Dominika Knap – Circus Pedagogy Training

Dominika Knap – Circus training and pedagogy in Poland

Dominika Knap is a trainer, cultural facilitator and circus pedagogy specialist based in Lublin, Poland. For over ten years, she has been developing projects combining circus arts, non-formal education, cultural activities and accessibility.

His work is aimed particularly at teachers, educators, facilitators, artistic practitioners and professionals in the social sector who wish to integrate circus techniques into their practices.

Training in circus pedagogy

Dominika Knap participates in the design and organization of Kurs Pedagogiki Cyrku , a program to discover the principles and methods of educational circus.

This training combines practical workshops with theoretical input. It covers traditional and functional juggling, acrobatics, balance and various object manipulation techniques.

Participants can try out Chinese plates, hula-hoop, poi and flower sticks.

No prior circus skills are required to participate in this program. The goal is to allow everyone to discover the disciplines and identify methods they can reuse in their professional environment.

Professional development of speakers

The Kursor Cyrkowy is aimed at people wishing to develop their teaching, technical and supervisory skills.

The workshops explore different approaches to teaching: use of new accessories, creativity in session design and learner-centered teaching methods.

They allow participants to enrich their practices and discover new ways of transmitting circus arts.

Juggling as a teaching tool

Juggling plays an important role in the training programs offered.

Dominika Knap uses scarves, balls, rings and various accessories to create exercises accessible to diverse audiences.

Beyond technical learning, these activities serve as a basis for working on coordination, attention, perseverance and cooperation.

Participants discover how to adapt the exercises to the age, abilities, and objectives of the groups they are working with.

Training programs tailored to institutions

Dominika Knap also offers the training course Pedagogika cyrku jako innowacyjna metoda edukacyjna , dedicated to circus pedagogy as an innovative educational method.

Aimed at adults and institutions, it combines presentation of educational principles, discovery of existing projects and practical exercises with circus equipment.

This training enables professionals to learn how to use circus disciplines in school, cultural or social contexts.

Inclusion and accessibility

Accessibility is a key focus of his work.

Dominika Knap develops activities adapted for people with disabilities and works particularly on cultural accessibility for deaf or hard-of-hearing people.

The Cyrk da się zamigać project combines circus arts with Polish Sign Language. It has notably enabled the creation of resources presenting several circus concepts in sign language.

This approach helps to make cultural and educational activities more accessible.

Resources and tools for educators

Dominika Knap is the author of Karty Cyrkowych Opowieści , a set of sixteen illustrated cards dedicated to the disciplines, accessories and values of educational circus.

These resources can be used to design educational activities, stimulate the imagination, encourage interaction and introduce circus vocabulary.

She also develops digital resources, notably through CyrkON , a webinar project dedicated to the educational applications of contemporary circus.

An engagement in professional networks

Dominika Knap is co-founder of Fundacja Ośmiornice Kreatywności and Fundacja Sieć Pedagogiki Cyrku , a Polish network dedicated to the development of circus pedagogy.

She participates in the organization of professional meetings and events, notably CYRKx , which allows artists, educators and cultural actors to share their experiences.

His work thus contributes to the dissemination of educational circus methods in Poland.

Training courses organized according to needs

Unlike a higher circus school, Dominika Knap does not offer a permanent course for training artists.

Its interventions take the form of internships, training cycles, professional meetings and workshops adapted to the needs of the groups.

Some activities can also be organized remotely.

Dominika Knap develops an approach to circus training centered on transmission, inclusion, and the use of circus arts as an educational tool. Her programs are a resource for professionals wishing to integrate juggling and circus disciplines into their work with diverse audiences.

Reference city: Lublin, Poland

Website: https://dknap.pl/

Training courses and workshops: https://dknap.pl/oferta/

Educational projects: https://dknap.pl/dzialania/