ABOUT THE COMPANY
We make circus that brings people together through movement, storytelling and truth.
Work that celebrates difference, challenges stigma and holds space for stories often left out.
Our Vision
We believe circus is a language for empathy and connection, more powerful than we often give it credit for. We make work at the intersection of spectacle and soul: art that makes people feel seen, moved and part of something bigger.
We are a queer and neurodivergent-led company, making rehearsal rooms and stages that are inclusive, kind and alive. We collaborate with artists, communities and audiences to build performances that are daring, heartfelt and full of humanity.
At our best, we hope our work reminds people that courage and care can exist in the same breath, and that everybody has a story worth telling.
Our values
01 Uplift Queer Stories
We champion queer voices in mainstream spaces, with authenticity, creativity and care. Visibility is power.
02 put marginalised artists first
We work first with queer, neurodivergent and marginalised artists, and celebrate the neurotypical colleagues who help keep this beautiful ship afloat.
03 collaborate with care
Our process is built on listening and mutual respect. The strongest work comes from rooms where every voice is valued.
04 create with beauty and impact
Circus, dance and theatre that are visually striking, emotionally honest and artistically bold. Our shows have toured to more than 8 countries.
05 cross boundaries
Our work belongs everywhere: theatres, galleries, festivals, fashion runways and public spaces.
MEET THE COMPANY
sadiq ali
Artistic director
Sadiq Ali is an Edinburgh-born circus artist and maker working where circus, dance and physical theatre meet. A graduate of the National Centre for Circus Arts in London, he builds work from deeply personal and politically resonant stories, told through high-physicality and predominantly non-verbal performance.
His debut, The Chosen Haram, explored queer identity, faith and addiction on two Chinese poles. It toured to over 7 countries with close to 80 performances, challenging cultural and religious taboos with honesty and care.
Tell Me, premiered in 2025 for indoor and outdoor spaces, confronting HIV and stigma with a new perspective in circus dance storytelling. In 2026 it played Summerhall at the Edinburgh Fringe, with Sadiq as director, choreographer and acrobatic dancer.
Alongside making work, Sadiq mentors and advocates for greater representation of queer and diverse voices in circus and continues to work avidly as a soloist in the cabaret and variety circuit.
Sadiq Ali Company is produced by Turtle Key Arts.