Cirque de la Lune in Gap

The Circus of the Moon

Cirque de la Lune is a non-profit circus school located in Gap, in the Hautes-Alpes region of France. Founded in 2011 , it focuses on teaching circus arts and creating and performing circus shows. Today, it welcomes children discovering their first disciplines, as well as teenagers, adults, and artists seeking a training space.

A school open to everyone from the youngest children to adults

Amateur practice is at the heart of Cirque de la Lune's activities. The school offers regular classes from childhood to adulthood, with different groups organized according to age and skill level. For the 2026-2027 season, its offerings include classes for several age groups.

• 4-6 years old
• 7-11 years old
• 11-15 years old
• Teenagers over 16 years old
• Adults

The school welcomes both beginners and experienced practitioners. Some courses are intentionally multidisciplinary to allow exploration of different circus arts, while other options allow students to focus more on a specific specialty.

Juggling and object manipulation

Cirque de la Lune offers a particularly diverse range of juggling and object manipulation techniques. Occasional workshops allow participants to explore complementary forms of the art.

• Balls
• Clubs
• Scarves
• Chinese plates
• Rings
• Diabolos
• Bounce balls
• Occasional internships: staff, bolas, etc.

Acrobatics and lifts

Acrobatics is another important aspect of the training. Practitioners can discover and work on different forms of acrobatics, with progressive courses and specific instruction for lifts.

• Ground acrobatics
• Pyramids
• Doors
• Hand-to-hand
• Ground balances

Specific instruction in acrobatic lifts and hand-to-hand is offered, particularly for teenagers and adults, in order to develop technique, trust in the partner and teamwork.

Balances on objects

The school has a wide range of equipment dedicated to balancing on objects , allowing everyone to progress at their own pace while developing balance and coordination.

• Unicycle
• Stilts
• Balance ball
• Rola-bola
• Pedalgo

An important place for aerial disciplines

Aerial arts play a significant role at Cirque de la Lune. The school teaches various apparatus and offers specialized modules for advanced training.

• Aerial fabric
• Trapeze
• Smooth rope
• Pendulum Chinese pole
• 2026-2027 Program: specialized instruction focusing on silks, static trapeze, and aerial hoop

Modules and training courses allow for occasional improvement in some of these practices.

A teaching method that respects each individual's pace

The educational project of Cirque de la Lune is based on two essential dimensions: creativity and physical development . The team seeks to respect the pace and abilities of each participant, considering the circus as a physical, artistic and playful activity.

Stage performance is an integral part of the disciplines taught: it is not just about acquiring techniques, but about using what has been learned to express oneself and create.

Professional teachers

The courses are taught by qualified and certified professionals who work with diverse audiences. The school also collaborates with external companies and artists as needed.

• Nascimo — multidisciplinary courses for children and teenagers
• Kevin — professional clown, circus arts diploma, classes for teenagers and adults
• Angèle — professional circus performer, sports coach specializing in aerial arts and physical conditioning
• Jean-Sébastien — a professional circus performer, state-certified, specializing in acrobatic lifts

Internships all year round

In addition to weekly classes, Cirque de la Lune offers a wide range of workshops, particularly during school holidays for children and on weekends for teenagers and adults. Some workshops are organized for parents and children.

Recent programming demonstrates the diversity of offerings:

• Parkour
• Chinese pole
• Burlesque stunt
• Handstand
• Aerial fabric
• Staff and bolas manipulation
• Clown
• Ground acrobatics
• Acro-dance
• Acro-yoga

Physical preparation and specialized modules

Thematic modules allow practitioners wishing to go further to work on specific aspects: physical preparation, strength, body qualities necessary for the disciplines, improvement of hand balances, progression in lifts or holding on aerial apparatus.

This organization combines a multidisciplinary practice accessible to all with opportunities for further study for those wishing to specialize.

Meetings between amateurs and artists

Cirque de la Lune seeks to foster connections between different practitioners: amateur classes, open training sessions for artists, and multidisciplinary gatherings encourage exchanges around circus arts. Artists and those participating in open training can join the association specifically to benefit from this dynamic.

Projects with other artistic organizations

The school develops partnerships that allow circus arts to intersect with other forms of expression. In particular, it has created a cultural awareness project for 4-6 year olds with Heïdi Mélodie and the Impulse Artistic Centre , where children successively discover circus arts, music and dance.

A school integrated into the FFEC network

Cirque de la Lune is a member of the FFEC and belongs to the Mediterranean regional network. The school took a further step in June 2026 by joining the FFEC's quality assurance program, which aims to structure and promote the quality of teaching.

A collectively supported association

The Cirque de la Lune operates as a non-profit organization, managed entirely by volunteers. The board has opted for a collegial structure.

• Marion
• Inès
• Romane
• Mathilde

With its regular classes, workshops, specialized disciplines, artist training and external projects, the Cirque de la Lune is a particularly comprehensive local school for discovering and practicing circus arts in Gap, both for leisure and for developing a more in-depth practice.