A Step Aside – Circus Arts Workshops

Un Pas de Côté is a cultural association based in Chemillé-en-Anjou , in Maine-et-Loire . It develops a significant activity around circus arts through weekly workshops, courses, parent-child workshops, educational projects and interventions with external organizations.

Practice locations

Circus classes take place between Chemillé and Saint-Lézin . From September until the spring holidays, workshops are held at the Théâtre Foirail in Chemillé or in the sports hall in Saint-Lézin. After the April holidays, participants move to the big top set up in Saint-Lézin.

A multidisciplinary practice

The proposed practice is particularly multidisciplinary . Juggling allows participants to discover balls, rings, Chinese plates, diabolo, devil stick, cigar boxes, hats and scarves.

Object balancing also occupies an important place with the wire, the balance ball, stilts, the rolla-bolla, pedal go-karts and the unicycle.

Acrobatics is approached through various individual and collective techniques, including lifts, balances and human pyramids.

Aerial disciplines complement this practice, including trapeze, silks, aerial hoop, and rope. They are practiced when the technical conditions of the venue allow for the installation of the necessary equipment.

Un Pas de Côté also gives space to artistic expression with clowning and theatrical games. Circus arts are thus considered as a practice that is simultaneously physical , collective and artistic .

Parent-child workshops

The association also offers parent-child workshops . These sessions are accessible from a very young age and allow adults and children to share a time of discovery around circus arts, motor skills, play and mutual support.

Internships and creation

Workshops are another important aspect of the activity. Programs are organized for children and teenagers, including formats dedicated to creative expression. Young people can then develop their skills while participating in the creation of a collective artistic project.

Creation and performance before an audience play a significant role in the school's operations. Open days, in particular, allow visitors to discover the shows produced by the various workshops.

A mobile activity

Un Pas de Côté also develops a significant mobile activity . The association intervenes directly in socio-educational and medico-social structures: nurseries, early childhood centers, leisure centers, schools, IME, MAS or even EHPAD.

The interventions are tailored to the audience and the project of each institution. They can range from a simple introductory session to the creation of a show, including learning cycles and parent-child workshops.

This adaptability allows the association to work with young children as well as adults, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Adapted circus arts and outreach to specific audiences are therefore a core component of its activities.

Group accommodation and marquee

Groups can also be welcomed directly to Saint-Lézin for tailor-made days at the Domaine Culturel de l'Aubance . These days can combine circus workshops, shows, and various artistic or educational activities.

The big top is also an important element of the project. It hosts workshops for part of the year, as well as cultural programming and various performances. Participants thus develop within an environment directly linked to live performance .

A comprehensive approach to circus arts

Un Pas de Côté offers a particularly comprehensive approach to circus arts: regular amateur practice, workshops, family programs, show creation, adapted circus, school and social service interventions, and hosting groups under the big top. Its rural location and its operation across several venues also make circus arts accessible to a wide audience in the Chemillé-en-Anjou area.