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Paul Binder

Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus, Big Apple Circus

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Paul Binder Biography

Paul Binder is the founder of the Big Apple Circus. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he graduated from Dartmouth College and earned an Master of Business Administration degree at Columbia University. Binder worked at WGBH-TV in Boston (stage-managing for Julia Child’s The French Chef) and as a talent coordinator for Merv Griffin, before heading West and learning juggling with the San Francisco Mime Troupe—where Binder met Michael Christensen.

Together, Binder and Christensen traveled through Europe and earned their living by juggling on street corners. Their act landed them on the legendary stage of the Casino de Paris, on French television and, eventually, in the ring of Annie Fratellini’s Nouveau Cirque de Paris.

Binder returned to New York with a dream—to create an American circus with the same dedication to theatrical excellence and artistic intimacy that he and Christensen had experienced in Europe. He found the people who would share his dream and implement his vision and, in 1977, the Big Apple Circus was born.

Founder, founding artistic director of the Big Apple Circus, and a gifted performer, Binder was recently honored by ABC-TV World News with Charles Gibson as "Person of the Week". In July of 2009, Binder "stepped out of the ring" but continues to work with the Big Apple Circus as a senior advisor. He is currently in demand as a guest speaker, having spoken and led seminars at Dartmouth College, Harvard University, University of Virginia and Barnard College.

Binder has received Honorary Doctorate degrees in Fine Arts from his alma mater, Dartmouth, Pratt Institute, and Rhode Island College, and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Long Island University. In 2001, he was given the honor of "NYC Living Landmark," by the New York Landmarks Conservancy. He is the proud father of Katherine, Max, Adam and Anais.

Speaking Topics
  • Doing Good Feels Great: Social Responsibility and Business

    For 30 years the Big Apple Circus, Americas original one-ring circus, has been delighting audiences of all ages under its Big Top by presenting the finest in live family entertainment featuring world-class circus artistry. The Big Apple Circus is a not-for-profit performing arts and outreach institution committed to invigorating the communities we serve with the joy and wonder of classical circus. In addition to the 350 annual performances, the Big Apple Circus provides a variety of programs to include sending clowns into hospitals to visit with children as well as creating a circus based on the senses for sight and hearing impaired. Paul Binder will share with audiences how doing well and doing good will work for you. His commitment led ABC News to name Binder Person of the Week in November, 2008.

  • For Profit, Not-for-Profit: Same or Different?

    With more than 350 annual performances and 5,000 donors contributing to the not• for-profit circus's community programs and artistic excellence, the Big Apple Circus demonstrates how to build and grow an organization that does well and does good at the same time. Over the past 30 years the Big Apple Circus has steadily grown: in the number of venues played, the performances presented, in audience attendance and in community programs offered. Understand how Paul Binder built the Big Apple Circus using fund-raising, local and corporate donors and learn how to take that back into your own organization.

  • The Man on the Back of the Man on the Wire and Other Adventures

    With the story-telling flare you would expect from a ringmaster, Paul Binder shares the fantastic, bizarre and amazing tales that come from being a circus performer for more than 30 years. From the story of walking in on the man planning his high-wire walk between the twin towers to tales you will have to take Binders word on to believe, audiences will be engaged and entertained.

  • The Entrepreneurial Journey...Following Your Passion

    Learn how this street juggler transformed his passion to create one of Americas most successful one-ring touring circus delivering more than 350 annual performances. After performing for European audiences, Paul Binder returned to the United States with the dream of creating an American circus with the same dedication to theatrical excellence and artistic intimacy that he had experienced in Europe. He focused on including education and community service to launch and build the Big Apple Circus. Binder will share with audiences how to align what you do with your passion, so you dont see your job as work.

  • How Managing Jugglers, Acrobats, Trapeze Artists, Animal Trainers and Clowns Applies to Every Business

    The circus delivers a magical experience; it does that by playing to all the senses: staging, performers, music and above all the coming together, or execution, of the creative collaboration and passions of all those involved to entertain and delight. Understand how to lead diverse and creative individuals whose jobs require flawless execution day-after-day. Every organization depends on the performance of their people and Paul Binder, founder and ringleader of the Big Apple Circus, shares the lessons he learned building a team of talented professionals. Audiences will leave with an understanding on how to build a high-performing team while managing a creative and diverse group of individuals.

Books
Never Quote the Weather to a Sea Lion: And Other Uncommon Tales from the Founder of the Big Apple Circus

Never Quote the Weather to a Sea Lion: And Other Uncommon Tales from the Founder of the Big Apple Circus

News
FAQs
  • How do I book Paul Binder to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Paul Binder for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Paul Binder, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Paul Binder or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Paul Binder

    Speaking fees for Paul Binder, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Paul Binder are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Paul Binder, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Paul Binder speak about?

  • Where does Paul Binder travel from?

    Paul Binder generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Paul Binder’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Paul Binder for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Paul Binder for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Paul Binder or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus, Big Apple Circus

Travels From:
New York, NY, USA
Speaking Fee:

Paul Binder Biography

Paul Binder is the founder of the Big Apple Circus. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he graduated from Dartmouth College and earned an Master of Business Administration degree at Columbia University. Binder worked at WGBH-TV in Boston (stage-managing for Julia Child’s The French Chef) and as a talent coordinator for Merv Griffin, before heading West and learning juggling with the San Francisco Mime Troupe—where Binder met Michael Christensen.

Together, Binder and Christensen traveled through Europe and earned their living by juggling on street corners. Their act landed them on the legendary stage of the Casino de Paris, on French television and, eventually, in the ring of Annie Fratellini’s Nouveau Cirque de Paris.

Binder returned to New York with a dream—to create an American circus with the same dedication to theatrical excellence and artistic intimacy that he and Christensen had experienced in Europe. He found the people who would share his dream and implement his vision and, in 1977, the Big Apple Circus was born.

Founder, founding artistic director of the Big Apple Circus, and a gifted performer, Binder was recently honored by ABC-TV World News with Charles Gibson as "Person of the Week". In July of 2009, Binder "stepped out of the ring" but continues to work with the Big Apple Circus as a senior advisor. He is currently in demand as a guest speaker, having spoken and led seminars at Dartmouth College, Harvard University, University of Virginia and Barnard College.

Binder has received Honorary Doctorate degrees in Fine Arts from his alma mater, Dartmouth, Pratt Institute, and Rhode Island College, and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Long Island University. In 2001, he was given the honor of "NYC Living Landmark," by the New York Landmarks Conservancy. He is the proud father of Katherine, Max, Adam and Anais.

Paul Binder Speaking Topics

  • Doing Good Feels Great: Social Responsibility and Business

    For 30 years the Big Apple Circus, Americas original one-ring circus, has been delighting audiences of all ages under its Big Top by presenting the finest in live family entertainment featuring world-class circus artistry. The Big Apple Circus is a not-for-profit performing arts and outreach institution committed to invigorating the communities we serve with the joy and wonder of classical circus. In addition to the 350 annual performances, the Big Apple Circus provides a variety of programs to include sending clowns into hospitals to visit with children as well as creating a circus based on the senses for sight and hearing impaired. Paul Binder will share with audiences how doing well and doing good will work for you. His commitment led ABC News to name Binder Person of the Week in November, 2008.

  • For Profit, Not-for-Profit: Same or Different?

    With more than 350 annual performances and 5,000 donors contributing to the not• for-profit circus's community programs and artistic excellence, the Big Apple Circus demonstrates how to build and grow an organization that does well and does good at the same time. Over the past 30 years the Big Apple Circus has steadily grown: in the number of venues played, the performances presented, in audience attendance and in community programs offered. Understand how Paul Binder built the Big Apple Circus using fund-raising, local and corporate donors and learn how to take that back into your own organization.

  • The Man on the Back of the Man on the Wire and Other Adventures

    With the story-telling flare you would expect from a ringmaster, Paul Binder shares the fantastic, bizarre and amazing tales that come from being a circus performer for more than 30 years. From the story of walking in on the man planning his high-wire walk between the twin towers to tales you will have to take Binders word on to believe, audiences will be engaged and entertained.

  • The Entrepreneurial Journey...Following Your Passion

    Learn how this street juggler transformed his passion to create one of Americas most successful one-ring touring circus delivering more than 350 annual performances. After performing for European audiences, Paul Binder returned to the United States with the dream of creating an American circus with the same dedication to theatrical excellence and artistic intimacy that he had experienced in Europe. He focused on including education and community service to launch and build the Big Apple Circus. Binder will share with audiences how to align what you do with your passion, so you dont see your job as work.

  • How Managing Jugglers, Acrobats, Trapeze Artists, Animal Trainers and Clowns Applies to Every Business

    The circus delivers a magical experience; it does that by playing to all the senses: staging, performers, music and above all the coming together, or execution, of the creative collaboration and passions of all those involved to entertain and delight. Understand how to lead diverse and creative individuals whose jobs require flawless execution day-after-day. Every organization depends on the performance of their people and Paul Binder, founder and ringleader of the Big Apple Circus, shares the lessons he learned building a team of talented professionals. Audiences will leave with an understanding on how to build a high-performing team while managing a creative and diverse group of individuals.

Paul Binder Books

FAQs on booking Paul Binder

  • How do I book Paul Binder to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Paul Binder for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Paul Binder, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Paul Binder or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Paul Binder

    Speaking fees for Paul Binder, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Paul Binder are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Paul Binder, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Paul Binder speak about?

  • Where does Paul Binder travel from?

    Paul Binder generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Paul Binder’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Paul Binder for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Paul Binder for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Paul Binder or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Paul Binder is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Doing Good Feels Great: Social Responsibility and Business, For Profit, Not-for-Profit: Same or Different?, The Man on the Back of the Man on the Wire and Other Adventures, The Entrepreneurial Journey...Following Your Passion and How Managing Jugglers, Acrobats, Trapeze Artists, Animal Trainers and Clowns Applies to Every Business. The estimated speaking fee range to book Paul Binder for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Paul Binder generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Nitin Nohria, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Sheila C. Johnson, Paul Orfalea and Anand Bhatt. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Paul Binder for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Paul Binder Speaking Topics

  • Doing Good Feels Great: Social Responsibility and Business

    For 30 years the Big Apple Circus, Americas original one-ring circus, has been delighting audiences of all ages under its Big Top by presenting the finest in live family entertainment featuring world-class circus artistry. The Big Apple Circus is a not-for-profit performing arts and outreach institution committed to invigorating the communities we serve with the joy and wonder of classical circus. In addition to the 350 annual performances, the Big Apple Circus provides a variety of programs to include sending clowns into hospitals to visit with children as well as creating a circus based on the senses for sight and hearing impaired. Paul Binder will share with audiences how doing well and doing good will work for you. His commitment led ABC News to name Binder Person of the Week in November, 2008.

  • For Profit, Not-for-Profit: Same or Different?

    With more than 350 annual performances and 5,000 donors contributing to the not• for-profit circus's community programs and artistic excellence, the Big Apple Circus demonstrates how to build and grow an organization that does well and does good at the same time. Over the past 30 years the Big Apple Circus has steadily grown: in the number of venues played, the performances presented, in audience attendance and in community programs offered. Understand how Paul Binder built the Big Apple Circus using fund-raising, local and corporate donors and learn how to take that back into your own organization.

  • The Man on the Back of the Man on the Wire and Other Adventures

    With the story-telling flare you would expect from a ringmaster, Paul Binder shares the fantastic, bizarre and amazing tales that come from being a circus performer for more than 30 years. From the story of walking in on the man planning his high-wire walk between the twin towers to tales you will have to take Binders word on to believe, audiences will be engaged and entertained.

  • The Entrepreneurial Journey...Following Your Passion

    Learn how this street juggler transformed his passion to create one of Americas most successful one-ring touring circus delivering more than 350 annual performances. After performing for European audiences, Paul Binder returned to the United States with the dream of creating an American circus with the same dedication to theatrical excellence and artistic intimacy that he had experienced in Europe. He focused on including education and community service to launch and build the Big Apple Circus. Binder will share with audiences how to align what you do with your passion, so you dont see your job as work.

  • How Managing Jugglers, Acrobats, Trapeze Artists, Animal Trainers and Clowns Applies to Every Business

    The circus delivers a magical experience; it does that by playing to all the senses: staging, performers, music and above all the coming together, or execution, of the creative collaboration and passions of all those involved to entertain and delight. Understand how to lead diverse and creative individuals whose jobs require flawless execution day-after-day. Every organization depends on the performance of their people and Paul Binder, founder and ringleader of the Big Apple Circus, shares the lessons he learned building a team of talented professionals. Audiences will leave with an understanding on how to build a high-performing team while managing a creative and diverse group of individuals.

Paul Binder News

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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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Speakers Similar to Paul Binder

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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