CADC Balthazar
CADC Balthazar

CADC Balthazar

The CADC Balthazar , founded in 1990 and located in Montpellier, Hérault (34) , is a leading circus arts training center combining amateur practice, preparation for higher education institutions, professional training for circus artists, teacher training, and support for artistic creation . From the age of three, children and teenagers discover a multidisciplinary approach encompassing acrobatics, juggling, object balancing, trapeze, aerial silks, and artistic expression . For future professionals, instruction extends to Chinese pole, straps, rope, Cyr wheel, German wheel, tightrope, unicycle, acrobatic dance, and object manipulation. Balthazar also develops workshops, school projects, artist residencies, and training programs for circus arts instructors.
16 rue Toiras
34000 Montpellier
Montpellier (34) France

The Balthazar Circus Arts Centre – CADC Balthazar

The Balthazar Circus Arts Centre – CADC Balthazar – is an arts school and training centre located in Montpellier . Its history began in 1990 with the creation of the Balthazar company. The company moved to Montpellier in 1995 and evolved into the Balthazar Circus Arts Centre, simultaneously developing a school for amateurs and a true hub for professional training. Since then, the institution has built its identity around research , pedagogy , creation , and professional development in the circus arts.

Balthazar's project places creativity at its heart. The ambition is not simply to learn circus techniques: the center seeks to support the development of the individual, their initiative, autonomy, and personal expression. This approach permeates all levels, from the artistic and sensory-motor awakening of the youngest children to the training of future professional artists. One of the CADC's stated missions is also to promote access to art and culture for all .

An amateur school for children as young as 3

Amateur practice begins as early as age 3. For the 2026-2027 season, children's and teenagers' workshops are organized according to age, maturity, and skill level. All are designed as multidisciplinary workshops, with five main areas of focus:

  • acrobatics
  • balances on objects
  • juggling
  • aerial disciplines – notably trapeze and silks
  • expression

For the youngest children, the goal is to experiment, play, discover their bodies and the objects they use, build confidence, and gradually develop a creative relationship with circus techniques. With age and experience, the work focuses more on technical and artistic refinement. Each year, the teaching team proposes a program for the following season, taking into account each child's maturity, technical level, and artistic progress.

Regular "workshops" are organized at the end of each term. These presentations allow participants to showcase their ongoing research without limiting their learning to a single end-of-year performance. This approach of regularly presenting their work aligns with Balthazar's overall philosophy, where experimentation and creation play a significant role.

Teenagers benefit from much longer sessions, up to three hours , as well as an advanced workshop upon approval by the teaching team. This allows the most dedicated young people to begin developing a more intensive practice and potentially consider a professional career later on.

Internships during the holidays

Balthazar also organizes workshops for children aged 3 to 12 during school holidays. The youngest children discover the circus through circus-based activities, games, and exploring its world and props. Older children participate in multidisciplinary workshops that allow them to discover or delve deeper into the different circus disciplines. For the 2026 All Saints' Day holiday, a workshop is scheduled from October 19th to 23rd, 2026 , from 2 pm to 5 pm , for children born between 2014 and 2020.

Adults aged 16 and over also have regular workshops and a 2026-2027 internship program. Balthazar thus offers continuity between amateur practice for children, teenagers and adults.

A true preparatory school for higher circus studies

One of the key features of CADC Balthazar is its role in the professional training of future circus artists. The center is accredited by the Ministry of Culture for its courses preparing students for entry into higher education institutions specializing in circus arts.

This preparatory program is designed for young people wishing to develop their artistic project, hone their technical skills, and prepare for entrance exams to higher education institutions. The programs are individualized to seamlessly integrate training and creative expression. For example, floor and trampoline acrobatics represent between four and six hours of instruction, in addition to specialized circus skills training, physical conditioning, artistic instruction, and theoretical courses.

Balthazar is also a member of FEDEC, which classifies it among preparatory schools. This European accreditation fosters educational exchanges, reflection on circus professions, and cooperation between institutions.

Professional training course "Circus and movement artist"

The CADC also belongs to the ProCirK network, along with Arc en Cirque in Chambéry, Piste d'Azur in La Roquette-sur-Siagne, and the CRAC in Lomme. Since April 2026 , the network has been offering a new level 5 professional certification, "Circus and Movement Artist," registered with the RNCP under number RNCP42078 .

Disciplines listed at Balthazar

Vocational training extends well beyond the five categories offered in amateur workshops. FEDEC, in particular, lists the following at Balthazar:

  • acro-dance
  • aerial acrobatics
  • straps
  • Chinese pole
  • clown
  • balances
  • ground acrobatics
  • German wheel
  • Cyr wheel
  • juggling and object manipulation
  • rope
  • fabric
  • fixed trapeze
  • swinging trapeze
  • thread
  • unicycle
  • urban dances

For admission 2026-2027, applications for vocational training were open from January 15 to April 3, 2026 , with selections scheduled for June 22, 23, 29 and 30 .

A springboard and support towards professionalization

Balthazar also offers a springboard program, designed to support individuals wishing to consolidate their skills and projects before embarking on more advanced artistic training. For the 2026-2027 academic year, this program is scheduled to run until June 30, 2027 .

Support continues after training through programs dedicated to emerging artists and creative work. In particular, CADC is developing a talent incubator/PEPS program to support young artists and companies and works in partnership with other artist residency programs.

Training for future circus teachers

Balthazar is also an important teacher training center. It offers TIAC. For the 2026-2027 session, the first theoretical period is scheduled from August 24 to September 4, 2026 , then a second from January 4 to 8, 2027 , in addition to practical training in an accredited school.

The center also organizes preparatory training for the TIAC prerequisites, aimed particularly at job seekers, people retraining, or future employees of circus schools. The 2026 session took place from April 27 to June 12 , for 217 hours , before the validation of prerequisites on June 13 .

For 2026-2027, Balthazar is also participating in the experiment of a new certification for circus arts educators, with training announced from September 7, 2026 to June 12, 2027 .

Inclusion and accessibility

Accessibility is integrated into career paths. For training courses, the CADC asks individuals requiring accommodations due to a disability to contact their disability liaison officer via the professional services address.

More broadly, Balthazar's educational project affirms a commitment to providing access to arts and culture for all. The center also develops school and educational projects, alongside its regular workshops.

Two complementary locations in Montpellier

Locations and equipment

The CADC has two main locations:

  • The Garage, at 16 rue Toiras, in the Gambetta district, houses a significant part of the workshops, administration and training.
  • The Balthazar big tops, located at Domaine d'O, offer a truly professional circus environment. The Domaine d'O facilities include a round big top 22 meters in diameter, 9 meters high under the dome, and seating for approximately 350 , as well as a second big top measuring 18 meters . Balthazar also has touring big tops, allowing them to develop projects throughout the region.

This link with the Domaine d'O also allows professional students to develop their skills by participating in major events in Montpellier's performing arts scene. Balthazar's final-year productions are notably featured in the Domaine d'O and Printemps des Comédiens programs.

Positioning and recognition

Ultimately, CADC Balthazar should truly be listed in the NetJuggler directory as a multi-faceted institution: an amateur school for children as young as 3, a preparatory school, a professional training center, a teacher training center, and a hub for supporting circus arts creation. Its longevity, its membership in the FFEC and FEDEC, and its role within the ProCirK network make it a key institution in the professional development of circus artists in France.

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