Singaporean circus performer Jonathan Goh has made history as the first Singaporean to graduate with an honours degree in circus arts, turning a childhood fascination with fire performances into a professional career and a commitment to growing the local circus community.
Goh, now 30, graduated from the National Centre for Circus Arts in London in July 2025 with an Honours degree in Circus Arts. The institution confirmed that he was its first Singaporean graduate with the qualification. An independent Singapore circus producer and director also described him as the first person from Singapore known to have earned a circus arts degree.
His path to a formal education in circus arts began when he was 11 and became fascinated by a fire-spinning performance. He eventually developed skills in juggling, diabolo, fire spinning, ladder acts, aerial work and other circus disciplines.
Goh initially chose to become a professional performer rather than pursue formal studies. His career was later disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting him to reconsider his long-term development and eventually take up the opportunity to study circus arts in London.
The decision came with a significant financial commitment. The three-year course had annual overseas tuition fees of about £18,000, or roughly S$30,500. While studying, Goh had limited opportunities to perform regularly because of an intensive schedule that involved classes five days a week for around seven hours a day.
To help cover his expenses, he performed whenever possible at London’s Covent Garden, one of the world’s best-known locations for street performers. He also performed during school breaks at festivals around Europe, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, while returning to Singapore during the winter period to continue performing.
Goh said the formal training changed the way he approached his craft. Before entering circus school, he relied largely on trial and error to develop new tricks. His studies gave him a deeper understanding of body mechanics and training techniques while also encouraging him to think beyond technical skills.
Contemporary circus education also introduced him to areas such as storytelling, movement and the creative process. Instead of simply performing a sequence of difficult tricks, Goh learned to consider how physical performances could communicate ideas and tell stories.
His professional work includes a wide range of circus disciplines, and he has performed at events and festivals in Singapore and overseas. He has also become closely associated with street performance, including appearances at Covent Garden and international festivals.
Goh’s experience has also shaped his efforts to strengthen Singapore’s circus community. He is a co-founder and co-chairman of the Buskers’ Association Singapore and has been involved in workshops and creative sessions aimed at helping other performers develop their skills.
His work with younger performers reflects a broader goal of building a stronger local circus ecosystem rather than focusing solely on his own career. Circus practitioners in Singapore have described him as an active community figure who is interested in nurturing new talent and encouraging more people to explore the art form.
Goh’s journey also illustrates the challenges faced by performers pursuing unconventional careers. During his studies, he had to carefully manage his finances while balancing intensive training with opportunities to earn money through street performances.
Despite those challenges, he has continued to pursue circus as both a profession and a way of contributing to Singapore’s performing-arts scene. His experience overseas has given him opportunities to perform internationally while also helping him develop ideas for creating work that reflects Singaporean identity and culture.
Beyond his own performances, Goh hopes to help establish a stronger and more recognizable Singaporean circus scene, with more local artists developing original work and performing on international stages.
His degree marks a personal milestone, but his continuing work in workshops, street performance and community development suggests that his ambitions extend beyond being the first Singaporean to earn the qualification.
