KUFER u zraku – Circus School of Klub kulture

KUFER u zraku – Contemporary Circus Arts Training Program in Križevci

KUFER u zraku is a contemporary circus arts teaching and practice program developed by the Croatian cultural association KVARK in Križevci. Activities are organized within Klub kulture , an independent cultural center located in the Hrvatski dom building, in the heart of the city.

Launched in 2023 , this program aims to make circus arts techniques accessible to the local population and to foster the development of a community of practitioners. It offers informal artistic training, organized around regular workshops, meetings with professional artists, and creative projects.

Its name roughly means " KUFER in the air ," referring to its primary focus on aerial disciplines.

Regular training in aerial disciplines

The KUFER u zraku program is distinguished by the importance given to aerial acrobatics .

The association presents four main disciplines in its educational offering: aerial silks , trapeze , aerial hoop and rope .

These apparatuses allow the development of various physical and artistic skills, including strength , flexibility , coordination , balance and control of movement .

Aerial silks is an important specialty of the program. It allows participants to explore movements in suspension, holds, acrobatic positions and transitions between different figures.

The trapeze offers another approach to aerial work, using a suspended bar to perform balances, positions and acrobatic movements.

The aerial hoop promotes the search for figures and sequences on a circular apparatus, while the rope allows the development of specific climbing and suspension techniques.

The official curriculum presents these disciplines as the core of the educational activity. However, it does not specify that each one necessarily has its own separate weekly course.

A teaching method supervised by a specialist instructor

The regular workshops are notably led by Dijana Čeh Lončarić , presented as a certified aerial silk dance instructor.

She also participates in the operation of the KVARK association and in the coordination of cultural activities of Klub kulture.

The teaching combines technical learning and the discovery of contemporary circus .

Participants are encouraged to develop their physical abilities, deepen their mastery of the apparatus and explore different movement possibilities.

The structure also involves external artists and educators active in the contemporary circus sector.

These collaborations make it possible to offer specialized workshops and to discover other approaches to circus arts education.

The program is part of a non-degree training approach, open to amateur practice and the exchange of knowledge.

Juggling and object manipulation

The KVARK association does not limit its educational activity to aerial disciplines.

She also organizes juggling and object manipulation workshops, in connection with her general contemporary circus program.

The accessories mentioned in his teaching presentation include balls , clubs and hula hoops .

These practices help to develop coordination , precision , rhythm and concentration .

Juggling also occupies a historical place in the association's activities, which hosts the local group KUFER and organizes meetings with specialist speakers.

Participants can discover different manipulation techniques and explore the creative dimension of these disciplines.

These workshops help to present the circus as a set of complementary practices, rather than as an activity limited to aerial acrobatics.

Workshops dedicated to hula hooping

Hula hooping is one of the disciplines regularly featured by KVARK.

Since 2021 , the association has been organizing the Hoop dan event in partnership with Cirkultura .

This meeting brings together artists, educators, amateurs and people wishing to discover hoop manipulation techniques.

The workshops allow participants to approach the hula hoop as an accessory for juggling and artistic movement.

Participants can experiment with different rotations, trajectories and figures, combining body coordination and manipulation.

The event also helps to raise awareness of the history of the hula hoop and its uses in contemporary circus arts.

It promotes exchanges between amateur and professional practitioners, as well as the transmission of techniques and knowledge.

Hoop dan 2026: a day of discovery for families

The 2026 edition of Hoop dan took place on October 10 in Križevci, as part of Children's Week .

She offered two circus workshops: an introduction to aerial hoop, led by Jelena Kalaica , and a hula hoop workshop led by Tatjana Vuletić .

The activities were designed for children and adults, with special adaptations for school-aged children.

The two speakers belong to the Cirkultura association, based in Samobor.

They have received training in circus pedagogy from the French school Turbul and have several years of experience teaching children.

This collaboration illustrates KVARK's desire to involve qualified educators and to promote exchanges between circus associations.

The day also included a circus performance for children, presented in the main hall of the Hrvatski dom .

Clowns, juggling and acrobatics in the shows

The show presented at Hoop dan 2026 took the form of a children's circus cabaret .

He combined clown theatre , juggling and aerial acrobatics in several short and comic acts.

The announced artists were Matija Vuletić , Tatjana Vuletić , Jelena Kalaica and Sara Šipek , with Saša Lončarić on technical coordination.

The show relied on a non-verbal approach, making the acts accessible to a family audience.

This programming shows that the association is developing a complementary activity of disseminating circus arts .

However, it is important to distinguish between the disciplines presented on stage and those that are actually taught in regular classes.

A broader educational and cultural program

KVARK's circus activities are part of a cultural project dedicated to informal education , creativity and youth participation .

The association offers workshops that allow participants to address various social issues through artistic practice.

Its educational presentation specifically mentions communication , solidarity , gender equality and reflection on prejudices .

Circus exercises thus serve as a support for personal expression and collective exchanges .

The objective is to promote the development of artistic skills while encouraging cooperation and participation in cultural life.

This approach does not necessarily constitute a specialized social circus program in the therapeutic or medico-social sense, but it gives the workshops an educational and civic dimension.

Collaborations with the Croatian circus scene

KVARK maintains relationships with several organizations and collectives specializing in contemporary circus.

Its partners include Cirkultura , Cirkorama , Loop Cirkus , Tricycle Trauma and the Svilarice collective.

These collaborations take the form of workshops, shows, meetings and educational interventions.

They allow the population of Križevci to discover artists from other Croatian cities.

The association thus contributes to the circulation of knowledge and the development of circus arts outside of major urban centers.

The KUFER u zraku program plays an important role in this dynamic by offering regular local practice.

Klub kulture: a multi-purpose cultural venue

The activities are organised at Klub kulture , located at Trg Ivana Mažuranića 1 , in Križevci.

Opened in November 2005 , this cultural center is managed by the KVARK association.

It occupies approximately 200 m2 in the lower spaces of the Hrvatski dom building.

The venue includes a central hall with a stage, several adjoining spaces and technical equipment for cultural events.

It hosts concerts, exhibitions, theatrical performances, screenings, conferences and numerous workshops.

Circus activities therefore form part of a broader artistic program.

Klub kulture is not an independent circus school in the administrative sense, but it hosts a genuine, specialized, and regular educational program.

KUFER and the development of a circus community

The KUFER program is one of the association's historical initiatives in support of street arts and contemporary circus.

It combines juggling practice, artistic encounters, workshops and public presentations.

KUFER u zraku, launched in 2023 , complements this activity by developing aerial disciplines in particular.

The whole thing contributes to the creation of a local community of practitioners and artists .

The association also provides rehearsal spaces for groups and artistic projects, including those involved in juggling activities.

This continuity between practice, training and representation is one of the distinctive features of the structure.

A documented educational activity in October 2026

KVARK's circus activity is confirmed for 2026 .

On October 10th , the association organised Hoop dan , including aerial hoop and hula hoop workshops.

A new aerial silk dance workshop is announced for October 27, 2026 , with Sandra Dunaj , artist and educator specializing in aerial disciplines.

This session is dedicated to transitions between figures, the composition of sequences and choreographic research.

These events confirm that Klub kulture will continue to host circus-related educational activities in the fall of 2026.

The official website also presents KUFER u zraku as an annual program of weekly workshops.

However, the full schedule of regular classes for the 2026-2027 season has not been independently verified.

An amateur circus structure in Križevci

KUFER u zraku represents an interesting initiative for people wishing to practice contemporary circus arts in Križevci.

The program offers informal training primarily focused on aerial disciplines, supplemented by workshops in juggling, object manipulation, and other circus techniques.

Its operation combines regular learning, meetings with professional educators, collective creation and the dissemination of shows.

Through his collaborations with the Croatian circus scene, he helps to make circus arts accessible in a city located outside the main artistic hubs of the country.

The structure can be classified as an amateur circus program and informal arts education , organized by the KVARK association within the Klub kulture.