Gato Ruim – Teatro Circo

Gato Ruim – Teatro Circo is an arts organization based in Loures, in the Lisbon region, that focuses its activities on circus arts and live performance. Its mission combines two complementary dimensions: the creation and presentation of professional shows on the one hand, and the transmission of circus skills to the public on the other. This close connection to artistic creation allows students to discover the circus in an environment directly linked to performance and the performing arts.

The school offers regular circus arts classes accessible to a wide range of participants, from children to adults. Participants are divided into groups according to their age and skill level to allow for progressive learning tailored to each individual's abilities. The classes are therefore suitable for both those new to circus arts and experienced practitioners wishing to continue and deepen their skills.

A significant portion of the curriculum is dedicated to aerial disciplines . Students can discover and develop techniques related to aerial acrobatics and aerial dance. These practices allow them to explore movement at height while developing body control, strength, flexibility, coordination, and the confidence necessary to perform various figures.

Floor acrobatics is also among the disciplines taught. It allows students to develop the fundamental physical skills essential to many circus arts: balance, mobility, coordination, muscle tone, body positioning, and spatial awareness. Technical instruction is progressive and includes exercises that allow each participant to better understand their body and its capabilities.

Beyond the acquisition of circus techniques, Gato Ruim's teaching places great emphasis on the artistic dimension . Circus is viewed as a means of expression and creation , and not simply as a series of technical performances. The classes thus encourage creativity, personal expression, autonomy, self-confidence, and the ability to collaborate effectively with others.

Teamwork also plays a significant role in the practice. Students learn in an environment where mutual support, active listening, and cooperation contribute to the learning process. This approach allows younger students, in particular, to discover circus arts in a fun and engaging way while developing their physical abilities, concentration, and interpersonal skills.

Presentation opportunities allow students to showcase the work they have completed during lessons. Preparing a presentation or performance then becomes a new stage in their learning: it allows them to discover how to structure an act, develop stage presence, and interact with the audience, while also giving a collective purpose to the work undertaken throughout the year.

Gato Ruim's training activities take place primarily at the Pavilhão Paz e Amizade de Loures , a facility located in the heart of the city. This location allows the organization to offer regular circus arts training to the local population and to contribute to the development of these disciplines in the Lisbon region.

Gato Ruim, however, is not limited to its educational activities. The organization also possesses a true identity as a theatre-circus company and develops original works for live performance. Its artistic universe draws on several disciplines and can combine circus with theatre, dance, and music. This professional activity of creation and performance naturally informs the work of teaching students.

This combination of school and company is one of the distinctive features of Gato Ruim. Those who take the courses develop in contact with a structure committed to contemporary creation and can thus discover different facets of circus arts: technical learning, physical expression, artistic research, collective creation and stage experience.

Gato Ruim – Teatro Circo thus contributes to making the practice of circus accessible to a wide audience in Loures, while participating in the presence and development of contemporary circus in the Lisbon region.