Kinder- & Jugendcircus Alfredo – Münster

The Kinder- & Jugendcircus Alfredo is an educational circus for children and teenagers, located in Münster , North Rhine-Westphalia.

History and development

Its story begins in 1986 when Thomas Egbers created Circus Alfredo as part of a youth project supported by a parish community.

In its early days, the project only brought together a small group of young people who trained in the basement of a parish center.

Participants then freely experiment with different circus techniques according to their desires, without yet having a real team of coaches.

The project grew rapidly and the first performances were organized at local festivals and events.

As early as 1987 , Circus Alfredo organized its first Christmas circus .

From 1989 onwards, professional artists were also invited to participate in these shows alongside the young people.

In the mid-1990s, training sessions were moved to a school gymnasium to support the development of the project.

Coaches gradually joined the structure from the late 1990s onwards and began to support the children in creating their various acts.

In 2005 , Circus Alfredo became independent from the parish community and formed an association under the name " Verein zur Förderung der Jugendarbeit in Münster, Kinder- & Jugendcircus Alfredo eV ".

The association is recognized as a public utility and as an independent youth support organization.

Audience and youth pathways

Today, Circus Alfredo welcomes children and teenagers aged 8 to 18 .

• New participants can join an introductory group designed to discover how the circus works and the different disciplines.
• After a trial period , they can continue their learning within the structure.
• Young people who have gained more experience can join the representation group .
• He trains several hours each week and regularly participates in shows and events.

The project thus distinguishes itself from a simple discovery workshop: the performance in front of the public constitutes a real component of the learning.

Circus disciplines

Circus Alfredo practices a wide variety of circus disciplines.

• Acrobatics allows young people to develop coordination, body control, strength and confidence.
• Juggling also plays an important role in learning.
• Young people can work on the trapeze and various balance disciplines.
• The circus notably uses large balance balls as well as the wire .
• Magic and illusion are also among the disciplines developed within the project.
• The clown complements this approach by introducing more play, expression and interaction with the audience.

Philosophy of the spectacle

Circus Alfredo promotes a concept of entertainment where children are truly the stars of the ring .

This philosophy gives particular importance to the human and collective dimension of the circus.

Beyond training

Young people don't just participate in training sessions.

Performances also involve a whole organization around setup, technique, travel and collective life.

Circus Alfredo notably has its own performance equipment, sound and lighting equipment as well as a real big top .

The association can therefore move around and temporarily transform different places into circus spaces with a ring and artists' entrance.

The group performs regularly at events in Münster and other cities.

In this way, young people gain real stage experience and gradually discover the different facets of circus life.

Collaboration with professional artists

The project also has a long tradition of collaboration with professional artists.

These encounters allow young people to interact with artists actually working in the circus sector and to broaden their perception of the different disciplines.

Child protection

The association also places great importance on the protection of children and adolescents .

• It has a person specifically in charge of child protection and a formalized prevention concept.
• The coaches commit to respecting a code of conduct .
• The association encourages their participation in training courses dedicated in particular to the prevention of violence.

Forty years of existence and a period of transition

In 2026 , Circus Alfredo celebrates forty years of existence .

This anniversary year is nevertheless marked by a significant difficulty concerning its infrastructure.

Training sessions therefore had to be reorganized across different sites.

• The performance group continues to train and perform, however.
• The introductory group, however, is currently experiencing a temporary interruption for organizational reasons.
• The traditional Hiltruper Weihnachtscircus also had to be cancelled in 2026 due to this real estate situation.
• The association is working to find a sustainable solution for 2027 .

An active structure despite the transition

Despite this transition period, the Kinder- & Jugendcircus Alfredo remains an active structure with forty years of experience in circus pedagogy and working with young people.

Its operation combines technical learning, creation of acts, public performances, collective life and empowerment of participants.

This continuity between training and real ring experience makes Circus Alfredo a particularly interesting structure in the landscape of educational circuses for children and teenagers in Germany.