Clowns of Chiffogne

The Clowns of Chiffogne

The Clowns of Chiffogne are a circus school specializing in clowning arts and a company based in Montbéliard, in the Doubs region . Created in 1983 , the association has been developing a clowning practice for over forty years that combines teaching, creation, live performance, street performances and participation in numerous cultural events.

History

The story begins in 1983 when a group of clowns took to the streets of Montbéliard. The team formed an association under the 1901 law and its declaration appeared in the Official Journal on November 6, 1983, officially giving birth to the Compagnie des Clowns de la Chiffogne.

Artistic approach

From the outset, their approach deliberately distanced itself from the conventional image of the circus clown. The company championed a more contemporary and sometimes subversive approach, drawing on street theatre, mime, and performance art. One of its defining characteristics is the emphasis placed on the wordless clown: the body, the gaze, gesture, rhythm, and the relationship with the audience became the primary means of expression.

Pedagogy

This concept remains central to current teaching methods. For the Clowns of Chiffogne, learning to clown begins with the ability to be present: working with one's body , emotions , gaze , personal history, and spontaneous gestures. The clown can exaggerate the performer's flaws, subvert them, and transform them into comedic material. The process gradually involves creating a character, giving it a distinct presence, language, and personality, and then presenting it on stage and to an audience.

This approach explains why the school deserves a place in the directory of circus schools, even if it doesn't teach the technical diversity of a multidisciplinary school. Here, the specialty is clearly clowning .

The Clowns (youth training)

The school also trains young practitioners nicknamed "Clowns". These are not confined to workshops: they are encouraged to experience performance and to participate in meetings organized by the network of circus schools.

• In 2025, four Clowns accompanied by two trainers participated in the meetings of circus schools in the Grand Est region.
• In 2026, the Clowns of Chiffogne were among the five schools represented at the FREC Grand Est Regional Meetings, hosted by L'Odyssée du Cirque in Héricourt, alongside Arsène, Graine de Cirque, Passe-Muraille and L'Odyssée du Cirque.
• National selection: the Clowns of Chiffogne are selected for the National Meetings of Circus Schools at the CIRCa 2026 Festival in Auch — announced on Stage D on Friday, October 23, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. , alongside Cirque en Scène, Alex Galaprini, Balthazar, Piste d'Azur and Le Plongeoir.

In this 2026-2027 season, we therefore have very recent confirmation of the level of activity of the school and of its integration into the national FFEC network.

Continuing education (adults and professionals)

Adults and more experienced members also continue their training. The association participates in workshops and masterclasses with external artists, allowing clowns to regularly compare their practice with other artistic approaches.

In April 2025, several members participated in a masterclass organized at the GRRRANIT Theatre – National Stage of Belfort , as part of the International Festival of the New Clown , with the Italian artists Dandy Dano and Dina G. The association's website also announced their return for the second edition of the festival in April 2026.

Another training work was carried out with Sky de Sela , a clown educator since 2004. His approach aims in particular to allow participants to revisit their character, abandon certain automatic behaviors, rediscover more spontaneity and take new artistic risks in a framework combining kindness and high standards.

This ongoing training is consistent with the association's philosophy: being a clown is not just about learning a few gags or putting on a red nose. It involves interpretation, availability, sensitivity, audience interaction, and character development.

The company and its interventions

The company constitutes the other major dimension of the Clowns of Chiffogne. Since 1983, its members have performed in public spaces, on stage, at cultural events, and in various events in the Pays de Montbéliard and the surrounding region. Their objective remains simple and openly stated: to make people laugh .

• Forms of intervention: burlesque shows, skits, clown interventions or street performances.
• Local presence: at the Montbéliard Christmas Market 2025, the clowns organized several walkabouts and distributed 600 portions of hot soup free of charge, in an approach presented as a gesture of sharing.
• Back on stage: show in Bavans on February 7 and 8, 2026 (several photographs available on the association's website).
• Upcoming program: burlesque show composed of skits announced in Grosmagny on October 18, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. , as part of the cultural weekend organized by the association Le Fayé.

Heritage and the Grand'Radis project

The association maintains a strong relationship with local circus history. The Montbéliard region is linked to the history of the Jeannet-Gruss circus, and the Clowns of Chiffogne claim this cultural heritage in their own narrative.

In 2026, this memory will take on a concrete dimension with the Grand'Radis project: a metal sculpture created with the Création1538 workshop in Vieux-Charmont and assembled with the participation of clowns. The project is intended to pay tribute both to the local circus history and to the industrial and metallurgical heritage of the Pays de Montbéliard region. Its inauguration is planned for the 2026 Christmas Market .

Identify

This attention to the memory of the circus, combined with a contemporary conception of the clown, sums up the identity of the structure: the Clowns of Chiffogne are attached to a long circus history while defending a less conventional form of clown, centered on the individual, the body and the direct relationship with the spectator.