Escuela de Circo Santiago Uno – Salamanca

The Escuela de Circo Santiago Uno is a socio-educational circus project located in Salamanca , Castile and León .

It is part of Casa Escuela Santiago Uno , an educational and social structure developing numerous programs aimed particularly at young people in vulnerable situations .

The circus is used there as a tool for training , artistic expression , personal development and social integration .

The circus school is part of Santiago Uno's non-formal education program.

It is associated with, among other things, a theatre and puppet school, a film school, artistic workshops, sports activities and various training and integration projects.

This diversity allows artistic practice to be placed at the heart of a much broader educational project.

Circus activities allow young people to discover different forms of expression and develop new skills .

Juggling is one of the techniques that are regularly used.

Stilts are also featured in the school's shows and parades.

Working together allows us to create productions that combine circus , music , theatre and visual arts .

Young people regularly participate in public performances .

These shows form an important part of the educational project.

They allow participants to present their work to an audience and to participate directly in local cultural life .

The street performances include stilt walkers, jugglers, musicians and large puppets.

The school also develops creations in which the circus is associated with fire and street arts .

The annual Barcos de Fuego show is one of the iconic events of Santiago Uno.

This event takes place in different areas of Salamanca and on the banks of the Tormes river.

The show combines artistic expression, circus arts, and collective participation.

The social dimension of the circus

Circus practice here has a particularly important social dimension.

Santiago Uno works primarily with young people who have experienced difficult personal or social situations.

The project aims to promote their social and professional integration .

The circus then becomes a means of acquiring skills that go far beyond learning an artistic discipline.

• Young people learn to work in groups .
• They participate in the preparation of joint projects .
• The shows allow them to take on responsibilities and to participate in a collective endeavor.

Artistic practice also helps to enhance their abilities and achievements.

The school seeks to enable participants to discover their abilities and develop their confidence .

Towards socio-professional integration

The circus can also contribute to the acquisition of professional skills .

Santiago Uno explicitly presents his circus school as a way to promote the acquisition of professional skills among young people at risk of exclusion .

The project is therefore directly aligned with the socio-professional integration objectives of the structure.

La Casa Escuela is simultaneously developing vocational training programs and various support mechanisms for employment.

The circus school complements these systems with an artistic and experiential approach.

It allows some young people to discover skills related to performance, animation and creation.

An open conception of inclusion

Santiago Uno also develops an open conception of inclusion .

The organization works with social services and child protection systems.

In particular, it provides support to people who are in a situation of, or at risk of, social exclusion.

The diversity of personal backgrounds is considered an asset for the educational community.

The school also maintains links with other social actors in Salamanca.

Steps have been taken with the Salamanca Centre for the Recovery of People with Physical Disabilities to promote the participation of its users in the activities offered by Santiago Uno, including the circus school.

Santiago Uno's artistic project thus has a strong community dimension.

Public performances provide an opportunity for interaction between young people from the school and local residents.

They also help to change the way we view young people facing vulnerable situations.

The creations highlight their artistic abilities, their commitment and their progress.

A genuine social circus project

The Escuela de Circo Santiago Uno is therefore less a traditional leisure school than a genuine social circus project .

Circus arts practice is integrated into a comprehensive educational support program .

It simultaneously serves education, artistic expression, autonomy, socialization and integration.

This combination of circus and social support makes Santiago Uno a particularly original initiative in the landscape of Spanish circus schools.