Fratellini Academy

Fratellini Academy

The Fratellini Academy is one of the major French centers dedicated to contemporary circus arts. Located in La Plaine Saint-Denis, in Seine-Saint-Denis, in the immediate vicinity of the Stade de France, it brings together on one site a higher school of circus arts, a Centre for Apprenticeship Training (CFA), an amateur circus school, a center for the creation and dissemination of shows as well as numerous cultural and educational activities.

The Fratellini Academy occupies a unique place in the landscape of circus schools: its higher education is based on apprenticeship and work-study programs . Student artists are therefore also apprentices who, during their training, encounter the professional realities of the circus artist's profession.

But the Academy is not just for future professionals. Children from the age of 5 , teenagers, adults and families can also discover or further develop their circus skills through its amateur school.

A school that is the heir to Annie Fratellini and Pierre Étaix

The history of the Fratellini Academy is closely linked to that of the revival of the French circus.

In 1974, Annie Fratellini and Pierre Étaix created the National Circus School. Their approach was particularly innovative at the time.

Until this period, circus training was still largely based on family tradition. Techniques were passed down from one generation of artists to the next within circus families.

Annie Fratellini, on the contrary, argues that circus arts should be accessible to anyone motivated by this practice, whether or not they come from a circus background.

The school is therefore opening the door to new profiles and is participating in a real transformation of circus education in France.

The approach developed is not limited to technical learning. Annie Fratellini notably combines music and dramaturgy with circus disciplines, thus contributing to the development of what will gradually become contemporary circus.

As early as 1975, the students participated in their first show presented at the Avignon Festival.

Over the following decades, the school supported many artists and contributed to the emergence of a new generation of creators.

After Annie Fratellini's death in 1997, a new project was gradually conceived to continue this adventure.

The current Fratellini Academy was inaugurated in 2003 in La Plaine Saint-Denis.

It therefore combines a higher education institution, organized around an Apprenticeship Training Centre, and a centre dedicated to the creation and dissemination of contemporary circus.

A higher education institution operating like a vocational training center

One of the great features of the Fratellini Academy is its Apprenticeship Training Centre dedicated to circus arts.

Students admitted to higher education have the status of apprentices.

The principle is to alternate artistic and technical instruction with genuine periods of professional experience.

This organization allows future artists not to learn solely in a training studio: they also discover creation, rehearsals, putting together a show, the stage, tours and above all, the confrontation with the public.

The training is free for the apprentice under the apprenticeship contract and the apprentice receives remuneration, the amount of which depends in particular on his age, his training cycle, his seniority in the apprenticeship and the minimum wage.

This professional immersion is one of the major characteristics of the educational project of the Fratellini Academy.

The National Higher Professional Diploma for Circus Artists

The higher school prepares students for the National Higher Professional Diploma for Circus Artists (DNSP AC).

The training program lasts three years and admission is based on a competitive exam.

The DNSP for circus artists is a level 6 diploma, corresponding to a Bac+3 level and conferring the degree of a bachelor's degree.

The course represents 180 ECTS credits.

The apprentices divide their training between:

• approximately 60% of teaching;
• approximately 40% of professional time.

The goal is to train artists capable of mastering a circus specialty while developing a true artistic personality.

A training program directly related to the profession of artist

Professional time plays an essential role in training.

During their training, apprentices may be required to:

• to perform in shows produced by the Fratellini Academy;
• work under the direction of professional artists;
• participate in creative projects;
• to perform in front of different audiences;
• participate in tours;
• to participate in cultural and educational activities;
• participate in performances and events;
• discover the technical workings of a production;
• participate in assembly and disassembly;
• participate in studio operations under the supervision of professionals;
• to be made available to companies in certain professional situations.

This organization allows the student to be progressively exposed to the different realities of their future profession.

The disciplines taught in higher education

The Fratellini Academy allows future artists to develop numerous circus specialties. Among the disciplines studied are:

• Acrobatics : floor acrobatics; acrobatic lifts; trampoline; physical preparation.
• Balance : balance on the ground; balance on objects; balance sticks; chairs; free ladder; Washington trapeze; unicycle.
• Aerial disciplines : fixed trapeze; aerial silks; smooth rope; flying rope; aerial straps; aerial frame; aerial hoop.
• Balance on wire : hard wire; soft wire.
• Juggling and manipulation : juggling; manipulation of objects.
• Wheels : Cyr wheel; German wheel.
• Clowning arts : clowning and research around clowning games.

Depending on the projects and routes, other equipment and techniques may naturally be encountered.

An artistic education that goes beyond technique

Becoming a circus artist is not just about achieving a high technical level in a discipline.

The Fratellini Academy's training therefore also includes several fundamental courses:

• physical preparation;
• acrobatics;
• balance ;
• trampoline;
• movement and dance;
• games and theatre.

The apprentices also explore different dimensions of playwriting:

• writing;
• dramaturgy;
• musical dramaturgy;
• scenography;
• light ;
• suit ;
• work centered around the object.

The training also includes a cultural and theoretical dimension, notably:

• history of the circus;
• aesthetic ;
• critical analysis of the shows;
• final written project.

The future circus performer is thus considered an interpreting and creative artist, and not simply a technician of his discipline.

Pre-apprenticeship

The Fratellini Academy also offers a pre-apprenticeship program.

This program is particularly relevant for young people identified during auditions who possess significant artistic, physical and acrobatic potential, but whose level still needs to be strengthened before entering higher education.

The process lasts approximately eight months.

The young people benefit from a professional training contract, with a program of approximately 30 hours per week.

The training aims in particular to:

• strengthen the circus specialty;
• improve physical preparation;
• develop acrobatic fundamentals;
• work on balance;
• develop movement and dance;
• to bring out an artistic personality;
• to work on writing and dramaturgy;
• to gain experience on the track and in front of an audience;
• prepare for entrance exam tests;
• construct and present an act.

Pre-apprenticeship can thus constitute a step between already advanced circus practice and entry into a higher school.

Training for the State Diploma of Circus Teacher

The Fratellini Academy also participates in the training leading to the State Diploma for Circus Teachers (DE).

This is a level 6 diploma from the Ministry of Culture, equivalent to a Bac+3 degree, registered in the National Directory of Professional Certifications.

The awarding of the diploma is jointly organized by three major circus arts education institutions:

• the National Centre for Circus Arts (CNAC);
• the National Circus Arts School of Rosny-sous-Bois (ENACR);
• the higher school of circus arts of the Fratellini Academy.

The diploma can be prepared or obtained through different pathways, including initial training, continuing education and Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE).

This activity also makes the Academy a training ground for those who wish to teach circus arts professionally.

An amateur circus school accessible from age 5

Alongside the higher education institution, the Fratellini Academy has a large amateur circus school.

It welcomes children from the age of 5, but also teenagers and adults.

No prerequisites are necessary to begin.

The objective may simply be to discover the circus, to practice an artistic and physical activity or, for more experienced practitioners, to progress towards an advanced practice.

The courses are taught by professional instructors.

Learning is organized around the major families of circus disciplines and also gives an important place to the values of sharing, solidarity and responsibility.

Circus classes for children

The youngest children gradually discover their bodies, space and movement through an adapted and playful teaching method.

As they grow older, children can delve deeper into the fundamentals of the main disciplines.

They can, in particular, practice:

• ground acrobatics;
• trampoline;
• handstand;
• trapeze;
• aerial fabric;
• juggling;
• object manipulation;
• thread ;
• balance on objects.

For teenagers, some courses then allow them to choose a discipline and further develop technique, but also creativity, rhythm, improvisation and artistic research.

Adult classes

Adults can also discover or deepen their knowledge of different disciplines.

The offer includes courses in:

• multidisciplinary circus;
• acrobatics;
• thread ;
• fixed trapeze;
• other aerial apparatus;
• juggling and object manipulation.

Some courses are aimed at beginners while others allow for a more in-depth practice.

Amateur practice is not solely about performance. Coordination, creativity, rhythm, body awareness, balance, and the pleasure of practicing together play an important role.

Circus workshops and courses

In addition to regular courses, the Academy organizes internships and workshops.

They allow you to discover a discipline, to practice more intensely for a few days or to deepen your understanding of a particular technique.

Multidisciplinary internships may take place alongside workshops dedicated to specific disciplines such as:

• juggling;
• dance ;
• smooth rope;
• acrobatics;
• aerial disciplines;
• other circus techniques depending on the program.

Activities are organized for both young people and adults.

Circus activities to enjoy as a family

The Academy also develops proposals to share the practice between generations.

Activities like Family on the Track allow children and adults to practice together.

This approach is particularly well aligned with the values of transmission that have accompanied the history of the Fratellini Academy since its origins.

A place for the creation and dissemination of contemporary circus

The Fratellini Academy is not just an educational institution.

It also serves as a hub for the creation, production and distribution of contemporary circus performances.

Professional artists are invited to work with apprentices and create new pieces.

Students thus discover in concrete terms all the stages of a professional creation: research, rehearsals, writing, staging, technique, performance and touring.

The Academy also hosts companies and artists in residence.

This constant proximity between teaching and creation is one of the great characteristics of the place.

Shows created with the apprentices

The productions constitute an integral component of the curriculum.

Each season, artists are invited to create forms with apprentices intended for different contexts.

Some creations are designed for young audiences, while others are intended for public spaces.

From their first year, apprentices can thus participate in a creation intended to be performed outside of traditional performance venues and go on tour.

The future artist therefore learns to adapt their practice to different spaces, devices and audiences.

A program open to the public

Throughout the year, the Fratellini Academy also offers a program allowing the public to discover different forms of contemporary circus.

The school thus becomes simultaneously:

• a place of learning;
• a training place;
• a place of creation;
• a place of residence;
• a performance venue;
• a meeting place between artists and audiences.

This coexistence between teaching and programming allows amateur students to regularly discover the work of professional artists and apprentices to remain constantly confronted with the reality of live performance.

Cultural initiatives to make the circus accessible

The Fratellini Academy develops numerous artistic and cultural activities.

These projects generally combine the practice of circus arts with a broader exploration of live performance:

• practical workshops;
• career discovery;
• site visits;
• meetings;
• shows;
• cultural mediation.

The goal is to allow very different audiences to discover contemporary circus, including people who would not spontaneously have access to this type of practice or show.

Interventions in schools

The educational activities concern schools from kindergarten to higher education.

The Academy works in particular with schools, colleges and high schools in Seine-Saint-Denis.

Some projects combine several hours of circus practice, cultural outings, shows and mediation sessions.

Students can thus discover disciplines such as acrobatics, tightrope walking, Chinese pole or other circus practices while developing their understanding of artistic creation.

Social and inclusive projects

The Academy's activities extend far beyond the school environment.

Projects are also built with:

• socio-cultural structures;
• medical facilities;
• specialized establishments;
• prison structures;
• various community and social actors.

For example, the Academy has been running circus workshops for many years aimed at autistic children and teenagers accompanied by specialized structures.

The circus then becomes a tool for discovery, expression, motor skills, relationships with others, and cultural openness.

A training space for professional artists

The Fratellini Academy also makes some of its spaces available to professional or aspiring circus artists for free training, depending on site availability and under certain conditions.

This opportunity helps to make the Academy a true living space for the circus community.

Professionals, apprentices, artists in residence, amateur students and teachers can thus frequent the same site, each within the framework of their practice.

An internationally oriented school

The higher education institution welcomes young artists from different countries.

It also benefits from the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education 2021-2027, which notably promotes the mobility of students and staff.

This international dimension contributes to the exchanges between the different traditions and contemporary approaches to the circus.

Who is the Fratellini Academy for?

Thanks to the diversity of its activities, the Fratellini Academy can reach very different audiences:

• children wishing to discover the circus from the age of 5;
• teenagers practicing circus arts;
• adult beginners;
• experienced amateurs;
• families wishing to practice together;
• young circus performers considering a professional career;
• candidates for higher circus schools;
• future professional artists;
• artists wishing to prepare for the DNSP (National Higher Professional Diploma) for circus artists;
• professionals wishing to obtain the DE of circus teacher;
• artists and companies in creation;
• professional artists seeking a training location;
• schools;
• social, medical and cultural structures;
• spectators wishing to discover contemporary circus.

A special place in the history of circus schools

The Fratellini Academy occupies a unique place in the history of the French circus.

The school, founded in 1974 by Annie Fratellini and Pierre Étaix, participated in a major transformation: making circus training accessible to people who do not necessarily come from circus families.

Nearly half a century later, this legacy continues through a structure that combines amateur practice, higher education, learning, creation, dissemination, cultural action and professionalization.

The Fratellini Academy thus particularly represents the evolution of contemporary circus: an art in which technical mastery remains fundamental, but is combined with writing, theatre, dance, dramaturgy and artistic research.

Practical information

Fratellini Academy

1 Cheminots Street 93210 La Plaine Saint-Denis Seine-Saint-Denis (93) France

Telephone: 01 49 46 00 00

Website: https://www.academie-fratellini.com/

The Academy is located in La Plaine Saint-Denis, near the Stade de France.

Course schedules, registration periods, internships, workshops, admission requirements for higher education programs and competition procedures may change from one season to another; it is advisable to consult the official Fratellini Academy website directly for up-to-date information.

The Fratellini Academy in summary

The Fratellini Academy is much more than a circus school.

It is simultaneously a higher education institution, an Apprenticeship Training Centre, an amateur school, a creative centre, a producer and distributor of shows and an important player in cultural action around contemporary circus.

Its higher education institution has a remarkable feature: future artists prepare for their diploma through an apprenticeship. They are paid and alternate between teaching and real professional experience, notably through the creation and performance of shows for different audiences.

The institution prepares students for the National Higher Professional Diploma for circus artists, a Bac+3 level diploma conferring the degree of Bachelor, and also participates in the awarding of the State Diploma for circus teachers.

For enthusiasts, the Academy welcomes children from 5 years old, teenagers, adults and families around disciplines as varied as juggling, acrobatics, trapeze, silks, wire, balancing or object manipulation.

From the child discovering their first circus discipline to the future professional artist, from the circus teacher to the artist in residence, the Fratellini Academy brings together on one site a large part of the contemporary circus ecosystem.