Cirkus in Beweging – Leuven

Cirkus in Beweging is a major circus school located in Leuven. Founded in 1993 , it has gradually evolved from a small workshop offering a few courses and activities to a true home dedicated to circus education, now welcoming more than a thousand members.

The organization develops a particularly broad vision of the circus. It is considered simultaneously as an artistic practice , an educational tool , a meeting place , and a means of personal and social development .

A practice from a very young age

The practice can begin extremely early. Circus-based activities are offered to babies, toddlers, and preschool children, often accompanied by a parent or grandparent.

Circus-based motor skills use play and movements inspired by the circus to gradually help the child become aware of their body and the space around them.

Balance , coordination , confidence , exploration and the pleasure of movement are emphasized without seeking to impose technical learning early on.

As children grow older, they can join multi-circus classes. This approach allows them to discover several major disciplines before potentially choosing certain techniques to explore further.

The programming is particularly diverse and evolves according to the age and level of the participants.

The major families of disciplines

Acrobatics

Floor acrobatics is one of the major disciplines taught. It helps develop strength , mobility , coordination , and body control .

Dynamic acrobatics also benefits from specific courses. Students can then delve deeper into movements involving impulse , flight , rotation and landing .

The seesaw and trampoline allow for even more dynamic training. These disciplines are offered to practitioners who are old and experienced enough to approach them gradually.

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines also occupy an important place. Several courses combine ground work and aerial acrobatics, while others allow for further development of certain apparatus.

The mast and rope are part of the program and allow for the exploration of verticality , strength , mobility and control of movement at height .

Balance and juggling

Balance also has its own training path. Students can develop their body control through different techniques and apparatus.

Juggling and object manipulation are naturally part of the school culture and are integrated into multidisciplinary courses and training areas.

Contemporary and hybrid practices

Cirkus in Beweging also develops more contemporary practices or those situated at the border between circus, sport and movement, such as parkour.

Acroyoga is offered to adults but also in family formats allowing children and parents to practice together.

A school for all ages

This family aspect is important. Specific events allow different generations to share the same circus experience.

Moreover, the school is not only for children and teenagers. Adults have many opportunities to practice, and a multi-circus program is specifically offered to people aged 55 and over .

The philosophy is therefore to consider that circus arts can be practiced at all ages and that there is no single profile of a circus performer.

An inclusive approach

Cirkus in Beweging is also developing an important inclusive approach.

The " Circusdromen " groups allow children and teenagers with specific needs to practice circus arts in a suitable environment.

An inclusive production also allows participants to work towards an approach to artistic creation and presentation.

This focus on accessibility is part of a much broader pedagogical approach.

The 2026-2030 educational project

For the years 2026-2030 , Cirkus in Beweging is formalizing its project around several principles: creating safe and people-friendly spaces , but also spaces where everyone can dare, try and take risks in a controlled way .

Diversity and sustainability are also among the core values of the project.

Teachers have a common pedagogical framework and the structure is working on developing genuine learning pathways adapted to the different circus disciplines.

The trainers themselves benefit from educational days and continuing training in order to develop their methods.

Learning is therefore not just about reproducing figures. The structure seeks to develop autonomy , confidence , creativity , cooperation and the ability to take initiative .

Free practice and creation

Free training areas allow sufficiently independent practitioners to continue their practice outside of supervised classes.

Werkplaats-type spaces thus allow you to meet other practitioners, train and experiment with new techniques.

Creativity also plays an important role. Several groups and projects allow students to transform the skills acquired during classes into genuine artistic expression.

Young people can thus gradually discover the process that leads from technical learning to the construction of a proposal intended for the public.

Cultural roots and international dimension

Cirkus in Beweging also organizes numerous internships , one-off workshops , family activities and events throughout the year.

The organization is heavily involved in the cultural life of Leuven. It collaborates in particular with the city, the 30CC cultural center and other players in the circus sector.

She notably participates in CIRKL , the major circus festival in Leuven which brings together Belgian and international artists around contemporary circus.

This presence in the local cultural ecosystem allows students to discover the circus not only as practitioners , but also as spectators .

Cirkus in Beweging also has an international dimension. Youth exchanges bring together participants from several countries around the practice and creation of circus arts.

In 2026 , the CirkOOH! CirkAAH! project, for example, brought together around sixty young people from seven countries .

A house of circus education

After more than thirty years of existence , Cirkus in Beweging is therefore much more than a simple school offering weekly courses.

It is a true home of circus education where early childhood, children, teenagers, adults, seniors, families, practitioners with disabilities, experienced amateurs, teachers and artistic partners all come together.

The exceptional diversity of its disciplines, its progression pathways, its educational work, its inclusive projects and its involvement in the cultural life of Leuven make it one of the major structures for amateur learning of circus arts in Belgium .