Elämä- ja taidekoulu Hehkumahku

Elämä- ja taidekoulu Hehkumahku is a traveling arts school founded in 2018 in Tampere, Finland. It offers activities combining circus arts, clowning, theatre, dance and various forms of creative expression.

Its Finnish name means "Hehkumahku School of Life and Art," a name that reflects its philosophy: to use artistic practice to develop not only technical skills, but also qualities useful in everyday life.

A traveling art school

Unlike circus schools that have their own premises, Hehkumahku operates in various cultural and educational venues.

Its activities are mainly developed in the Tampere region, but the association also operates in other Finnish regions.

It collaborates with cultural centers, educational institutions, associations and event organizers.

This organization makes it possible to offer artistic activities to different audiences, without limiting them to a permanent training location.

An original pedagogical approach

Hehkumahku develops a pedagogy that combines artistic learning and personal skills.

The activities are designed to encourage creativity, body expression, self-confidence, and relationships with others.

Participants are invited to experiment, improvise and discover their own possibilities for expression.

The school places great importance on play and humor, which are considered means of learning and personal development.

Circus workshops

The Sirkuskerho workshops allow children to discover circus arts in a fun and encouraging environment.

Participants experience activities including juggling, balance exercises, and various body games.

The sessions also include clowning and stage expression activities.

The goal is not to seek competition, but to develop coordination, concentration and the pleasure of movement.

The workshops can be organized in cycles of 8 to 20 weeks.

Clown as an artistic discipline

The clown occupies a particularly important place in Hehkumahku's identity.

Children can participate in workshops dedicated to character creation, improvisation, and humorous expression.

They learn to use their body, voice, and imagination to develop a stage presence.

The activities may lead to the creation of a show, a video or a collective project.

Clowning is also taught to adults, particularly in courses dedicated to personal expression and the use of humor in education professions.

Theatre and physical expression

The school offers theatre workshops in which participants discover dramatic acting, improvisation and character creation.

Children learn to build stories collectively and develop their ability to express themselves in front of an audience.

The exercises may combine physical theatre, movement and circus-inspired techniques.

These activities complement circus training by giving more space to imagination and storytelling.

Activities for families

Hehkumahku also organizes workshops combining circus and theatre for young children accompanied by their parents.

These sessions allow participants to discover the performing arts through play, movement and expressive exercises.

They promote coordination and motor development while offering families a shared artistic activity.

Internships during the holidays

The association offers workshops for children, particularly focusing on clowning and humor.

Participants can create their own character, discover improvisation and produce small artistic pieces.

The workshops generally combine group games, physical expression and creative activities.

They allow children to discover different forms of performing arts in a setting accessible to beginners.

Training courses for adults and professionals

Hehkumahku also organizes training courses for adults.

Some are particularly suited to teachers, educators, facilitators and support professionals.

The clown is used as an educational tool to work on communication, creativity, the expression of emotions and relationships with others.

Training programs can also combine circus arts, physical theatre and stage performance.

A team of artists and educators

The association brings together professionals from several artistic disciplines.

Johanna Peltola , co-founder, is notably a teacher, sociologist, clown and circus performer.

The team also includes artists specializing in theatre, dance, acrobatics, clowning and show creation.

This diversity allows Hehkumahku to offer multidisciplinary workshops adapted to different audiences.

A school focused on creation and participation

Hehkumahku is not limited to organizing courses.

The association also produces shows, cultural events, entertainment and participatory projects.

Participants can thus discover the performing arts in different forms, from introductory workshops to collective creation.

This approach promotes encounters between disciplines and makes artistic practices accessible to a diverse audience.

Hehkumahku is distinguished by its itinerant approach, its teaching of circus associated with clowning and theatre, as well as by its pedagogy based on creativity, personal expression and the development of relational skills.