Circoplà – Circus School

Circoplà is a circus school located in Serra de' Conti , in the province of Ancona and the Marche region.

The association was founded at the end of July 2012 .

The project was created by Elisa Mencarelli , Andrea Giardinieri and Claudia Perticaroli .

Circus pedagogy

From its inception, Circoplà has chosen to use the circus not only as a physical and artistic practice, but also as a genuine educational tool.

The objective is to promote the psychophysical development of the participants.

• Play is an essential component of this pedagogy.
• Socialization also plays an important role.
• Commitment and perseverance are gradually developed through learning the disciplines.
• Self-esteem is another key objective.

Circoplà therefore considers that learning circus arts can contribute to the construction of the identity of children and adolescents .

From the municipal hall to Spazioplà

The project quickly found a large audience in its territory.

The first classes take place in the municipal sports hall of Serra de' Conti.

The number of participants is gradually increasing.

In 2015 , Circoplà took a major step by opening its own space.

This one is called Spazioplà .

It is located in the Serra de' Conti industrial area .

Unlike a school simply using a few slots in a municipal hall, Circoplà thus has a space directly dedicated to its circus project.

• Spazioplà hosts the annual courses .
• Specialized internships and workshops are also organized there.
• The association's summer activities take place there.
• The venue also hosts events .
• Artists and companies can undertake residencies there.

This permanent establishment has allowed Circoplà to simultaneously develop its sporting , artistic , educational and social dimensions.

An audience ranging from early childhood to adulthood

The school welcomes a public ranging from young children to adults .

Circummotor activity

The youngest children can start with circomotor skills.

This course is particularly suited to children aged four and five .

• Circus arts are then used as a means of bodily discovery .
• Children gradually learn to coordinate their movements .
• The balance is developed.
• Body awareness is developed through various games.
• The collective dimension also allows us to learn to evolve with others.

The Circomix routes

From around the age of six , the offering becomes more multidisciplinary.

Circoplà notably offers Circomix courses.

The children are introduced to several circus families rather than specializing immediately.

Ground acrobatics form an important part of this progression.

It helps to develop strength , coordination , mobility and body control .

Juggling

The school also has a significant juggling program.

Manipulating objects helps to develop coordination and concentration .

Circoplà is developing, in particular, an approach to expressive juggling.

The technique is therefore not considered solely as a performance objective.

It can become a tool enabling the student to build a personal presence and expression.

• Juggling is offered to different age groups .
• Children can start relatively young.
• Teenagers can then deepen their practice.
• Young adults also have opportunities for advancement.

Aerial disciplines

Circoplà also offers aerial acrobatics .

This discipline is accessible to teenagers and adults depending on the groups and levels.

• Aerial silks are among the apparatus used.
• Trapeze is also practiced.

The association regularly organizes training courses to further develop certain aerial techniques.

External specialists may be invited.

This allows students to encounter different teaching methods and artistic approaches .

Multi-person acrobatics

Group acrobatics also has a place in the school.

Hand-to-hand combat, in particular, has been the subject of specialized training courses.

Partner work and acro-dance are also included in the advanced training offered.

• These disciplines allow for the development of a special relationship between partners.
• Trust and listening become essential.
• The practitioner must learn to take into account the other person's body.

This collective dimension directly aligns with the educational objectives of Circoplà.

Parkour

Parkour is also among the activities developed by the association.

Groups were organized for children aged approximately nine to fourteen, and then for teenagers and young adults .

This discipline allows you to work on movement , agility , crossing and perception of the environment .

Circoplà also organizes training courses and campuses specifically dedicated to parkour.

Recent summer programming confirms that this discipline remains integrated into the school environment.

Specialized workshops

Specialized workshops complement regular courses.

Circoplà regularly calls upon speakers with particular expertise.

Students can thus discover or deepen their knowledge of juggling , hand-to-hand , two-person trapeze , acro-dance , couple movement or aerial silks .

Less acrobatic artistic activities are also offered.

• The association is particularly interested in manual creation .
• Workshops focusing on soap bubbles have also been developed.

This diversity corresponds to a broad conception of circus arts.

A fun and educational approach

Circoplà's objective is explicitly not to train professional artists .

On the contrary, the association claims a playful-educational approach.

Circus techniques are used to support personal development .

• Gymnastics fosters certain learning processes.
• Dance also has an influence.
• Body language is another important element.
• Theatre can also contribute to the artistic development of students.

The theatrical dimension is nevertheless still present.

At the end of the annual courses, Circoplà organizes shows allowing students to present their work.

• Historically, a show is dedicated to children and young teenagers .
• Another allows older teenagers and adults to showcase their creations.

The experience of performing on stage therefore constitutes the culmination of the pedagogical work.

It allows participants to transform a technical skill into an artistic proposition .

The company Interno 6

Circoplà also has a professional creative activity.

In 2014 , the company Interno 6 was born within the association.

She developed a creative project dedicated to the new circus.

This artistic dimension helps to maintain a link between school and live performance .

Spazioplà can also accommodate artist residencies .

• Students therefore attend a place that is not limited to a classroom.
• They may face different creative processes .

An open living space

Circoplà also organizes events open to the community .

• Meetings focused on juggling have been developed in particular.
• The association also organizes events allowing parents to discover their children's activities.

This openness to families reflects the desire to create a true living space around the circus.

The educational circus at school

But one of Circoplà's most interesting features is its commitment to educational circus.

The association intervenes directly in schools .

She works with different levels of education .

The projects are adapted to the age of the participants.

Circus disciplines then become educational tools .

• Movement helps to develop motor skills.
• Juggling develops coordination and concentration.
• Group activities promote socialization.
• Gradual learning helps to develop perseverance and self-confidence.

A network and continuing education

• Circoplà belongs to the Italian CircoSfera network dedicated to playful and educational circus.
• It is also listed in the Italian national register of circus schools .

The team regularly pursues technical and pedagogical training .

This continuing education allows participants to deepen both their circus skills and their ability to teach .

The social circus

The social dimension is also particularly important.

Circoplà has the status of ASD but also of APS, association for social promotion.

The association has gradually developed several social circus projects.

She collaborates with social organizations in her area.

Juggling workshops were notably organized with Oikos .

This therapeutic community intervenes in the field of addictions .

Circus disciplines then become a support for relationships , concentration and personal development .

Adapted circus and disability

Circoplà also has considerable experience working with young people with disabilities .

The association worked with Il Giardino dei Bucaneve .

This facility provides day care for young people with disabilities.

Circoplà has developed workshops specifically dedicated to circus arts.

This activity clearly identifies Circoplà as a structure with experience in adapted circus arts.

Therefore, it is not simply a school that uses the word " inclusion " in a general way.

Concrete actions taken with people with disabilities are documented.

National recognition

Circoplà's commitment to social circus is also recognized at the national level.

The school is listed in AltroCirco's register of social circus projects .

It appears there as a structure of the Marches alongside VisionAria in Ancona.

This registration confirms the place of the social circus in its associative project.

The association collaborates more broadly with schools , public bodies and other associations in the area.

• The circus is used to promote the well-being of young people .
• Play , movement and socialization are the main levers.

Summer activities

Circoplà also organizes important summer activities .

Summer centers allow children to continue practicing during the holidays.

In 2025 , a summer circus center was notably offered to children aged six to fourteen .

• Several sessions were organized between June and August .
• A specific parkour campus was also offered to eleven- to fourteen-year-olds .

These activities took place directly at Spazioplà.

This summer continuity shows that the association operates throughout the year and is not limited to a school season.

A solid local presence

• It has existed since 2012 .
• Its permanent space has been operating since 2015 .
• She has regular classes .
• She organizes internships .
• It offers summer activities .
• It hosts events and artist residencies .
• She works in schools .
• She develops social circus projects.
• She also has practical experience working with people with disabilities .

For the NetJuggler directory

For the NetJuggler directory, Circoplà therefore represents a particularly important entry for the Marche region.

It complements VisionAria very well in Ancona, but its profile is different.

Circoplà is structured more around the playful, educational and social circus.

His teaching methods are primarily aimed at amateurs .

• Children can start from the age of four .
• Teenagers have access to pathways that allow them to delve deeper into the subjects.
• Adults can also participate.

Circummotor skills , juggling , ground acrobatics , aerial disciplines , trapeze , silks , acrobalance and parkour are among the clearly documented practices.

The association regularly enhances this offering with specialized internships .

Finally, his work with schools , social structures , a therapeutic community and young disabled people gives it a truly social and inclusive dimension.

Circoplà is therefore both an amateur circus school , a permanent cultural venue and a recognized recreational-educational and social circus structure in the Marches.