Alma en Movimiento

Alma en Movimiento is a project dedicated to circus arts, aerial acrobatics, and movement, based in Coimbra , Portugal. Developed in Portugal since 2024 by Luciana Pena , an Argentinian-born artist and aerial acrobatics teacher, it offers regular classes for adults and children, as well as various workshops focused on circus arts and movement.

Aerial fabric, main specialty

Alma en Movimiento's main specialty is aerial silks . Adult classes are open to both complete beginners and experienced practitioners looking to refine their technique. Several groups are offered to accommodate everyone's progress: beginners , all levels , and advanced . No prior experience is necessary to get started.

Aerial silks sessions last 1 hour and 30 minutes and are not limited to work on the apparatus. The first part, on the ground, is dedicated to physical conditioning . This allows participants to work on strength, mobility, and body awareness before moving on to the exercises and sequences performed on the silks. For more experienced practitioners, the training can progress to refining technique, learning new sequences, and tackling more complex challenges.

A pedagogical approach focused on progression

Alma en Movimiento's teaching approach places great emphasis on individual progress . The exercises are designed to allow everyone to advance at their own pace, without requiring any particular level of fitness or prior experience to join the beginner classes. The project aims to combine technical learning with body awareness, self-confidence, and the joy of exploring new movement possibilities.

Acro Kids: the circus for children

A significant part of the activity is also geared towards children. The Acro Kids program welcomes youngsters from the age of 7 and allows them to discover several circus disciplines. Unlike the adult classes, which are primarily focused on aerial silks, the children's sessions offer a broader approach to the circus, including aerial silks, aerial hoop, ground acrobatics, juggling, and poi swing .

This diversity allows children to experiment with different ways of moving, manipulating objects, working on the ground, or gaining height. The activities aim to develop coordination , strength , body awareness , creativity , and confidence . Children also learn to work in a group, cooperate, and accept the different stages of learning: trying, succeeding, but also failing, trying again, and progressing.

Acro Kids groups are formed based on the children's ages and availability to create balanced groups and foster a positive learning environment. The goal is not simply to teach tricks or technical exercises, but to provide a space where each child can experience circus arts, discover their abilities, and progress at their own pace.

Workshops and one-off activities

Alma en Movimiento also organizes workshops and one-off activities. Specific programs allow children and parents to practice acrobatics, balance, coordination, and partner movement exercises together. The project also occasionally works with other organizations to introduce aerial acrobatics and explore the possibility of creating new practice groups.

During school holidays, Alma en Movimiento also develops activities specifically dedicated to introducing children to the circus. Initiatives such as "Há Circo na Floresta" or the "Aventuras Circenses" summer workshops have allowed young participants to explore the circus world in a fun and creative way.

A transmission ensured by Luciana Pena

The instruction is provided by Luciana Pena , an artist and aerial acrobatics teacher with teaching experience dating back to 2019. She trained with the Movimiento Aéreo collective and the Telas en los Aires studio, where she also taught aerial acrobatics to adults and children. Her background includes various additional training courses focusing on flexibility, aerial silks pedagogy, and training adaptation.

Safety , technique , and discipline are integral to the teaching, while maintaining a fun and accessible approach. Alma en Movimiento also defines itself as a community where practitioners can support each other, share their progress, and explore their own limits in a welcoming environment.

An artistic and theatrical dimension

The project also has an artistic and performance dimension. Students can be involved in creating shows combining aerial acrobatics, movement, and choreography. This approach allows them to go beyond simple training to discover the construction of an artistic universe, teamwork, and the experience of performing before an audience.

Practical information

Regular classes take place in Coimbra at the UPA! Climbing Center , Rua dos Oleiros 76. Thanks to its aerial silks classes for adults, its multidisciplinary circus program for children and its occasional workshops, Alma en Movimiento is today a space for discovering and practicing circus arts in Coimbra, with an identity particularly oriented towards aerial disciplines, movement and the development of self-confidence.