Honberg-Varieté - Splendid

The graduation show of the 2026 class from the State School of Circus Arts, Berlin! Captivating body art, acrobatics, dance and more under the circus tent, featuring the young stars of tomorrow's varieté scene, professionally choreographed and full of surprises.

Karl-Heinz Helmschrot brought this tradition to Honberg in 1997 with the first "Honberg-Varieté - Hitzefrei!", which has been an integral part of the festival ever since. Since 2008, the graduation shows of Berlin's circus school have added sparkle to the programme. Now comes the class of 2026 with "Splendid". Splendid means overwhelming, magnificent, radiant. The title could hardly be more fitting for this year's graduates, who want to present themselves in exactly that way. They trained at the State School of Circus Arts for up to nine years to now demonstrate impressive technique, bold ideas and full commitment, showing how much skill, heart and personality is embedded in their art. Each act tells of years of intensive training and the desire to touch the audience, surprise them and inspire them.

The 2026 class also impresses with remarkable dance and movement abilities. Between the acrobatic highlights, modern and classical dance sequences connect the individual acts into a flowing, radiant whole. A show worthy of celebrating the 70th anniversary of the State School of Circus Arts, in which young talents bring their most radiant "Splendid" to the stage. Directing this year for the first time is Sammy Tavalis, who in addition to his work as a director has been active for several decades as a moderator, comedian and musician on varieté stages throughout the German-speaking world.