Circo Sotto Sopra – Scuola di Circo Educativo

Circo Sotto Sopra is a school and an educational and social circus project located in Bologna , Emilia-Romagna.

The project is led by APS Artelego , a social promotion association founded in 2017 .

Circo Sotto Sopra develops artistic and theatrical activities aimed primarily at children, teenagers and families.

His world combines circus arts , physical theatre , clowning , mime , figure theatre and expressive movement .

The school views the circus as a fantastic tool for physical, creative, relational and emotional development.

The practice is therefore not geared towards competition .

Children are encouraged to discover their abilities, to experiment and to progress while respecting their own limits and those of others.

Technical learning, however, remains very much present.

The subjects taught

The students discover the major families of circus arts.

Juggling

Juggling is one of the main areas covered.

• The children use, among other things , balls, scarves, rings and clubs .
• Chinese plates are also among the equipment offered.

Balancing act

Balancing acts constitute a second major area.

• Students can experiment with the balance ball .
• Rola-bola allows us to address another form of instability.
• The pedal boat is also used.
• Depending on the group, children can discover slacklining, beams, ropes on the ground and small stilts .

Ground acrobatics

Ground acrobatics constitutes a third essential element.

Students gradually develop coordination, mobility, spatial awareness, and body awareness.

The acrobalance allows for the introduction of work in pairs and in groups.

The children then learn to carry, be carried, trust and communicate with their partners.

Aerial acrobatics

Circo Sotto Sopra also offers aerial acrobatics .

• Aerial silks are explicitly taught in several courses.
• The trapeze is also one of the apparatuses used.

The school therefore has a true aerial dimension in addition to juggling, balance and ground acrobatics.

The clown and the theatre

The clown is another fundamental component of the project.

Clowning is not only viewed as a succession of comic techniques.

It helps to develop imagination, personal expression, the ability to play, and relationships with others.

Mime complements this research.

Physical theatre allows us to connect movement, stage presence and expression.

The school also uses expressive movement .

Rhythmics is among the subjects announced for the 2026-2027 season.

Figure theatre is another distinctive feature of Circo Sotto Sopra.

Finally, performative dramaturgy allows the most advanced students to participate in the construction of a true creation.

This association between circus and theatre is one of the main characteristics of the school.

Groups and Ages

Circo Sotto Sopra welcomes children from the age of three .

MiniCircus (3-5 years)

The MiniCircus group is intended for three to five year olds.

At this age, teaching relies heavily on play, movement, and imagination.

Children begin to discover their bodies and the different possibilities offered by circus arts.

The lessons use stories, characters, music and imaginary situations to encourage the engagement of younger children.

Motor skills are naturally an important objective.

But the school works simultaneously on the emotional and relational dimensions.

• Children gradually learn to function within a group.
• They discover cooperation.
• They develop confidence and independence.

SottoSopra (6-10 years)

From the age of six, technical learning gradually becomes more important.

The SottoSopra group welcomes children aged six to ten.

The students then discover many different pieces of equipment.

• They work on ground acrobatics but also aerial acrobatics on silks and trapeze .
• They can experiment with balance balls, rola-bola and pedal boats .
• Juggling uses clubs, rings, scarves and balls .

Children learn to gradually combine different disciplines.

• A juggling sequence can, for example, be associated with acrobatics.
• Mime can be integrated into a balancing act.

This approach makes it possible to move beyond the isolated learning of techniques.

Each lesson can be designed as a small performance.

Children thus gradually become active participants in their own practice.

Individual creativity is encouraged.

Collective creation also plays an important role.

Circo Sotto Sopra seeks to develop a curious and non-competitive approach.

• Children learn to respect their own limits.
• They also learn to recognize the abilities and limitations of their peers.

The discipline necessary for practicing the circus is gradually introduced.

However, it is not presented as an external constraint.

It becomes a tool that allows progress and safe working conditions.

A decentralized organization in Bologna

The school also has several groups organized in different neighborhoods of Bologna.

This decentralized organization is part of Circo Sotto Sopra's identity.

The association is not only seeking to bring residents to a single location.

It also develops its activities directly in the neighborhoods.

• In 2026-2027 , courses are being organized in the Navile district.
• Leggere Strutture Art Factory hosts several activities.
• Another group operates at the Palestra Fortuzzi in the Santo Stefano district.

The A testa in giù project (4-9 years)

The A testa in giù project welcomes children aged four to nine.

The participants are then divided into two subgroups: four to five years old and six to nine years old .

The youngest children work mainly around body discovery and imagination.

The biggest players are starting to develop a more technical approach.

Juggling, balancing, acrobatics and acrobalancing are the main elements of this course.

Clowning and mime both allow for the development of characters.

The Up&Down Company (10-14 years old)

Teenagers also have specific projects.

The Compagnia Up&Down welcomes young people aged ten to fourteen.

This course is particularly interesting because it goes far beyond a simple weekly class.

An initial phase of training and research

Participants begin with a training and research phase.

• They discover juggling, acrobatics, balancing and clowning .
• They develop body awareness, coordination, reactivity and rhythm .
• Listening to the group and the space is also part of the work.
• Theatrical exercises help to develop confidence and stage presence.

A second phase dedicated to creation

A second phase is then devoted to creation.

Each young person is encouraged to build their own space for expression.

He can participate in the artistic, dramaturgical and technical dimensions of the project.

The participants brainstorm together on the themes they wish to stage.

Everyone can bring their own unique style and skills.

The group is gradually building an original show.

The process culminates in a true collective creation.

The show is then intended to tour during the summer in Bologna and its province.

In this way, young people discover firsthand the experience of performing on stage and going on a small tour.

The Up&Down curriculum includes acrobatics, aerial silks and trapeze .

• The young people also work on the balance ball and the rola-bola .
• Stilts are used.
• Juggling includes rings, balls, clubs and Chinese plates .
• Mime and physical theatre complement the training.

This project particularly illustrates the encounter between educational circus and artistic creation sought by Circo Sotto Sopra.

Interventions in schools

The organization also develops a very significant activity with educational institutions.

• She works in preschools .
• She works with primary schools .
• Colleges can also benefit from its projects.

The courses are adapted to the development of the students and built in collaboration with the teachers.

Circo Sotto Sopra uses acroyoga, acrobalance, juggling, balancing, physical theatre, figure theatre, mime and clowning for this purpose.

The goal is to develop motor skills and interpersonal skills simultaneously.

The activities showcase the group's creative resources.

They also allow us to work on each child's individual abilities.

Between 2018 and 2024 , Circo Sotto Sopra and APS Artelego developed playful and educational programs in more than eighty schools between Bologna, Ravenna and their provinces.

The social circus

The social circus constitutes the other major component of the project.

Circo Sotto Sopra seeks in particular to use the circus in the outlying districts of Bologna.

Since 2020 , the association has developed a significant presence around Piazza dei Colori and Croce del Biacco .

Free shows and workshops are offered there.

Children, teenagers and families in the neighborhood can therefore participate without the cost of the activity being an obstacle.

The goal is to strengthen relations between residents.

Circus arts become a tool for participation in the life of the neighborhood.

Play occupies an essential place in this approach.

The C'era una volta il Gioco project develops spaces for play and citizenship.

Children are encouraged to reclaim public space.

They can practice, experiment, create and meet other residents.

The association thus combines circus, play, creativity and citizen participation .

Projects in public spaces in 2026

In 2026 , Circo Sotto Sopra is actively continuing this presence in the public space.

• The S/PIAZZA/MENTI project offers circus arts, games and creative activities during the summer.
• The third edition of BolliCCCine is developing a parallel cultural and circus program around Piazza dei Colori.
• The C'era una volta il Gioco project also returns in October 2026 in the historic center of Bologna.
• Circus arts are combined with traditional games, creative activities and exploration spaces for children.

Circo Sotto Sopra thus develops a concept of circus directly linked to the community .

An interest in inclusion

The association has also considered specific projects related to childhood autism .

From its earliest years, it presented a pilot circus-theatre project designed to support the socialization and autonomy of autistic children.

This dimension confirms the team's interest in inclusive uses of circus arts.

A company of young artists

The school also has a small company of young artists.

La Piccola Compagnia Sotto Sopra allows students to extend their practice in a creative process.

The young people participate in real shows.

• In March 2026 , the company notably presented Perfetta at Villa Pini.
• In July 2026 , the Compagnia Sotto Sopra Junior presented Le grande equivoco Infradimensionale .

These experiences give young people the opportunity to discover the different stages of a creative process.

• They learn how to put on a show.
• They discover repetition.
• They learn to manage their presence in front of an audience.

The permanent team

The permanent team has profiles that combine pedagogy and performing arts .

• Mariagrazia Bazzicalupo is in charge of the school and is the point of contact for pedagogy and human resources.
• Giorgia Nason provides organizational leadership and acts as a circus-theatre and figure theatre artist.
• Marco Rampello is an educational advisor and specializes in mime.

This complementarity explains the particularly important place given to theatre in education.

The circus as a language

Circo Sotto Sopra therefore does not only seek to train practitioners capable of performing figures.

The school wants students to learn to use these techniques to express themselves .

The circus becomes a language.

The juggling object, the balancing apparatus or the trapeze can contribute to the construction of a story or a character.

This approach is particularly visible in adolescent groups.

It also appears in projects carried out with schools.

The 2026-2027 season

The 2026-2027 season confirms the dynamism of the project.

The test days began in Bologna from September 28, 2026 .

Several classes are offered in different neighborhoods.

The offering combines circus, theatre, movement and creation .

Social activity continues in parallel in public spaces and in neighborhoods.

A unique school in the circus landscape of Bologna

After nearly a decade of activity, Circo Sotto Sopra has become a particularly interesting school in the Bologna circus scene.

Its main strength lies in the encounter between educational circus , social circus and circus-theatre .

• Children can start from the age of three .
• They gradually discover juggling, balancing, acrobatics and aerial arts .
• Teenagers can participate in genuine processes of creation and representation .
• Finally, the numerous school and social projects allow the association to use circus arts as tools for creativity, inclusion, cooperation and civic participation .