FLIC Scuola di Circo – Torino

FLIC Scuola di Circo is a leading contemporary circus school based in Turin, Piedmont. Founded in 2002, it is a project of the Reale Società Ginnastica di Torino , a historic institution dedicated to physical and artistic practice.

FLIC occupies a special place in the history of contemporary Italian circus since it is presented as the first professional development school dedicated to contemporary circus created in the country.

Since its founding, the school has developed around several complementary missions: professional training of future artists, amateur teaching for the general public, creation and dissemination of shows , hosting of artists and companies as well as cultural development of contemporary circus.

FLIC is now recognized nationally and internationally. In particular, it is a member of FEDEC, an international network bringing together the main professional training structures for circus arts.

Its activity also benefits from the support of the Italian Ministry of Culture , the Piedmont Region , the Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and the City of Turin .

One of FLIC's distinctive features is that it offers courses within the same structure that correspond to extremely different levels and objectives.

Children can discover circus arts in a fun way, while teenagers and adults practice as amateurs. At the other end of the spectrum, young artists seeking professional training undergo several years of intensive instruction.

Activities for children

Children's activities begin with Baby Circo . This program has been specially designed to allow the youngest children to discover the world of the circus through juggling , balance , and various activities that promote their motor and emotional development.

Older children can continue with Circo Ginnastica classes. Juggling, balance and acrobatics then become tools to develop coordination, body control and enjoyment of movement.

FLIC also offers a wide range of aerial acrobatics for children. Youngsters can discover aerial silks , trapeze , and aerial hoop .

The gradual learning of these disciplines develops concentration, coordination, balance, and strength. Students can then present the results of their work to the public during the end-of-year shows .

Teenagers: Junior Cop

For teenagers, FLIC Junior is the natural continuation of courses designed for children.

Young people delve deeper into different circus disciplines while continuing to practice in an environment where fun , individual progress and group dynamics remain essential.

Activities may include juggling, aerial acrobatics, duo acrobatics and various forms of balance.

Stage experience is part of this training. Teenagers can present their creations in front of a real audience during the show organized at the end of the year.

The amateur offering for adults

The school also has an amateur program for adults.

FLIC Amatoriale allows participants to practice circus arts as a physical and artistic activity without the goal of professionalization. The teaching aims to develop body awareness, creativity, imagination, self-confidence, and trust in partners.

Aerial disciplines and the Chinese pole are among those included in this offering.

Specific courses also allow for a deeper exploration of certain techniques.

Floor acrobatics is taught in spaces equipped with trampolines, AirTrack, and PowerTrack. Participants can work on both the basics of pre-acrobatics and more complex movements.

FLIC also offers instruction focused on verticals . Work on hand balances combines strength, flexibility, and coordination, and can gradually lead to learning one-arm figures.

This significant amateur offering allows FLIC to be not only a recognized professional school but also a true circus school accessible to the population of Turin.

Professional training

The other major component of the structure is its professional training.

The professional pathways are primarily aimed at young people aged 16 to 30 who wish to build a career in contemporary circus.

The training aims to provide a particularly solid technical foundation while progressively developing each student's unique artistic identity.

The core subjects include physical preparation, floor acrobatics, trampoline, verticals, acrodance, classical and contemporary dance, acting and theatre.

Each student simultaneously deepens their knowledge of a specialized circus discipline.

The Upgrade Year

The course can begin with a Levelling year intended in particular for young people wishing to acquire the necessary basics before entering a specialized professional course.

This year represents a particularly large volume of teaching, with approximately 1,300 to 1,400 hours of training between October and June.

The main career path

The main professional path then continues with a cycle allowing for progressive development of technique, stage presence and artistic research.

The first year consolidates the various physical and artistic foundations while allowing students to gradually choose the specialty they will then deepen.

The second year gives more space to personal research around the chosen apparatus or discipline.

FLIC also offers a program for artists wishing to continue their research after this initial training and develop an individual artistic project.

Vocational training therefore does not only seek to produce technicians capable of executing complex figures.

Significant emphasis is placed on creation , movement , theatre , dance and the ability to transform a circus technique into a personal artistic language.

The stage and partnerships

Students are regularly exposed to the stage and the public.

The " Circo in Pillole – prove d'artista " program is, in particular, a laboratory in which students work with professional directors to create and present original artistic forms.

Group performances and individual presentations also allow students to test their research in front of a real audience.

FLIC is also developing partnerships with various contemporary circus festivals, allowing some students to present their creations in professional contexts.

The school also hosts artists and companies in residence and organizes a program of shows and events dedicated to contemporary circus.

Advanced training courses

Advanced training courses are offered to amateurs, students and professionals in the performing arts.

These training courses are supervised by FLIC trainers as well as teachers from other major European schools, contemporary circus artists and international dancers.

Interventions in schools

FLIC also intervenes directly in primary and secondary schools.

These projects use circus techniques as educational tools to develop artistic skills, expression, cooperation and socialization.

The pedagogy then focuses on values such as solidarity , respect and trust and uses collective work as a means of promoting the integration of young people.

The spaces of FLIC in Turin

FLIC has two important locations in Turin.

Entirely dedicated to circus arts, this space hosts professional training, workshops, artistic residencies and performances.

It can be transformed into a true performance hall thanks to its stage and lighting equipment.

A major structure of contemporary Italian circus

More than twenty years after its creation, FLIC has become a major structure in contemporary Italian circus.

Its unique feature is to bring together in a single project the discovery of circus arts from childhood, amateur practice, intensive professional training, artistic research, creation, performance and support for artists.

For a directory dedicated to European circus schools, FLIC represents an essential structure, both for Turin families looking for courses and for young people wishing to pursue a professional career in contemporary circus.