Indji Circus – Circus Workshop of the CEC d’Engis

Indji Circus is the historical name of the circus workshop developed in Engis by the Cultural Centre and then by the Centre for Expression and Creativity of Engis .

Created in 2000 , the workshop has been welcoming children and young people for over twenty-five years who wish to discover, practice and deepen their knowledge of the different disciplines of circus arts.

Today, circus activity is fully part of the programming of the Centre for Expression and Creativity of Engis , itself integrated into the Cultural Centre of Engis since January 2024 .

The CEC project is based on amateur expression and creativity. Participants therefore do not just come to learn techniques: they are encouraged to experiment , discover , create , express themselves and build projects individually and collectively.

Circummotor skills for the youngest children

For younger children, the discovery begins with circus-based activities. This workshop is aimed at children aged 5 to 7 and uses the world of the circus to progressively develop motor skills.

Through fun exercises adapted to their age, children work on their balance , coordination , confidence and relationship to movement .

Circus Workshop for ages 8 and up

From the age of 8 , children can join the Circus Workshop itself.

For the 2026-2027 season, two levels are offered: a beginners' group and an intermediate group. This structure allows us to take into account the experience already acquired by the participants and to offer a suitable progression.

The workshop is multidisciplinary . Young people are introduced to different families of circus techniques and can gradually delve deeper into those that best suit their interests.

The teaching method gives significant weight to each individual's pace . It is not about imposing the same progression on all participants, but about allowing them to develop according to their abilities, discoveries, and interests.

This approach aligns with the overall project of the Centre for Expression and Creativity: to use artistic practice as a space for experimentation and personal expression .

A supportive and stimulating environment

The environment is designed to be both supportive and stimulating . Learning circus arts allows participants to gradually confront new challenges, try again after a failure, and observe the progress made over the course of the sessions.

This practice thus contributes to the development of perseverance and self-confidence .

It also has an important collective dimension . Participants evolve within a group, observe others, share their discoveries and learn to build together.

Shows, outings and entertainment

The activity is not confined to weekly classes. The workshop regularly organizes shows , outings and various events .

These meetings allow young people to share what they have learned, to meet other practitioners and to discover the circus in contexts different from that of usual training.

Creating and presenting in front of an audience are therefore part of the experience offered to participants.

Circus arts in the cultural program of Engis

Circus also plays an important role in Engis' cultural programming. The Cultural Centre hosts circus performances and has been developing projects around circus and street arts for many years.

This dynamic is particularly visible with Les Tchafornis , an event dedicated to street arts which brings together circus, juggling, theatre, dance, magic, music and other artistic forms in public space.

Children attending the workshop thus develop in an environment where the circus is not only considered as a leisure activity, but also as a true artistic and cultural discipline .

Internships and projects during school holidays

The CEC also organizes workshops and projects during school holidays. Circus arts are regularly included in these offerings, sometimes alongside other disciplines such as visual arts, dance, sports, or music.

This openness to other artistic languages corresponds to the philosophy of the Centre for Expression and Creativity, which seeks to promote encounters between practices.

A circus arts learning center

Indji Circus is therefore not legally an independent circus school. It constitutes the circus arts learning hub of the CEC and the Engis Cultural Centre.

Its long history, the continuity of its courses, the presence of several levels, the circus skills, the shows and the projects developed around the circus nevertheless make it a true amateur learning structure .

With an activity that began in 2000 and is still present in the 2026-2027 program, Indji Circus is today one of the regular places for discovering and practicing circus arts in the town of Engis.