Alex Galaprini

The Alex Galaprini Circus School

The Alex Galaprini Circus School is a historic circus school located in Capbreton , in the Landes region of France. Officially founded on January 10, 1982, by André Galatrin , a physical education teacher known in the ring as Alex Galaprini , it is now presented by the association as the second oldest circus school in France . For over four decades, it has pursued a community-based project with educational, artistic, and cultural aims, open to both children and adults.

The school's history is inextricably linked to its founder. Sponsored by Rolf Zavatta , Alex Galaprini recognized early on that circus arts were a powerful tool for physical and mental development, regardless of age, disability, or social background. After several relocations, the City of Capbreton built a dedicated space for the activity in 1992 , allowing the project to continue its growth. Alex Galaprini passed away in 1996 , but the association and the families involved with the school chose to continue his work.

Currently housed at the Acrobatics Center in the Capbreton Sports Park , the school is accredited by the French Ministry of Education and the FFEC (French Federation of Circus Schools). It is also a member of FREC Aquitaine. The FFEC currently lists it under accreditation number 40071 .

Galaprini's educational philosophy is based on making circus arts accessible to everyone. The school welcomes children as soon as they can walk in parent-child workshops, and then young people aged 4 to 18 in introductory and advanced courses. Multidisciplinary courses for adults of all levels complement this offering. The school also affirms its commitment to welcoming everyone without discrimination based on age, skill level, physical, motor, mental, or social disability, geographic origin, or nationality.

• Acrobatics
• Juggling
• Object manipulation
• Balances
• Aerial disciplines
• Flying trapeze (an iconic discipline)
• Workshops and specialized training courses for aerial arts and various forms of acrobatics

Beyond learning specific moves, the school aims to develop the physical and personal abilities of its students. Its educational approach emphasizes motor skills , balance , proprioception , and core strength , while also placing particular emphasis on self-confidence , personal achievement , sharing , solidarity , and the development of artistic expression . Learning is designed to be fun, rigorous, and conducted in a safe environment.

The courses are led by a team of educators and artists with various qualifications related to circus arts instruction, including BIAC, BPJEPS, and the French State Diploma for Circus Teachers. Pedagogical coordination is provided by Gaëlle Raymond , a former student of the founder and a teacher at the school for over twenty years. The team also includes instructors from diverse professional backgrounds, some of whom trained at the CNAC (National Circus Arts Centre), the Lido , or have worked as professional circus artists.

This encounter with the professional art world is also an interesting dimension of the Galaprini project. The school occasionally hosts visiting artists, allowing students to explore or deepen their knowledge of certain specialties.

• Cyr wheel
• Acro-dance
• Air
• Acrobatics
• Juggling
• Flying Trapeze

In addition to weekly workshops, the Alex Galaprini School organizes introductory and advanced training courses during school holidays. It also develops workshops for schools and provides programs for various audiences and organizations.

The school also possesses particular expertise in the field of adapted circus arts. The FFEC (French Federation of Circus Schools) notes that one of the first initiatives contributing to the development of this approach was led by Thierry Truffaut , then a circus instructor at the Alex Galaprini School, with Laurent Laval and under the guidance of psychologist Howard Buten . This legacy reflects the principle of openness to all audiences, a principle historically championed by its founder.

While Galaprini is primarily a school for amateur practitioners, it can also serve as a first step for young people wishing to pursue their circus careers further. The school notes that several of its former students have gone directly into professional training programs or preparatory courses for prestigious circus schools, notably in Montreal , Paris , and Châlons-en-Champagne .

The school actively participates in the network of circus schools. In 2025, the Alex Galaprini School hosted the FREC Aquitaine Regional Meetings in Capbreton and was among the participating schools at the 2025 FFEC National Meetings at CIRCa . It was also represented at the FREC Aquitaine Regional Meetings in May 2026 .

With over forty years of history, a teaching approach geared towards amateur practice, open to all ages from toddlers to adults, and strong involvement in the national circus federation network, the Alex Galaprini Circus School in Capbreton is a key institution for discovering and developing circus arts in the Landes region. Its multidisciplinary teaching, its focus on acrobatics and aerial arts, and particularly its flying trapeze training, give it a distinctive identity.