Circus Tico – Harelbeke

Circus Tico is a circus arts education organization based in Harelbeke, West Flanders. It primarily develops workshops, introductory sessions and touring projects allowing children to discover the different circus disciplines.

One of Circus Tico's distinctive features is precisely this mobility. Rather than limiting its activity to a single location, the team works in different towns, schools, and organizations that run activities for children.

Internships, the heart of the business

Internships constitute an important part of his activity.

Circus Tico collaborates in particular with Heyo to offer weeks dedicated to the discovery of the circus in many Belgian cities.

During these training courses, the children benefit each day from instruction supervised by instructors from Circus Tico.

The practice is organized around a progressive discovery of the different families of circus techniques.

Juggling

Juggling is one of the important aspects of this learning.

Children learn to juggle balls and can discover other manipulative objects such as the flowerstick and the diabolo .

Balance techniques

Balance techniques also play an important role.

Participants can learn to move on different apparatus such as the balance ball and the barrel .

Walking on wires or cables is also one of the techniques historically taught during Circus Tico workshops.

The unicycle complements this learning of balance and allows children to gradually discover the particular sensations associated with moving on a single wheel.

Acrobatics

Acrobatics is another major component of the activity.

Children can discover the basics of controlling their bodies, performing different figures and gradually developing coordination, strength and self-confidence .

The theatrical dimension

The theatrical dimension of the circus is also present.

Clowning is one of the activities offered during the workshops and allows us to approach the circus from an angle more focused on play and the relationship with the public.

Participants thus discover that the circus is not limited to mastering an apparatus but also includes an artistic and scenic dimension.

This approach is reflected in the preparation of a show at the end of the internship .

After several days of discovery and learning, the children can present to the public the techniques, characters and small scenes worked on during the week.

The final performance gives a collective objective to the internship and allows participants to discover the pleasure of presenting their learning in front of their families.

A children's audience, a playful approach

Circus Tico's activities are primarily aimed at children .

The current internships organized in partnership with Heyo are aimed in particular at children in primary education.

The approach remains intentionally playful and accessible : participants should not arrive with any prior circus experience.

The equipment and the different situations offered allow everyone to try several techniques before discovering those with which they feel most comfortable.

This diversity is particularly interesting for a first introduction to circus arts.

A child can thus move from juggling to diabolo, try a balance apparatus, discover the unicycle and then experiment with acrobatics or clowning.

Different skills depending on the discipline

Each discipline develops different skills.

• Juggling requires, in particular, coordination, concentration and perseverance.
• Balance equipment requires body control and the ability to gradually correct one's posture.
• Acrobatics helps develop physical abilities and confidence in one's own body.
• Clowning and stage performance bring a dimension of expression, imagination and relationship with the public.

The format of the internship allows these learnings to be brought together in a common project over several consecutive days.

A traveling circus school

Circus Tico thus operates in many municipalities and allows children who do not necessarily have a permanent circus school nearby to discover this practice.

In 2026 , courses using Circus Tico teaching are organized in particular in Leuven , Grimbergen , Sint-Denijs-Westrem , Mechelen , Lede , Roeselare , Deerlijk and Vilvoorde .

This mobile presence is now an essential characteristic of the structure.

Circus Tico can therefore be presented as a travelling circus school specialising in workshops, initiations and discovery projects.

Its current activity is well documented and allows many children each year to be introduced to the different families of circus arts in several regions of Belgium.