Circus Spirit
83136 Néoules
Presentation
Esprit de Cirque is a circus arts school located in Néoules, in the Var region, in the heart of Green Provence. Created in 2008 by Fanny Tourette and Patrick Gruss , the organization develops under its permanent big top an original project combining multidisciplinary circus, aerial disciplines, equestrian arts, teaching, artistic training and the creation of shows.
Public and education
The school welcomes children and adults, beginners as well as experienced practitioners wishing to improve their skills. Its teaching allows students to explore the main branches of circus arts and to progressively discover different techniques before, for those who wish, delving deeper into a particular discipline.
Juggling
Juggling plays an important role, with a wide variety of objects involved. These practices help develop coordination , precision , rhythm , concentration , and creativity .
- Balls
- Clubs
- Hoops
- Scarves
- Chinese plates
- Diabolo
- Bolas
- Devil's stick
Acrobatics and balancing
Acrobatics and balances complement the learning with several practical approaches and workshops.
- Ground acrobatics
- Acrobatic lifts
- Trampoline
- Thread
- Balance ball
- Rolla-bolla
Aerial disciplines
Esprit de Cirque has a particularly well-developed aerial arts program. These disciplines combine physical work, technical mastery and artistic exploration, with a progression adapted to the level of the participants.
- Aerial fabric
- Fixed trapeze
- Trapeze dance
- Aerial hoop
- Smooth rope
- Straps
- Aerial net
circus equestrian arts
One of the school's distinctive features lies in the emphasis placed on equestrian circus arts . The teaching focuses on the relationship with the animal and on respectful horsemanship, combining circus techniques and equestrian practices under the same big top.
- Equestrian gymnastics
- Equestrian vaulting
- Horse acrobatics
- Working the horse on foot and at liberty
Courses, workshops and schedules
Regular classes are complemented by workshops during school holidays. Several options allow students to focus on circus arts, aerial disciplines, or equestrian arts, as well as to combine several disciplines. These workshops offer both a first introduction to circus arts and an opportunity for students already engaged in regular training to refine their skills.
Specialized vocational training
Esprit de Cirque has developed a program for individuals wishing to pursue a professional artistic career, specializing in equestrian circus arts. The program combines several skills and approaches:
- Working the horse on the ground, at liberty and under saddle
- Equestrian gymnastics
- Equestrian vaulting and acrobatics
- Ground acrobatics
- Juggling
- Aerial disciplines
- Multidisciplinary circus practice
The training program operates on a four-day-a-week , four-hour-a-day schedule. A preparatory workshop allows for an assessment of the candidate's level and project in order to create a tailored learning path. Students can participate in the organization's rehearsals and performances, applying their learning to the realities of the stage and live performance. This is a specialized artistic training program and not a course leading to the DNSP (National Higher Professional Diploma) in Circus Arts or a CPES (Certificate of Professional Aptitude for Higher Education).
Educational activities and transmission
The program also extends to schools, after-school programs, and groups. Esprit de Cirque organizes educational days that allow participants to discover the world of circus through various workshops, with the opportunity to combine artistic practice with performance. These activities allow children to experience firsthand the circus ring, the apparatus, and the different circus disciplines.
Performances and interventions
The Néoules circus tent is both a place of learning and a performance venue. Esprit de Cirque develops its own artistic offerings, blending equestrian circus, aerial arts, balancing acts, juggling, magic, clowning, and other circus techniques, depending on the production. The company also performs outdoors for local communities, businesses, and events, providing shows, street performances, and entertainment.
Identity and networks
This ongoing connection with performance gives the school a unique identity: technical practice is linked to creation, artistic expression, collaborative work, and audience engagement. Affiliated with the French Federation of Circus Schools and part of the FREC Méditerranée network, Esprit de Cirque is part of the federal network of French circus schools.
Proposed discipline(s) — summary
With its classes, workshops, educational projects, and training programs, Esprit de Cirque offers a comprehensive space to discover and develop circus arts in the Var region. The following disciplines are explored there within an environment connected to the world of the big top and live performance:
- Juggling (balls, clubs, hoops, scarves, Chinese plates, diabolo, bolas, devil stick)
- Acrobatics and balances (floor acrobatics, partner acrobatics, trampoline, tightrope, balance ball, rolla-bolla)
- Aerial disciplines (silks, trapeze, hoop, rope, straps, net)
- Equestrian arts (gymnastics on horseback, vaulting, acrobatics on horseback)
- Magic, clowning, circus skills and artistic creation
- Live performance, rehearsals and external interventions
