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With this research, I investigate the coexistence of academic and kinaesthetic curricular goals in post-secondary circus education in Quebec, Canada, specifically exploring how students, circus instructors, academic teachers and administrators value curricular elements within the context of their perceptions of their institution’s program objectives. The interdisciplinarity of circus studies invites analysis through methodologies and theories borrowed from other disciplines. From Sport Psychology I draw on models for assessing the kinaesthetic technical knowledge related to preparing an athletic body for elite performance (Bloom & Sosniak, 1985). The field of Curriculum Studies offers a lens through which to understand both the curricular models of each school and to assess the academic motivation of the students. The theoretical frameworks of hidden, null, implicit and explicit curricula provide a strong platform for investigating how circus schools communicate institutional values of subjects, student behaviour and career preparation (Apple & King, 1983; Eisner, 2002). In both post-secondary Quebec professionalizing circus programs, discussion groups of students, circus instructors, academic teachers and administrators were asked to define their institution’s program objectives and reflect upon the curricular content in light of those objectives. After reflection and analysis, it is apparent that the Quebec post-secondary circus education community has a common understanding of the learning objectives surrounding physical, artistic and vocational content, but disparate understandings of how academic content relates to the program objectives. [author summary]