Be a "Wise Fool"
Feel like flying through the air with the greatest of ease? Or maybe learn other circus techniques like contortion, juggling or suspended, rolling fabric aerial display? Or just come watch others who have learned such circus techniques in the many Wise Fool productions and events this summer!
Wise Fool New Mexico was born in 1997 when artists from Wise Fool Puppet Intervention in California joined with Clowns Without Borders and New Mexico-based artist/activists to bring a puppet circus tour to Zapatista villages in Chiapas, Mexico. Inspired by this collaboration, a small collective of women artists began offering hands-on experiences in puppetry and circus arts as a vehicle to build community and promote social justice.
Out of garages and in old horse corrals Wise Fool built grassroots circuses, giant puppet processions and taught summer circus camps. Now a beloved and award-winning non-profit organization at the center of Santa Fe's performing arts scene, Wise Fool serves 2,000 youth with hands-on activities and 14,000 audience members annually with high-quality experiences built upon enduring core values of community, arts accessibility, and social justice.
Wise Fool welcomes adults and teens of all ages, genders, fitness and experience levels to join us for ongoing classes in circus arts and theater! Disciplines taught throughout the year include trapeze, lyra, aerial fabric, acrobalance, physical theater, juggling, unicycling, handstands, conditioning, and more.
Where does the name "Wise Fool" come from?
In medieval times, advisors to the kings were often unable to address controversial matters without fear of retribution. However, the court jester, or "wise fool," could draw upon disarming spectacle and humor to inform the views of those in power. Over the past sixteen years, Wise Fool has been utilizing this "back door" approach to opening dialogue in otherwise touchy situations in the creation of productions about social issues such as censorship, water rights and land use, domestic violence, immigration and borders.
To visit Wise Fool's website click here.
Above Photo: Alessandra Ogren, Wise Fool NM founder performing in Chiapas, Mexico
Some artists have been participating in Indian Market 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and even 60-plus years. The Indian Market is a direct reflection of the lives of Native people and the communities they represent. Their artwork is a universal language that speaks to our heart and becomes a part of our lives. 
