Gandini Juggling
Gandini Juggling is a London-based contemporary circus company founded in 1992 that produces touring dance-juggling performances, corporate Glow shows, and workshops for opera houses, festivals, and educational institutions across 50 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Gandini Juggling does
Gandini Juggling is a London-based performing arts company founded in 1992 by Sean Gandini and Kati Yl\u00e4-Hokkala, specializing in the integration of juggling with contemporary dance, ballet, opera, and theatre. The company maintains a core ensemble of approximately six virtuosic jugglers, expanding to up to twenty performers for large-scale commissions, and has delivered over 6,000 performances across 50 countries. Its repertoire exceeds 30 productions, including signature works such as Smashed, 4x4: Ephemeral Architectures (a ballet-juggling fusion), LIFE (a Merce Cunningham Trust collaboration), Sigma (a Bharatanatyam-juggling hybrid), and the choreography for English National Opera's Olivier Award-winning Akhnaten. Technical differentiators include the company's pioneering use of siteswap mathematical notation as a choreographic and educational framework, a signature dance-juggling methodology developed over three decades, and the Glow product line featuring pre-programmed illuminated clubs synchronized to music.
The company operates an event-driven go-to-market model centered on touring theatrical and festival engagements, supplemented by corporate Glow performances and educational workshops. Distribution is managed through a central London booking office and a network of regional agents covering Spanish/Portuguese, German, Italian, and US markets. Revenue is generated from performance and touring fees (the largest stream), corporate event bookings, workshop and masterclass fees, public-arts grants (notably Arts Council England and French Sc\u00e8ne Conventionn\u00e9e partners), recurring patron subscriptions, and one-time individual donations via Ko-fi. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and all engagements are negotiated through direct inquiry. Programming partnerships with the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, National Theatre, Sadler's Wells, the Metropolitan Opera, and LA Opera, alongside co-productions with institutions such as National Sawdust, VisionIntoArt, and the Merce Cunningham Trust, function as both distribution channels and validation signals.
The organization is privately held with no external institutional shareholders, owned and creatively directed by its co-founders. It is currently active with performances scheduled through 2027 and new productions in development through 2028, including Division of Time and Hot Damn Hannah. There is no disclosed revenue figure, no venture or private equity funding, and no patents or trademarks on file.
Gandini Juggling firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gandini Juggling
- Legal name
- Gandini Juggling
- Website
- https://gandinijuggling.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Gandini Juggling is a London-based contemporary circus company founded in 1992 that produces touring dance-juggling performances, corporate Glow shows, and workshops for opera houses, festivals, and educational institutions across 50 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Gandini Juggling is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gandini Juggling business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Performance/Touring Fees: Primary revenue from touring theatrical and outdoor performances globally. Shows are booked through venues, festivals, and arts organizations who pay performance fees.
- Corporate Events: Glow corporate performances for private events, brand activations, and corporate functions. Features pre-programmed illuminated juggling clubs.
- Workshops and Education: Fees from conducting workshops for professional jugglers, performers, students, and those new to the art form. Includes bespoke education programs for universities and schools.
- Patron and Sponsorship Support: Ongoing support from patrons and corporate partners who fund productions and artistic endeavors. Includes regular monthly donation options.
- One-time Donations: Individual supporters can make one-time donations through Ko-fi platform to support the company's creative endeavors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Gandini Juggling product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gandini Juggling creates and tours contemporary juggling productions that fuse juggling with dance, ballet, opera, and theatrical performance. The company delivers live stage shows, outdoor and family performances, illuminated corporate entertainment through its Glow product line, and educational workshops in juggling technique, mathematics, and rhythm. Productions are booked by opera houses, theatres, festivals, schools, universities, and corporate clients worldwide.
Product overview
Gandini Juggling is an award-winning juggling and contemporary circus company founded in 1992 by Sean Gandini and Kati Yla-Hokkala. The company offers a diverse portfolio of theatrical productions ranging from full-length stage shows (Smashed, Smashed2, Heka, LIFE, Glow, Director's Cut, Division of Time) to outdoor family performances (You Too Can Tutu, Cascade) and experimental works. Their core offerings include performance productions, educational workshops, and co-produced works with associate artists. The company has staged over 6,000 performances across 50 countries, with recent productions like Hot Damn Hannah (2028) and Division of Time (2026) continuing their tradition of fusing juggling with dance, magic, and music.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Smashed An hour-long juggling piece involving nine skilled jugglers, 100 red apples, and a soundtrack featuring popular songs ranging from Tammy Wynette to Music Hall and Bach. Inspired by Pina Bausch's gestural choreography combined with intricate juggling patterns. Available for touring indoor (60 minutes) and outdoor (30 minutes).
- Smashed2 The dark art of juggling revisited with 9 performers, 80 oranges, and 7 watermelons. A sequel turning the tables on one of the most celebrated contemporary circus pieces, featuring 7 women and 2 men in a tale of retribution.
- Heka Drawing inspiration from the intricate connection between juggling and magic, Heka transports audiences into a mesmerising realm where reality blurs with illusion. A celebration of the silliness and absurdity of entertainment.
- You Too Can Tutu Building on 4x4: Ephemeral Architectures, a fusion of ballet and juggling for families. Features colourful pointe shoes and hyper-coloured balls in a witty take on classic ballet storytelling.
- LIFE A love letter to Merce Cunningham, exploring what would happen if Merce had choreographed juggling. Created with approval from the Cunningham Trust and ex-company members including Jennifer Goggans as Cunningham Consultant.
- Glow A magical marriage of light and juggling for corporate events. Performances feature clubs with pre-programmed colours synchronised with music, creating mesmerising colour palettes tailored for corporate entertainment, galas, and brand activations.
- Director's Cut A modular piece adapted to a particular space or stage. Digs into the vast Gandini repertoire with clubs, rings, big balls and illuminated juggling pieces. High energy, high impact dance juggling choreography.
- Division of Time An evening-length work for cello, Yamaha Disklavier piano and jugglers, featuring cellist Jeffrey Zeigler and music composed by Eric Nathan. A groundbreaking celebration of music, movement, and technology.
- The Games We Play A lecture performance with Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala exploring the joyous and complex worlds of juggling and choreography. A celebratory exploration of what juggling is and can be.
- 4 x 4: Ephemeral Architectures Explores intersections of juggling and ballet with four jugglers and four ballet dancers. The show exists in three versions: recorded music, with five musicians, or with a 16-piece orchestra.
- Sigma Gandini Juggling and Seeta Patel explore Bharatanatyam dance. Transcends cultural barriers investigating classical Indian geometries, mathematics, and rhythm. Won Total Theatre Award for Visual Theatre and Asian Arts Award for Best Directing in 2017.
- Akhnaten (Choreography) Sean Gandini served as choreographer for English National Opera's production of Philip Glass's opera. Won Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production (2017) and Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording (2022). Performed at London Coliseum and transferred to LA Opera and the Metropolitan Opera.
- Workshops Workshops aimed at professional jugglers, performers, and those new to the art form. Includes basic juggling technique, movement and juggling, and rhythm and mathematics juggling. Booked directly through the company for venues, festivals, schools, and universities.
- Siteswaps Video Collection A DVD and video collection considered the most informative juggling film ever made. Features thousands of 3 to 11 object patterns with balls, rings, clubs, mangoes and coconuts, filmed across the globe.
Quantifiable outcome
- 6,000+ performances delivered worldwide
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Gandini Juggling
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Gandini Juggling technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Gandini Juggling partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.
- Cirque du SoleilmajorCirque du Soleil invited four Gandini performers to showcase their Glow routines as residents at the prestigious Zaia show in Macau in 2011. This recognition by the world's leading circus company validated Gandini's illuminated juggling innovation.
- National SawdustcoreCommissioned Division of Time, an evening-length work for cello, Yamaha Disklavier piano and jugglers. VisionIntoArt also co-commissioned the production.
- VisionIntoArtcoreCo-commissioned Division of Time alongside National Sawdust.
- Brown Arts InstitutesupportingProvided support that made Division of Time possible, in part.
- Merce Cunningham TrustcoreCollaborated with the Trust to create LIFE (2021), an enacted love letter to the choreographic legacy of Merce Cunningham. Jennifer Goggans, former MCDC dancer, served as Cunningham Consultant.
- Arts Council EnglandcoreMajor funder supporting multiple productions including Smashed and numerous other works. Primary public funding body for UK arts.
- La BatoudesupportingResidence partner for Heka development in Beauvais, France.
- La GarancesupportingResidence partner for Heka in Cavaillon, France.
- The PlacesupportingResidence partner in London for Heka and co-production partner for You Too Can Tutu.
- The PointsupportingResidence partner in Eastleigh, UK for Heka.
- 101 Outdoor ArtssupportingNational Centre for Arts in Public Space, UK residence partner for Heka.
- Maison des JonglagescoreScène Conventionée co-producer of Heka, La Courneuve, France.
- Scène Nationale OrléanscoreCo-producer of Heka.
- Greenwich+Docklands International FestivalcoreCo-producer of You Too Can Tutu.
- English National OperacoreMajor collaboration on Akhnaten (2016), with Gandini choreographing the skills ensemble. Production won Olivier Award.
- LA OperacoreCo-production with ENO for Akhnaten transfer to Los Angeles.
- Cambridge JunctionsupportingCo-producer of Spring (2018) in UK.
- London International Mime FestivalcoreCo-producer of Spring and regular venue for LIFE.
- Plateforme 2 pôles Cirque en NormandiesupportingCo-producer of Spring through La Brèche and Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf.
- Seeta PatelcoreCo-director and specialist in Bharatanatyam dance for Sigma (2017), exploring intercultural juggling and dance patterns.
- Ludovic OndivielacoreChoreographer for 4x4: Ephemeral Architectures (2015), the groundbreaking ballet-juggling fusion.
- Alexander WhitleycoreChoreographer for Spring (2018), creating visually arresting cross-artform experience with virtuosic jugglers and contemporary dancers.
- Montclair UniversitysupportingPartner for educational programs using juggling in mathematics and physics courses.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Gandini Juggling competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Company Chameleon: UK contemporary dance company producing physically demanding ensemble works for touring and international festivals. Comparable in fusing athleticism with choreography, and in targeting the same UK and European dance-house programming circuit.
- NoFit State Circus: UK-based contemporary circus company creating physical, narrative-driven touring productions. Most direct UK peer in scale and artistic ambition, blending circus skills with theatrical storytelling for festival and theatrical venues.
- Gravity & Other Myths: Australian contemporary circus company producing acrobatic ensemble works for touring and festivals. Comparable in artistic ambition, ensemble-based movement vocabulary, and reliance on festival/venue partnerships.
- Ockham's Razor: UK aerial and physical theatre company creating touring ensemble productions. Direct contemporary circus peer at similar scale, sharing UK Arts Council funding, festival programming, and audience demographics.
- Motionhouse: UK dance-circus company producing touring physical theatre works that blend acrobatics with contemporary dance. Highly comparable in fusing athletic skills with choreographic storytelling and touring the same UK/international festival circuit.
- Circus Oz: Australian contemporary circus company recognized for fusing circus skills with theatrical and political storytelling. Comparable in treating circus as a rigorous contemporary art form and touring internationally, though based outside the UK.
- Barely Methodical Troupe: UK contemporary circus company specializing in group acrobatic choreography and ensemble performance. Closely comparable in ensemble-based virtuosic skill, touring model, and target of UK/international dance and circus festivals.
Broad incumbents
- Frantic Assembly: Leading UK physical theatre company producing physically demanding devised productions. Comparable in treating physical performance as a rigorous contemporary art form and in UK arts funding/venue relationships, though focuses on text-based theatre rather than juggling.
- Cirque du Soleil: Global leader in contemporary circus and theatrical entertainment. Comparably recognized Gandini's Glow performers for residency at Zaia (Macau) in 2011, validating Gandini's place within the same broader contemporary circus category, though Cirque operates at a vastly larger scale with resident shows rather than touring.
Others
- Sadler's Wells (venue): Premier UK dance venue and regular Gandini programming partner. Acts as a comparable ecosystem reference point rather than direct competitor; Sadler's Wells' resident companies (e.g., Breakin' Convention) operate adjacent contemporary circus and dance programming.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Customer concentration
Gandini Juggling social profiles
Digital presenceGandini Juggling financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gandini Juggling leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Gandini Juggling funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gandini Juggling 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 Gandini Juggling
What does Gandini Juggling do?
Gandini Juggling creates and tours contemporary juggling productions that fuse juggling with dance, ballet, opera, and theatrical performance. The company delivers live stage shows, outdoor and family performances, illuminated corporate entertainment through its Glow product line, and educational workshops in juggling technique, mathematics, and rhythm. Productions are booked by opera houses, theatres, festivals, schools, universities, and corporate clients worldwide.
Is Gandini Juggling a public or private company?
Gandini Juggling is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Gandini Juggling founded?
Gandini Juggling was founded in 1992. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Gandini Juggling based?
Gandini Juggling is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Gandini Juggling make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Performance/Touring Fees are the primary driver. The others are corporate Events, workshops and Education, patron and Sponsorship Support and one-time Donations.
Who are Gandini Juggling's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Company Chameleon, NoFit State Circus, Gravity & Other Myths, Ockham's Razor, Motionhouse, Circus Oz and Barely Methodical Troupe. Broad incumbents are Frantic Assembly and Cirque du Soleil. Sadler's Wells (venue) is listed as an others.
Does Gandini Juggling have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gandini Juggling.