CircO Hannover – Hanover Circus School

CircO Hannover is a non-profit circus school located in Hanover , the capital of Lower Saxony, Germany. For over twenty years, it has been developing a project dedicated to teaching, practicing and promoting circus arts to a particularly diverse audience.

The association welcomes approximately 500 members within its various groups and offers a program including weekly classes , holiday camps , specialized workshops , school interventions and artistic creation projects .

Three locations in Hanover

The teaching is spread across three locations in the city: Linden , Sahlkamp and Kronsberg .

The main site is located in the premises of IGS Linden, where the association has, among other things, a gymnasium , a specialized training area called Pueblo, juggling equipment , wire balancing facilities and rigging points for aerial disciplines.

An educational program for all ages

CircO Hannover welcomes participants from early childhood , with parent-child activities accessible from around two and a half years old .

Children can then join multidisciplinary circus groups from the age of six .

These courses allow you to gradually discover the different families of circus arts, including juggling , acrobatics , balancing , unicycling and aerial techniques .

The goal is to allow students to experience several disciplines, develop their coordination and discover their own interests .

Learning is organized around a progression adapted to the age, level and experience of each individual.

Teenagers and adults

For teenagers , the association offers specific groups as well as courses to deepen their knowledge of certain techniques.

Aerial disciplines occupy an important place in Linden 's program, with several groups dedicated to this practice.

The educational offering is complemented by courses in floor acrobatics and duo acrobatics .

Adults also have many opportunities to practice, with regular training and specialized sessions.

CircO Hannover also organizes open training sessions for advanced practitioners and professional artists.

This coexistence between beginners , experienced amateurs and established artists is one of the particularities of the structure.

Sahlkamp and Kronsberg

The Sahlkamp site primarily accommodates children and teenagers.

Activities are organized around the Kinderzirkus Sahlino , which offers a varied introduction to the circus, ranging from acrobatics to magic .

This group also develops an important artistic dimension, with performances and a circus tour organized during the summer holidays.

Since 2024 , CircO Hannover has had a third location in the Kronsberg district, within the KroKuS socio-cultural center.

This branch makes circus arts accessible to new families in Hanover through a weekly course for children.

Internships and pedagogical training

In addition to its annual teaching, CircO Hannover regularly organizes training courses during school holidays.

These courses allow children to discover different disciplines or to deepen their knowledge over several consecutive days.

The association also has a significant component dedicated to educational training .

Through the CircO Akademie , it offers workshops for teenagers from 14 years old , adults, teachers, artists and people wishing to pursue professional training in circus arts.

These workshops are led by specialist German and international speakers.

The topics covered include acrobatics , juggling , aerial techniques , balancing , as well as complementary artistic disciplines such as dance and theatre .

CircO Hannover actively participates in the training of its own facilitators and teaching assistants.

This transmission allows young, experienced practitioners to gradually discover the responsibilities associated with leading a group.

School partnerships and artistic creation

The association also develops partnerships with schools in Hanover.

A team of experienced educators works in schools to organize weekly activities , discovery weeks and circus projects adapted to the students.

The circus is thus used as a tool for motor development , creativity , cooperation and socialization .

Artistic creation occupies an important place in the identity of CircO Hannover.

The association notably includes a group of young artists and an adult company, Kompanie CircO .

These groups allow participants to go beyond simple technical learning to engage in the construction of contemporary circus shows .

The artists work on staging , physical research , dramaturgy and the relationship with the audience .

The association's creations are presented in various cultural contexts, in Hanover but also at international events .

A player in the German circus industry

CircO Hannover also plays an active role in structuring the German circus sector .

The association participates in professional and educational networks and is currently working on the development of a higher education project in circus arts in Hanover.

This initiative notably envisions the creation of courses combining circus arts , pedagogy and social work .

Values and commitment

The organization advocates a conception of the circus based on the diversity of practices , the encounter between generations , and accessibility .

It also places particular importance on the protection of children and adolescents , the prevention of violence and respect for everyone .

Thanks to its three locations, its extensive course program, its artistic ensembles and its involvement in the training of future instructors, CircO Hannover is a major player in amateur circus arts education in Hanover and the Lower Saxony region.