Circo Giro – Escuela de Circo

Circo Giro is a school and collective dedicated to circus arts based mainly in Granada, Andalusia.

The project was born in 2018 within the La Cayapa cooperative with the objective of making circus arts accessible to different audiences and developing their artistic, educational and social potential.

Circo Giro doesn't operate solely as a school housed in a single building. The collective works in various schools and partner spaces, developing its activities directly within neighborhoods and communities. This approach is integral to its philosophy. The team aims to bring circus arts closer to families rather than systematically requiring them to travel to a specialized facility.

Regular activities

Regular activities include circus classes for children . These classes are structured around a multidisciplinary approach.

• Acrobatics is one of the main technical families taught.
• The students also discover juggling .
• Balances on objects occupy an important place.
• Aerial disciplines complement this training: the trapeze is used in different workshops, aerial silks are also taught, and the aerial hoop appears in the activities offered by the team.

These circus techniques are complemented by dance and theatre . This combination of technique and artistic expression is a key element of the teaching. The goal is not simply to learn how to perform a specific move. Students are gradually guided to explore different forms of physical and artistic expression.

Circo Giro is preparing a collective end-of-year performance with its groups. This production allows the children to showcase the skills they have developed throughout the year. The performance thus becomes the culmination of a collective process.

Extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities are an important part of Circo Giro's operations. During the 2025-2026 season, the group is working with schools including CEIP Sierra Nevada , Colegio Padre Manjón , CEIP Federico García Lorca , and CEIP José Hurtado in Granada. This presence in several schools allows them to directly reach children in their school environment.

The extracurricular activities program combines acrobatics , balancing on objects , juggling , aerial disciplines , dance and theatre .

The team emphasizes the need to respect the realities and pace of each student. The teaching relationship is based on close and individualized support within the group.

The team

This approach is directly linked to the profiles of the people who make up the team. The Circo Giro team members come from diverse professional backgrounds. They include circus artists , and physical activity professionals also participate in the project. Social education plays a significant role in the team's expertise. Several members have specific experience in social circus and community education .

Arianna Martí

Arianna Martí is the founder, coordinator, and trainer of Circo Giro. A graduate in physical activity and sports science, she has worked in the social and educational sectors since 2010. She has practiced circus arts since childhood and trained at the Ateneu Popular 9 Barris in Barcelona. She specializes in aerial and acrobatic techniques . Her career includes various projects dedicated to social circus, popular education, and community work.

Manuela Alonso

Manuela Alonso holds a degree in aerial acrobatics and vertical disciplines from the CAU school in Granada . She also pursued further training in aerial acrobatics and contemporary dance in Rome . Her background combines artistic gymnastics , aerial disciplines , and teaching children and adults.

Cristina Campos

Cristina Campos has a multidisciplinary artistic background. After studying fine arts and performing arts , she attended the CAU Circus and Theatre School in Granada . She also completed the social circus instructor training program at Ateneu Popular 9 Barris .

Jorge Retamero

Jorge Retamero, for his part, has a higher education in socio-cultural animation and social integration . He has specialized in acrobatic silks and the fixed trapeze and has experience teaching children, teenagers and adults.

This diversity largely explains Circo Giro's unique identity. The collective does not consider circus solely as an artistic discipline. It also uses it as an educational and social tool .

An educational and social circus

Circo Giro is a member of the Federación Española de Escuelas de Circo Socio Educativo (FEECSE). This membership is consistent with its mission. The collective states its aim is to contribute to the recognition of circus as a tool for cultural, educational, and social intervention .

Educational circus arts are clearly one of the project's major focuses. The activities allow children to develop their physical abilities. Strength, flexibility, endurance, and coordination are particularly important. But the objectives go beyond motor development. Physical expression stimulates creativity . Group activities foster relationships with others . Gradual learning helps develop confidence and perseverance .

School visits

Circo Giro also works directly with schools. Its school visit program can be organized in Granada , Seville , Malaga, and Cordoba . In this context, the artists and other participants travel directly to the school.

• The students discover several techniques of contemporary circus .
• The workshops may include theatre, dance, acrobatics, object balancing, juggling and aerial disciplines .
• The day can be complemented by a show aimed at children and young people.
• Meeting with the artists also allows you to discover the realities of live performance.

Circo Giro explicitly states its goal of integrating circus arts more fully into school curricula. The collective aims to contribute to circus arts being considered an accessible and legitimate artistic practice .

The camps

Camps are another component of this educational activity. They can be organized in the spring or summer . Participants discover different disciplines over the course of a week. Acrobatics, juggling, object balancing, aerial disciplines, dance, and theater make up the program. Children can then choose which disciplines they wish to explore further.

A technical and expressive creative process leads to a small performance . Families and friends are invited to discover the result. These camps are organized specifically for children aged 3 to 6 and 6 to 12 .

Social circus workshops

Circo Giro also develops genuine social circus workshops . In these projects, the circus is intentionally not considered an end in itself. It becomes a tool for creating a relationship with the group and working on various personal or social objectives.

• Projects are usually developed over several sessions .
• They are designed jointly with education or social intervention professionals .
• This way of working fully corresponds to the definition of social circus.

Technical advancement remains a focus, but it is now used to serve other objectives. The personal development of participants is a priority. Collaborative work allows for exploration of cooperation and interpersonal relationships . Projects can be tailored to the specific characteristics of the group involved.

Other workshop formats

Guided workshops and open workshops

This adaptability is also found in the other workshops of Circo Giro.

• The guided workshops use games and dynamics that allow participants to discover different circus equipment. The goal is to share, learn, experiment, and cooperate .
• The open workshops offer greater autonomy. Specialists remain on hand to support participants and ensure a safe learning experience.

The family circus

Circo Giro also offers family circus activities. These workshops bring children and adults together around different disciplines. Teamwork is a central objective. The experience is designed as a shared moment, allowing everyone to discover the circus together.

Events and demonstrations

The collective can also participate in events and demonstrations . These workshops allow them to reach an audience that doesn't necessarily attend a circus school.

Several entry points to the circus

The structure thus develops several entry points into circus arts.

• A child can meet Circo Giro at school .
• He can then participate in an extracurricular activity .
• A family can discover the project through a one-off workshop .
• A child can also participate in a camp during the holidays.

This diversity corresponds to the objective of making the circus accessible to as wide an audience as possible.

NetJuggler directory positioning

According to the NetJuggler directory, Circo Giro should be considered a school and a socio-educational circus project . Its main category is that of amateur schools .

I can't find any intensive, selective programs specifically designed to train professional artists. Nor is it a higher education institution. The professional training of several team members should not be confused with the nature of the programs offered to students.

However, the educational circus category perfectly reflects its activities. Social circus should also be clearly mentioned. This isn't simply a theoretical orientation linked to its membership in FEECSE. Circo Giro explicitly offers social circus projects developed in collaboration with educational and social teams. Community work and popular education are also key aspects of the team's work.

This combination gives Circo Giro a particularly interesting identity. The collective sits at the intersection of circus school , community education , social intervention , and live performance . For Granada and Andalusia more broadly, Circo Giro is thus a relevant player, enabling children and families to discover the circus arts while utilizing their educational, artistic, collective, and social potential.