Circus at the End of the World

The Circus at the End of the World

Founded in 1996 , Le Cirque du Bout du Monde is a circus school, a professional company, and an artistic incubator based in Lille, in the Nord department. Primarily located at La Fabrique , 2 bis rue Courmont in the Lille-Moulins district, the organization also develops activities in Lille-Fives and operates extensively throughout the Lille European Metropolis as well as in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments.

Philosophy

For almost thirty years, the Cirque du Bout du Monde project has been based on a conception of circus deeply linked to popular education . The objective is not only to transmit techniques: the association uses circus arts as a space for expression, discovery, creativity, encounter and emancipation.

This philosophy is directly reflected in its teaching approach. The focus of instruction is not primarily on performance or competition. On the contrary, the school prioritizes the enjoyment of practice and the personal development of each individual, with classes adapted to different ages and levels and a firm commitment to making circus arts accessible to as many people as possible.

Key figures

Pathways for early childhood and children

The discovery can begin extremely early. For children aged 20 months to 3 years , the school organizes parent-child sensory-motor awakening workshops allowing them to explore the world of the circus together.

Between the ages of 3 and 5 , circus-motor skills workshops develop motor skills, imagination and cooperation in an essentially playful approach.

Learning the techniques

From the age of 6 , children are introduced more directly to the major circus techniques. Technique is combined with work on creativity, music, rhythm, and physical expression.

• Juggling
• Acrobatics
• Aerial disciplines
• Balances on objects

This artistic dimension is essential. At the end of the season, the groups can present a collective creation on stage. Technical learning thus gradually becomes a means of inventing, building with others, and connecting with the audience.

Offer for adults

Adults have a particularly wide range of options. From Monday to Friday, the school offers specialized courses as well as introductory sessions covering all techniques.

• Acrobatics
• Acro-supported
• Juggling
• Balances on objects
• Aerial disciplines
• Physical preparation and guided training
• Introductory sessions covering all techniques

Every Friday from 8:30 pm , a free juggling session is also offered. This independent practice helps make the school a meeting place for practitioners, beyond the strict framework of supervised classes.

Internships

Holiday camps complement the regular workshops. They are aimed at both children and adults and allow participants to discover or deepen their knowledge of different disciplines in a more intensive format.

The teaching methods for the internships remain focused on creativity , initiative , enjoyment , teamwork , expression and self-improvement .

Adapted circus and social interventions

Adapted circus arts are another major focus of the project. Since 1997, the school has worked with various types of organizations in the Hauts-de-France region, developing projects for audiences with specific needs. These initiatives share the same commitment to using circus arts as a tool for expression, connection, and inclusion.

The Cirque du Bout du Monde also works extensively in schools. The school is recognized as a partner of the public education system and develops projects that foster creativity, autonomy, initiative, and teamwork. Citizenship, individual expression, and personal growth are explicitly included in the educational objectives of these programs.

Interventions are also carried out in extracurricular, socio-cultural and specialized structures, which explains the very large number of teaching hours carried out each year outside of school.

Creation and distribution

This social dimension, however, is only one part of the project. The Cirque du Bout du Monde also possesses a genuine identity as a professional artistic organization. Holding performing arts entrepreneur licenses, the association produces and distributes its own creations and maintains an artistic incubator that brings together around forty artists.

The organization announces eight shows broadcast and approximately 150 performances per year.

Programs and creations

Among the creations currently on display are:

• The Adventures of the Circapoetes
• Possible Worlds
• Nout
• Poicophonie – Symphony of the Imagination
• Nestor
• Let's ignite (a new creation centered around fire and pyrotechnics)

These shows allow for the exploration of very diverse artistic styles. "Les Mondes Possibles" combines juggling, music, and dance, while "Nout" develops a universe blending puppetry and aerial circus, particularly around rope and hoop. "Nestor" lies at the intersection of physical theatre, poetic circus, clowning, juggling, and tightrope walking.

This permanent presence of professional artists is particularly beneficial for an amateur school. The students learn in an environment where teaching, creation, and performance take place daily.

Artistic team and open stages

The artistic team brings together jugglers, acrobats, aerial artists, dancers, tightrope walkers, unicyclists, stilt walkers, musicians and burlesque artists. Among them are Jeanne Bourgois , Elsa Gadpaille , Felix Roloff , Anthony Lefebvre , Gilles Dodemont , Églantine Ducornet and Emilie Grossi .

The organization also hosts open mic nights about three times a year. La Fabrique transforms into a proper performance venue with a stage, lighting, sound system, and audience seating. Amateur and professional artists can present their acts there.

For the 2026-2027 season, a special open stage Circus Night is scheduled for November 14, 2026 , while adult performances open to the public are announced for June 12, 2027 .

Territorial projects and events

The Cirque du Bout du Monde is developing the CAHC'en Cirque project within the territory of the Hénin-Carvin Agglomeration Community. In partnership with local municipalities, cultural organizations and associations, the association coordinates an inter-municipal initiative dedicated to circus arts in the Pas-de-Calais region.

The association can also set up Circus Villages , discovery workshops, entertainment, and street performances as part of external events. Its event-based activities thus extend the transmission and creation of knowledge by directly engaging with audiences.

Teaching staff and management

The teaching team is under the responsibility of John Hembert-Klopfenstein and includes Jannick Groux , Colin Bouché , Thibault Matthias , Denis Deltour , Guillaume Tirmarche , Léna Caron , Emilie Allart , Pacôme Coulibaly and Aline Pontieu . The founder and director of the organization is Samuel Rieubernet .

Recognition and affiliations

The project is now recognized by several institutional bodies. The Cirque du Bout du Monde is a member of the FFEC and the FREC Grand Nord , benefits from the FFEC Quality Accreditation , the Youth and Popular Education accreditation, the Complementary Association of Public Education accreditation and a Solidarity Enterprise accreditation.

Conclusion

This combination of amateur practice, social intervention, artistic education and professional creation makes the Cirque du Bout du Monde a particularly comprehensive structure in the circus landscape of Hauts-de-France. From the first parent-child workshop at 20 months to specialized adult practice, from juggling to aerial arts, from acrobatics to partner acrobatics, from school projects to adapted circus, from open stages to the production of professional shows, the association builds a true journey around the circus arts, where practice, culture, creation and encounter are closely linked.