Circusatelier Balancirk (Maatschappelijke zetel) – Hasselt

Circusatelier BalanCirk is an amateur circus school located in Hasselt , in the Belgian province of Limburg. Established as a non-profit organization in 2005, it originated from informal gatherings of jugglers who initially met in parks to practice and exchange techniques.

Stan Grauwels , Wouter Wijnants , and Jonas Verbeek gradually transformed this community of practitioners into a genuine learning structure. Their goal was to allow new young people to discover circus arts through regular classes.

The first structured activities were organised in Alken before BalanCirk also developed courses in Hasselt.

Faced with the development of its activities, the association gradually centralized its operations in Hasselt. It occupied several successive locations there before continuing the growth of its groups and its educational offerings.

Today, BalanCirk offers a genuine amateur practice pathway allowing you to start very young and then continue through childhood, adolescence and adulthood.

Circummotor activity

Circummotor skills constitute one of the first entry points.

Young children discover their bodies and their environment through games and situations inspired by the circus. The goal is not to immediately seek technical performance but to support their motor development , autonomy and confidence .

BalanCirk also offers family circus activities . Following on from circus motor skills, children and their family members can share the discovery of different disciplines.

The Multi-Circus

The multi-circus then became one of the pillars of the school.

These courses allow participants to explore different families of circus techniques and are organized to take into account the level and experience of the participants.

BalanCirk clearly distinguishes this multidisciplinary practice from its specialist courses.

In multi-circus classes, circus techniques are primarily used to support the social, emotional, and personal development of the child.

The school explicitly states that the circus is not a competition: there are no contests, no winners, and no losers . Learning together, training, and being able to show what one can do is already an achievement.

Each participant should be able to find their place in the group and have positive experiences adapted to their own abilities.

Specialized courses

In specialized courses, technical mastery gradually becomes more important.

Acrobatics

Acrobatics is the subject of specific instruction. The courses allow students to discover partner acro, acroyoga and acro-assisted acrobatics.

Students learn to support each other, to work together safely, and to gradually build positions and figures together.

Unicycle

The unicycle also has its own course.

Beginners first learn to find their balance and move on a wheel before they can gradually develop new techniques.

More advanced levels allow already independent practitioners to continue their progression.

Juggling

Juggling has historically been one of the disciplines taught by BalanCirk. Balls, clubs, diabolo and contact juggling are among the techniques described by the school.

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines, on the other hand, occupy a very important place in the current programming.

BalanCirk offers several levels of aerial acrobatics, from basics to advanced and expert groups.

Participants work primarily on the trapeze and aerial silks .

These disciplines allow for the simultaneous development of strength , flexibility , coordination , body control and confidence at heights .

Specific courses are offered for teenagers and adults , allowing them to continue their aerial activities well beyond childhood.

Adult practice

Adults generally have their own paths.

BalanCirk organizes series of courses accessible without prior experience, with work adapted to each person's level.

The adult multi-circus is notably featured in the 2026-2027 program.

Circus à la Carte and Artistic Creation

The " Circus à la Carte " option complements the supervised classes. BalanCirk then provides a room and equipment so that participants can practice together, exchange knowledge and learn from each other.

This community dimension directly recalls the origins of the association, which arose from meetings between practitioners wishing to share their techniques.

Artistic creation also has its own space within the production group.

BalanCirk reminds us in this regard that the circus is a performing art and a form of expression.

Participants therefore work on constructing documents and reflect on how to transform their technical skills into proposals intended to be presented to an audience.

Shows and events

Performances have long held an important place in the life of the association. The tenth anniversary, in particular, gave rise to a major event under a big top that brought together around a thousand spectators.

The association also participates in numerous external events.

Each year, BalanCirk works with schools and at events to allow several hundred young people to discover circus techniques.

In 2026, the school is participating in Theater op de Markt in Hasselt with circus workshops and a creation entitled " 4 tinten blauw ".

His introductory sessions allow the public to discover juggling , balance and various manipulation or acrobatics techniques.

BalanCirk also collaborates with the City of Hasselt on workshops for children. These workshops combine juggling, balance, circus theatre and aerial acrobatics.

Inclusion and teacher training

Inclusion is now a particularly strong focus of its project.

The school explicitly states that it does not wish to define children by "labels" and that everyone should be able to be welcomed into the group.

Participants with and without disabilities practice together when conditions allow.

This inclusive approach is not just a stated principle: BalanCirk is also presented as an example of inclusive practice by actors specializing in this field.

Teacher training is also part of the organization's history. Trainers are trained in circus arts techniques, and several former students who have become teachers have completed specific training in circus arts instruction.

This focus on pedagogy allows BalanCirk to adapt learning to the child's development rather than solely seeking technical progression.

The 2026-2027 season

The 2026-2027 season continues this philosophy with a program combining circus motor skills , family circus , multi-circus , unicycle , acrobatics , aerial disciplines , adult practice , autonomous training and creation .

After more than twenty years of existence, BalanCirk has become a well-established circus school in the cultural and associative landscape of Hasselt.

Its identity is based as much on the diversity of techniques offered as on a non-competitive , social and inclusive conception of circus arts, where learning together and allowing everyone to progress at their own pace remain at the heart of the project.