Extraordinary Bodies
Extraordinary Bodies is a UK charity and professional integrated circus company, producing large-scale circus theatre with D/deaf, disabled and non-disabled artists for touring, community and youth programmes across the UK and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Extraordinary Bodies does
Extraordinary Bodies is a UK-registered charity (number 1176855, company number 06004929) established in 2013 as a partnership between Cirque Bijou (Bristol) and Diverse City (Dorset). It operates as the UK's leading professional integrated circus company, producing large-scale circus theatre productions that combine aerial performance, theatre and live music with casts integrating D/deaf, disabled and non-disabled artists. Its core product portfolio spans six major productions — Weighting (2013), What am I Worth? (2018), Splash! (2019), Delicate (2022), Waldo's Circus of Magic & Terror (2023) and Human — alongside a youth training programme (Extraordinary Bodies Young Artists, ages 15-25), regional touring initiative (Circus Around & About), community engagement programme (Connecting Communities), and digital content including podcasts, short films and downloadable soundtracks. Accessibility features (BSL interpretation, audio description, captioning, chilled performances) are built into productions as standard, with consultation from 40+ access consultants on major works.
The underlying operating model relies on a small core team (6 listed employees) supplemented by freelance performers, creative directors and touring crew. Distribution is delivered through partnerships with 12+ major UK venues (Bristol Old Vic, The Lowry, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Lighthouse Poole, Brighton Dome, MAST Mayflower Studios), international co-productions (Figurteatret i Nordland in Norway, Pamoja Dance Group in Kenya, Circus Oz in Australia), and Creative Exploration residencies across 10+ UK and Ireland locations.
Revenue is generated through a diversified but grant-dominated mix: recurring Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation funding, strategic project grants (including a £719,322 Ambition for Excellence award in 2016), National Lottery Community Fund grants (~£200k over 3 years from 2022), trust and foundation support (Esmée Fairbairn, Paul Hamlyn, Jerwood Arts), corporate and venue sponsorship, individual giving, and ticket sales across touring productions. The organization does not publicly disclose pricing or audited revenue figures.
Extraordinary Bodies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Extraordinary Bodies
- Legal name
- Extraordinary Bodies
- Website
- https://extraordinarybodies.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Extraordinary Bodies is a UK charity and professional integrated circus company, producing large-scale circus theatre with D/deaf, disabled and non-disabled artists for touring, community and youth programmes across the UK and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Extraordinary Bodies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts / Integrated Circus
- NAICS
- Other Performing Arts Companies (71119), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Circus & Physical Theatre (MPAGABAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)
Keywords
Where Extraordinary Bodies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Extraordinary Bodies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Public Investment & Grants: Core funding from Arts Council England as National Portfolio Organisation, strategic grants, and project-based funding from Arts Council England Ambition for Excellence programme. Additional support from National Lottery through The National Lottery Community Fund.
- Trust & Foundation Funding: Funding from charitable trusts and foundations including Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Paul Hamlyn Foundation for specific projects and programmes.
- Individual Giving & Donations: One-off gifts, regular supporters, and suggested donations for soundtrack downloads. Fundraising supported by Fundraising Regulator registration.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Employer corporate sponsorship programmes and venue partnerships with organizations like Bristol City Council Key Arts Provider.
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from performances and shows, including touring productions across UK venues and outdoor events.
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Extraordinary Bodies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Extraordinary Bodies is the UK's leading professional integrated circus company, producing large-scale indoor and outdoor circus performances and theatre productions that combine aerial, acrobatic, and physical theatre with integrated casts of D/deaf, disabled, and non-disabled artists. The company develops, tours, and co-creates productions (such as Weighting, What am I Worth?, Delicate, and Waldo's Circus of Magic & Terror) while running participatory community programmes, youth training (Young Artists and the Future of Circus initiative), and inclusive audience engagement activities for theatres, festivals, and community partners.
Product overview
Extraordinary Bodies is the UK's leading professional integrated circus company offering a portfolio of large-scale performances and community programmes. The core product portfolio includes major theatrical productions (Waldo's Circus of Magic & Terror, Delicate, What am I Worth?, Weighting, Splash!, Human), international collaborations (Earth, Wheels, Air with Pamoja Dance Group), touring initiatives (Circus Around & About 2, Touring Diverse Led Circus), and youth development programmes (Extraordinary Bodies Young Artists). The company also provides participatory work through Connecting Communities, digital content, and advocacy for the future of circus through training accessibility initiatives. All productions feature integrated casting of disabled and non-disabled artists with accessibility features including BSL interpretation, audio description, and captioning.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Waldo's Circus of Magic & Terror: A spectacular new circus theatre musical about resistance and love set in a travelling circus, co-written by Jamie Beddard and Hattie Naylor, marking the 10 year anniversary of Extraordinary Bodies.
- Extraordinary Bodies Young Artists (EBYA)
- Circus Around & About
- Connecting Communities
Products and services
- Weighting Large-scale outdoor integrated circus performance combining aerial work, theatre, and live music for festivals, parks, and outdoor touring.
- What am I Worth? Outdoor circus-theatre production exploring value and human worth, performed by an integrated cast for public audiences.
- Delicate Integrated circus-theatre production exploring relationships and identity, performed by D/deaf, disabled and non-disabled artists and offered on Pay-What-You-Decide ticketing.
- Waldo's Circus of Magic & Terror Large-scale circus-theatre production combining daring circus skills with storytelling and live music, performed by an integrated cast for theatre audiences.
- Splash! Family-friendly circus-theatre show combining aerial and physical skills with storytelling, designed for audiences including children and families and offered on accessible Pay-What-You-Decide ticketing.
- Human Integrated circus performance exploring the human body and identity, performed by D/deaf, disabled and non-disabled artists for live and digital audiences.
- Human: The Films Series of short films adapting the live integrated circus production Human for digital distribution, extending audience reach beyond live touring.
- The Delicate Podcast Podcast companion to the production Delicate, exploring themes of the show and the company's integrated practice for digital listeners.
- Extraordinary Bodies Young Artists Free youth circus training and development company for participants aged 15-30, providing professional circus skills training, mentorship, and performance opportunities to disabled and non-disabled young artists.
- The Future of Circus Initiative to create accessible career pathways into circus for underrepresented artists, including training, mentorship, and an inclusive circus training toolkit used across the sector.
- Connecting Communities Community engagement and participation programme running alongside the company's productions, offering workshops, residencies, and accessible creative activities for local communities and participants.
- Circus Around & About 2 National outdoor touring project bringing large-scale integrated circus performances to a network of outdoor venues, parks, and rural locations across the UK.
- Touring Diverse Led Circus National touring project supporting diverse-led circus work on the UK touring circuit, increasing visibility and touring opportunities for underrepresented circus makers.
- Earth, Wheels, Air International partnership project developed with overseas circus partners across Norway, Kenya, and Australia to share integrated circus practice and create cross-cultural work.
- Green Space Dark Skies Large-scale outdoor film and live event project featuring accessible, large-ensemble outdoor performance staged in national parks and dark-sky locations across the UK.
- Extraordinary Bodies & The British Paraorchestra Collaborative live performance produced in partnership with the British Paraorchestra, integrating circus performance with the orchestra's ensemble of disabled and non-disabled musicians.
- Take Up Space Short film commissioned from Extraordinary Bodies, extending the company's integrated circus work into digital form and scheduled for release in March 2026.
Quantifiable outcome
- 150+ participants from diverse backgrounds engaged through Creative Exploration residencies
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Extraordinary Bodies
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Extraordinary Bodies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Extraordinary Bodies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- Cirque BijoucoreLeading showmakers and one of the two parent companies of Extraordinary Bodies partnership. Cirque Bijou handles administrative functions for Extraordinary Bodies including phone enquiries (0117 902 9730) and houses the company's Bristol office.
- Diverse CitycoreLeading arts and diversity practitioners and one of the two parent companies of Extraordinary Bodies partnership. Diverse City leads on community engagement, youth company (EBYA), and NPO funding from Arts Council England.
- The British ParaorchestramajorWorld's first professional ensemble of disabled musicians. Collaborated on performance of Terry Riley's In C at Colston Hall (2016) and Birmingham Town Hall (2019). Founded by Charles Hazelwood.
- National Centre for Circus ArtsmajorLeading UK circus training institution committed to making FE and HE training inclusive. Partner in panel of experts developing accessible career pathways for D/deaf and disabled circus practitioners.
- CircomediamajorBristol-based circus training institution committed to making training inclusive. Partner in panel developing accessible circus career pathways and trainer inclusivity toolkit.
- Extraordinary Bodies Young ArtistsmajorIntegrated youth company for performers aged 15-25, run in partnership with Diverse City and Lighthouse Poole. Provides training in performance and aerial circus skills with guest workshops.
- Figurteatret i NordlandmajorNordland Visual Theatre in Norway. Co-producer of Delicate, Extraordinary Bodies' first international co-production. Hosted premiere in June 2022.
- Theatre Royal PlymouthmajorMajor South West England theatre. Co-producer of Delicate, partner in Touring Diverse Led Circus project, and venue for Creative Explorations residencies.
- Pamoja Dance GroupmajorKenya's leading inclusive contemporary dance company. International partner for Earth, Wheels, Air project with creative residencies in Nairobi and Plymouth in 2024-2025.
- Head Over WheelssupportingPartner in Earth, Wheels, Air project contributing to international creative residencies.
- The Sarakasi TrustsupportingPartner in Earth, Wheels, Air project supporting Kenya-based creative activities.
- Woodland Star International SchoolsupportingKenyan venue hosting Earth, Wheels, Air research and development residency.
- Circus OzmajorAustralian circus company. Hosted 7-day creative residency with 15 Extraordinary Bodies artists in Melbourne in December 2016.
- National TheatremajorWeek-long creative residencies for What am I Worth? development and ongoing partnership for diverse-led circus programming.
- Lighthouse PoolemajorMulti-purpose arts centre in Dorset. Partner venue for touring shows, Creative Explorations, and EBYA programme.
- Bristol Old VicmajorUK's longest-running theatre. Partner venue for touring productions and community workshops.
- Brighton DomemajorArts centre in Brighton. Partner in Touring Diverse Led Circus project for national tour.
- MAST Mayflower StudiosmajorSouthampton arts venue. Partner venue for national tours of Delicate and Waldo's Circus.
- The LowrymajorMajor arts centre in Salford Quays. Partner venue for national tours and Connecting Communities programme.
- Graeae Theatre CompanysupportingDisabled-led theatre company. Partner in development of Circus for Everybody Trainer Toolkit for inclusive circus practice.
- Stav MeisharsupportingPerformance maker and researcher who created digital exhibition 'TRUE STORIES OF CIRCUS PERFORMERS UNDER NATIONAL SOCIALISM' for Waldo's Circus production.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Extraordinary Bodies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Circus Oz: Australian contemporary circus company producing large-scale touring ensemble shows. Functionally comparable as a fellow integrated ensemble circus company that has hosted Extraordinary Bodies residencies and operates in the same public-funded touring model.
- Graeae Theatre Company: UK-based disabled-led theatre company producing touring productions with integrated access provisions. Directly comparable mission (disabled-led professional performance with built-in accessibility) and operates within the same Arts Council England NPO funding ecosystem.
- NoFit State Circus: Wales-based professional circus company producing large-scale touring shows across the UK. Closest direct competitor to Extraordinary Bodies in the UK professional circus landscape, competing for similar venue slots, public funding, and touring audiences.
- British Paraorchestra: World's first professional ensemble of disabled musicians. Direct collaborator on Terry Riley's In C performance and shares the same Bristol base, comparable mission, and Arts Council England-aligned funding structure.
- Access Theater / Mind the Gap: UK learning-disabled-led theatre company producing touring productions. Operates as a comparable disabled-led performing arts producer within the same Arts Council England NPO cohort and similar touring-with-access framework.
Broad incumbents
- Cirque du Soleil: Global commercial circus industry leader with touring and resident shows. A former employer of Extraordinary Bodies Circus Director Lydia Harper; represents the scaled commercial end of the professional circus market against which integrated circus companies benchmark.
Others
- The New Wolsey Theatre: UK producing theatre where Extraordinary Bodies Lead Artist Jamie Beddard holds the Agent for Change role. Comparable as a venue-and-producer combination contributing to the same inclusive circus and theatre touring circuit in the UK.
- National Centre for Circus Arts: UK's leading circus training institution and partner in Extraordinary Bodies' Future of Circus initiative. Comparable as an ecosystem participant shaping the same talent pipeline and shared strategic goal of inclusive access to circus training.
- Circomedia: Bristol-based circus training institution and partner in developing inclusive practice toolkits. Functionally comparable as a Bristol-located circus training and production organisation aligned with the integrated circus agenda.
Regional players
- Figurteatret i Nordland: Norwegian visual theatre company that co-produced Delicate, Extraordinary Bodies' first international co-production. Comparable as a publicly-funded European theatre producer working in circus-adjacent physical performance with co-production model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Extraordinary Bodies social profiles
Digital presenceExtraordinary Bodies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Extraordinary Bodies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Extraordinary Bodies subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Extraordinary Bodies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Extraordinary Bodies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Extraordinary Bodies
What does Extraordinary Bodies do?
Extraordinary Bodies is the UK's leading professional integrated circus company, producing large-scale indoor and outdoor circus performances and theatre productions that combine aerial, acrobatic, and physical theatre with integrated casts of D/deaf, disabled, and non-disabled artists. The company develops, tours, and co-creates productions (such as Weighting, What am I Worth?, Delicate, and Waldo's Circus of Magic & Terror) while running participatory community programmes, youth training (Young Artists and the Future of Circus initiative), and inclusive audience engagement activities for theatres, festivals, and community partners.
Is Extraordinary Bodies a public or private company?
Extraordinary Bodies is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Extraordinary Bodies founded?
Extraordinary Bodies was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Extraordinary Bodies based?
Extraordinary Bodies is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Extraordinary Bodies make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Public Investment & Grants are the primary driver. The others are trust & Foundation Funding, individual Giving & Donations, corporate Sponsorship and ticket Sales.
Who are Extraordinary Bodies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Circus Oz, Graeae Theatre Company, NoFit State Circus, British Paraorchestra and Access Theater / Mind the Gap. Cirque du Soleil is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are The New Wolsey Theatre, National Centre for Circus Arts and Circomedia. Figurteatret i Nordland is listed as a regional player.
Does Extraordinary Bodies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Extraordinary Bodies.
What industry is Extraordinary Bodies in?
Extraordinary Bodies's product category is Performing Arts / Integrated Circus. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAL, Circus & Physical Theatre, with a secondary code of MPAGABAI, Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts. Its NAICS code is 71119 and its SIC code is 7900.