Circus School of the UfaFabrik – Berlin Circus School

The Circusschule der ufaFabrik is an amateur circus school for children and teenagers, located in the Tempelhof district of Berlin. It is part of ufaFabrik, a major alternative cultural center in Berlin whose artistic and community activities date back to 1979.

The history of circus arts at ufaFabrik began in the center's early years, with the creation of shows blending circus, variety, cabaret, and music. This original approach, combining different forms of artistic expression, gradually gave rise to a true circus school for young people.

Today, the Circusschule offers regular instruction , organized in small groups that meet weekly during school terms.

The courses are led by professional artists with experience in performing and teaching.

The school welcomes both children discovering circus arts and young people wishing to delve deeper into a particular discipline. The first activities are accessible from the age of four , notably through acrobatics classes designed for the youngest children.

The teaching is based on a wide variety of circus techniques .

Acrobatics classes help develop strength, flexibility, coordination, and body control. Students gradually discover different floor skills, rolls, handstands, jumps, and acrobatic movements.

Circus initiation courses offer a multidisciplinary discovery allowing children to experience several families of circus arts before developing their preferences.

The unicycle also plays an important role in the educational program. Students learn to control their movements on one wheel and can gradually combine this practice with different object manipulations.

Peas and juggling complement these learning activities and help develop coordination, concentration and precision.

The school also offers courses dedicated to ball balancing , a discipline in which participants learn to move on large spheres and gradually perform individual or group figures.

Rope techniques are another component of the teaching, with exercises in jumping, balance and coordination.

The hula hoop, on the other hand, allows you to work on movement, rhythm and object manipulation in an approach that is both physical and artistic.

The Circusschule also incorporates several complementary disciplines from the movement arts.

Breakdancing combines urban dance, rhythm and acrobatic movements, while capoeira allows you to discover a Brazilian practice blending music, dance and body techniques.

This diversity reflects the artistic philosophy of ufaFabrik, which has historically been open to the intersections between circus, music, dance and live performance.

The school's pedagogy places a central place on the pleasure of learning , creativity , and the discovery of individual abilities .

The goal is not just to master technical skills, but also to develop teamwork , a sense of responsibility and self-confidence .

The young people learn to work together, to help each other and to gradually build collective presentations.

For students wishing to deepen their practice, the teaching team can also develop individual training programs .

Financial accessibility is another distinctive feature of the institution. Regular courses are offered at deliberately moderate prices to allow as many people as possible to participate in the activities.

During Berlin school holidays, the Circusschule also organizes intensive courses .

These programs allow children to practice a discipline daily for several days, under the guidance of experienced artists and educators.

The courses may include acrobatics, unicycling, peas, hula-hoop, capoeira, breakdancing or a general introduction to the circus.

Some activities also allow children to discover the professions and techniques necessary for preparing a show, including backstage work, costumes and stage organization.

At the end of the training sessions, the participants collectively present a show in front of the public.

Representation , moreover, occupies a fundamental place in the school's educational project.

Since 1986 , ufaFabrik has organized the Berliner KinderCircus Festival every year, an event dedicated to young artists aged 4 to 16.

This festival allows students to present the results of their year's work on a real stage, accompanied by professional artists and musicians from ufaCircus.

Preparing the shows promotes cooperation between different disciplines and allows young people to discover all the stages of a collective artistic creation.

The emphasis is on the stage experience, the pleasure of participating and the appreciation of progress rather than on a search for technical perfection.

The Circusschule der ufaFabrik thus constitutes a place for discovery , training and transmission of circus arts deeply rooted in Berlin's cultural life.

With its multidisciplinary teaching, professional artist-educators, weekly classes, workshops and historical festival, it offers children and teenagers a genuine path of amateur practice in a particularly rich artistic environment.