understanding of these unique art forms. In order to learn, we need to take our previous assumptions of an art form and set them aside, and approach the topics from a place of curiosity. Through historical, practical, and real-world applicable viewpoints, he facilitates appreciation and understanding.
What specifically can one learn from Circus? In Juggling, students not only learn the classic skill of juggling three balls, but they also learn a modern viewpoint of a juggler as an object manipulator: someone who connects and unlocks the potential within objects. By understanding Mime we understand our bodies. Not only the way we move, function, and express our thoughts non-verbally, but also our deepest feelings, which no words could express. By removing the stigma and stereotypical appearance of Clown through classic and contemporary exercises, students explore the universal emotions humans share and explore the basic instinct of play we possess as lifelong children.
Program Offerings
Workshops
An Introduction to PLAY
Come learn how people play in the circus, in the theatre, and all across the world! Participants will unleash their inner clown through playing games designed to make you laugh so hard that milk will come shooting out of your nose! (Note: B.Y.O.M. [bring your own milk]) This workshop is good for anyone with energy to spare and for those who have always wanted to be silly and carefree but just haven’t had the chance. Participants may include both the young and young at heart!
Equipment/Space Needs: Large open, contained space (Meeting rooms, dance studios, etc.)
Ages: K-Adult
Juggling! A Not-So-Brief Introduction: The workshop!
In this introductory course, Benjamin will share with participants the exciting world of toss juggling! We start our workshop exploring how one ball juggling IS indeed juggling. Once we have explored our new identity as jugglers, we will move on to two and three-ball juggling and how we can continue the practice after the workshop has ended. This workshop is designed for anyone 8 years old and up!
Equipment/Space Needs: Large open, contained space. Benjamin can bring all the equipment necessary. The site may purchase supplies for each participant to take home their own set of juggling equipment. Please encourage participants to come dressed and ready to move!
Ages: 2nd – Adult
Introduction to Mime: Movement and Mind Make Moments: The Workshop!
You may think Mime starts and ends at someone in white face makeup getting stuck in a box and pulling ropes… But that is only a small aspect of what the art of Mime truly encompasses! In this workshop, we will explore how to use each and every part of our body to express ourselves from the top of our heads to the tip of our toes. This workshop is perfect for theater, dance, and even sports enthusiasts!
Equipment/Space needs – Large open, contained space. Space with large mirrors is preferred! Benjamin can bring all the equipment necessary. Please encourage participants to come dressed and ready to move!
Ages: High SchoolAdult
Contemporary Clown: How to be comfortable being yourself – A Workshop
A clown is not a costume or face paint, as we will learn in this highly playful workshop. We will engage in moments of intense play followed by introspection and emotional revelations. The day begins with a deconstruction of the stereotyped clown. We catapult into the games and exercises utilized by theatre professionals all around the world to unlock our inner ability to play. (The ability we all engaged in as children.) We will utilize any means necessary to get a laugh, a smile, a gasp, a reaction. Our main goal will be to create a lasting impression of good feelings on our audience. New clowns will walk away feeling invulnerable!
Equipment/Space Needs: Large open, contained space. Space with large mirrors is preferred! Benjamin can bring all the equipment necessary. Please encourage participants to come dressed and ready to move!
Ages: Middle School–Adult
Pop-up Circus
Bring playful energy to your event with an interactive circus pop‑up. Guests of all ages can explore balance challenges, try juggling with balls, clubs, rings, or spinning plates, and enjoy engaging hands‑on instruction—indoors or outdoors.
Add even more creativity with a Make‑Your‑Own Juggling Props station, where participants craft their own juggling balls or plates and receive a quick lesson on how to use them.
With years of experience enhancing corporate events, school programs, festivals, and community gatherings, Benjamin delivers a joyful, memorable experience tailored to your space and audience. Reach out to bring this lively circus workshop to your next event.
Residencies
My Friends From The Circus
Benjamin Domask-Ruh, Professional Circus Artist, visits your class and shares stories, videos, and pictures all about his friends from the circus. Students learn to balance peacock feathers, juggle scarves, clown around, and tell stories through mime!
Equipment/Space Needs: Classroom environment. Benjamin can bring all the equipment necessary. The site can purchase Scarves and feathers for participants to take home with them. Please encourage participants to come dressed and ready to move!
Ages: K-1st (30–50 Minute Sessions)
Curriculum to Pair With:
- P.E. (Alternative to Dance Curriculum)
- Theatre (Scene Work/Prop Awareness)
- Music (Rhythm and Expression)
- Dance (Movement and expression
Juggling! A Not-So-Brief Introduction: The Residency!
Connect your student’s mind and body through The Art of Juggling. Throughout the week, students will be led through warm-up routines, exercises, games, and techniques as they relate to juggling. Students will be introduced to the history of juggling across the globe as well as modern examples of juggling artists. By the end of the week, students will be excited by their newfound juggling abilities!
Equipment/Space Needs: Benjamin can provide supplies for a fee. If schools would like students (or the school) to keep juggling supplies afterwards, they will need to be purchased. (Benjamin is available to discuss the best supplies to order for the best prices.)
Ages: 2nd–Adult
Curriculum to Pair With:
- P.E. (Alternative to Dance Curriculum)
- Theatre (Scene Work/Prop Awareness)
- Music (Rhythm and Expression)
- Dance (Movement and expression
Introduction to Mime: Movement and Mind Make Moments: The Residency!
Mime is a historic discipline that teaches students body control and awareness. It is useful for teaching imagination, unselfishness and cooperation, disciplined self-expression, aesthetic sense, and inventiveness/dexterity. Throughout the week, students explore the ways the body moves as it connects to words, music, and thought. We create body pictures, create illusions, and explore storytelling through a collection of exercises, games, and exploration!
Equipment/Space Needs: Large open space (not a gymnasium) preferable with mirrors. Benjamin will provide specific supplies.
Ages: Middle School–Adult
Curriculum to Pair With:
- English (Literature Expression)
- P.E. (Alternative to Dance Curriculum)
- Theatre (Scene Work)
- Music (Rhythm and Expression)
Contemporary Clown: How to be comfortable being yourself – The Residency!
A clown is not a costume or face paint, as we will learn in this highly playful week. We will engage in moments of intense play followed by introspection and emotional revelations. The week begins with a deconstruction of the stereotyped clown. We catapult into the games and exercises utilized by theatre professionals all around the world to unlock our inner ability to play. (The ability we all engaged in as children.) We move on to the construction of a clown scene and finish the week by presenting our newly crafted clown abilities to the class. We will utilize any means necessary to get a laugh, a smile, a gasp, a reaction. Our main goal will be to create a lasting impression of good feelings on our audience. New clowns will walk away feeling invulnerable!
Equipment/Space Needs: Large Contained space (not a gymnasium). Benjamin will provide all necessary supplies. If schools would like students to keep or receive items (i.e., the ever-essential clown nose), schools must consult with Benjamin for the proper type of nose. (Yes! There are proper clown noses!)
Ages: Middle School–Adult
Curriculum to Pair With:
- Sociology/Psychology (Discuss Human reactions/connections)
- Theatre (Character Building)
- Speech (Presence)
Juggling! The After School Juggling Club Residency/Workshop
Benjamin, a circus artist, will come to your after-school programming and hold a juggling club for students. This program creates an alternative to a classroom as a space offering students the chance to get creative in the art of throwing, catching, spinning, and balancing. Students can choose to engage in a number of activities Benjamin can facilitate, including juggling techniques, building juggling props, watching historic juggling videos, drawing circus-inspired visual art pieces, and more!
Equipment/Space Needs: Large contained space (gymnasium okay!) Benjamin can provide all the equipment. If we would like to have a ‘building juggling props station,’ a supply budget is required.
Ages: K–Adult rotating participants (not necessary for continual attendance)
Performances
Juggling: A Not-So-Brief Introduction
A unique 45-minute to 1-hour presentation covering juggling history, technique, fun facts, interactive demonstrations, and a question/answer session. Suitable for the whole school. Benjamin, Editor of ‘Modern Vaudeville Press’ new book titled ‘Juggling: What it is and How to Do it,’ brings his expertise and knowledge, and shares education through entertainment. This show can focus more on demonstrations of juggling tricks or more as a lecture on the history and relevance of juggling throughout the world. Please let us know what you would prefer when booking, and Benjamin can tailor the show to your needs.
Requirements:
- A stage, lecture hall, or suitable speaking auditorium. (Gyms are approved on a case-by-case basis.)
- Power supply with extension cord and power strip
- Ability to connect a laptop to a sound system (MacBook Pro)
- If more of a lecture format, a projector/projector screen are required
Juggler’s Suitcase
Join Benjamin in this interactive 30-minute juggling show. Designed to be shorter and more focused on the entertainment side of juggling. Anything can happen including balls being tossed, plates being spun, and swords being balanced precariously on Benjamin’s own forehead. This show is perfect as an end-of-the-week assembly and to energize the whole building!
Requirements:
- A stage, lecture hall, or suitable speaking auditorium. (Gyms are approved on a case-by-case basis.)
- Power supply with extension cord and power strip
- Ability to connect a laptop to a sound system (MacBook Pro)
Circus Cyclopedia
Here we have the world’s first Circus Cyclopedia! Minnesota circus artist Benjamin Domask-Ruh (COMPAS) and the Master of Modern Vaudeville, Thom Wall (Cirque du Soleil), have teamed up to bring audiences a well-informed and engaging show exploring the intricacies of Circus, from juggling to acrobatics to experiments and more. But, Circus is BIG…. and they only have a little over one hour!
NOTE: Please allow sufficient time to schedule these three amazing performers.
Requirements
- A stage, lecture hall, or suitable performance space. (Gyms are approved on a case-by-case basis.)
- Sound system (able to bring speakers if necessary)
- Power supply with extension cord and power strip
- Ability to connect a laptop to a sound system (MacBook Pro)
Professional Development
Juggling for P.E. Teachers: Professional Development Training
Bringing professional artists into schools can be inspiring for students, but it is often constrained by budgets and scheduling. Juggling for P.E. Teachers is a cost-effective professional development training that addresses these challenges by equipping educators with the tools to deliver an arts-integrated physical education unit themselves.
Led by Benjamin Domask-Ruh, a teaching artist and educator with over 15 years of experience, this training empowers P.E. teachers to confidently incorporate juggling into their regular curriculum. The training is based on a research-informed juggling curriculum developed by Benjamin and formally adopted by the International Jugglers’ Association, an 80-year-old international organization dedicated to juggling education and performance.
What Teachers Gain
Through this training, teachers learn how to:
- Break down juggling into clear, developmentally appropriate skill progressions
- Adapt instruction for diverse learners and multiple grade levels
- Maintain student engagement through structured challenges and creative exploration
- Assess progress using simple, observable benchmarks aligned with P.E. learning outcomes
Flexible & Sustainable Implementation
The curriculum is designed to be modular and scalable, allowing schools to integrate it seamlessly:
- Units can range from one week to an entire semester
- Minimal equipment and setup required
- Teachers leave with lesson plans, teaching strategies, and assessment tools they can reuse year after year
Professional Clown Development for Educators
When you think of clown training, you don’t often equate it with professional development for educators. However, throughout this training, educators will find themselves in a fun, game-forward environment that encourages them to connect with the vital role of play in learning. They will learn to thrive in the chaos of students and see it as a force that encourages learning rather than as a need for deeper control.
Teaching Artist Statement
We all have the ability to learn. I focus on each individual student’s strengths while identifying their areas of growth potential. I then utilize proper teaching methods acquired through studies in Circus, Theatre, Sports, Dance, and Psychology to best suit a student’s learning style. Sometimes, all it takes is that little moment of understanding to create a big moment of growth
““You don’t want to miss a workshop or performance from Benjamin. He is a consummate professional: aptly communicating before the event to make sure set-up was a breeze, interacting with all participants at whatever level they were at, and bringing an enthusiasm that was wildly contagious. He kept our mixed audience of kids and adults rapt throughout the performance and engaged during the workshop. I cannot recommend him highly enough.”
Andrea Lorenz | Program Coordinator – East Grand Forks Cambell Library
“Thank you so much for your performance last night – the audience was laughing, the participatory aspects were fantastic, comedy integration was so fun, and I appreciated your organized and professional set up with the beforehand music, prompts, and how you were well rehearsed – it definitely showed and made the performance run so smoothly! ”
Paige Marschall Bigler, Rec
“Hi Benjamin, I was one of the high school students at the thespian festival last year. You inspired and showed me the wonders and the great art of clowning. In fact, I just did my first formal clowning performance. I always thought that clowning was just a weird guy in a funny onesie and a crazy afro. But it’s so much more and you showed me that. This type of art I believe has been lost and I couldn’t thank you more for giving me this. Thank you Benjamin, you have no idea what you have done for people.”
Max, Student participant, MN Thespian Conference
Domask-Ruh – Teaser from Benjamin Domask-Ruh on Vimeo.
