Profession of doing wonders. How to become a real magician in Ukraine

The romance of traveling circuses, gathering talented people in different parts of the planet, is a thing of the past. A magician or a clown is a specialty you can receive a diploma for. The only Academy of Circus and Variety Arts in Europe is in Kyiv. There are no boring long corridors with portraits of graduates, and the rooms are spangled with bright colors.

"It's a unique place, not only as an educational institution, where circus and stage performers have been trained for 60 years but also as a place, training professionals in their craft who'll perform all over the world in the best circuses and world shows in the future," says Oleksandr Yakovlev, rector of the Academy. "I'm not aware of similar educational institutions, where the graduate is offered gigs and international tours immediately after graduation. Therefore, students work hard to improve their skills and develop talent. Our Academy is famous abroad, and our graduates make up most of the circus world elite. But first things first. Let us better show you how and what future artists study."