Kinder- und Jugendzirkus Paletti – Mannheim

The Kinder- und Jugendzirkus Paletti is a major circus school located in Mannheim , Baden-Württemberg . Founded in 1997 , it has become over the years one of the leading German institutions dedicated to circus education for children and young people.

Initially attached to the Mannheim municipal youth service, the project became an independent association recognized as being of public utility in 2004 .

Today, Paletti welcomes around 500 children, teenagers and young adults in its various activities.

An educational progression from early childhood to adolescence

The discovery of the circus can begin extremely early. The first groups, called Flohzirkus, welcome children from the age of one year .

The Minis groups then take over for children aged approximately 4 to 6 and a half .

From the age of 7 , the Minimax groups offer a truly multidisciplinary discovery of circus techniques.

Teenagers continue their progression with the Maxis groups, then Maximal for young people from 16 years old .

This organization allows for the construction of a pedagogical progression over many years, from an initial motor approach to the circus to a much more autonomous and specialized practice.

The subjects taught

In multidisciplinary groups, students begin by experimenting with several techniques before being able to select the disciplines they wish to explore in greater depth.

• Ground acrobatics is one of the foundations of the teaching.
• Balances are addressed on different apparatus, including the tightrope , the balance ball and the rola-bola .
• Juggling and diabolo also play an important role in learning.
• Aerial arts are represented by several apparatus, including the trapeze , the aerial hoop and the vertical silks .
• Students can also discover the Chinese pole .
• The unicycle and the large unicycle help to develop balance, coordination and control of movements.
• Rotating plates and various forms of object manipulation complement this significant technical diversity.

A teaching method that goes beyond technical learning

Training sessions are not exclusively dedicated to learning tricks.

• Muscle strengthening , flexibility and body conditioning exercises accompany the students' progress.
• Theatre , presentation games and stage presence are also part of the pedagogy.

Indeed, Paletti gives great importance to creation and performance before an audience .

The regular groups present the results of their work each year in March under the association's big top .

Artistic ensembles

For young people wishing to take their practice much further, Paletti has several artistic ensembles .

• The Palettinis bring together children aged 11 to 14 .
• The Palettis are aimed at teenagers aged 14 to 18 .
• Pananomalie is the set intended for young adults.

Unlike the weekly discovery groups, these ensembles work one to four times a week and participate directly in the creation of the annual shows .

Entry into these groups therefore requires prior experience and is carried out in consultation with the teaching team.

This organization allows some young people to practice circus arts for many years and to gradually evolve from a leisure activity to a genuine artistic approach .

Internships and activities during the holidays

Paletti also develops a significant business during school holidays .

The courses allow children to discover in a few days the main families of the circus: tightrope walking, juggling, diabolo, human pyramids, unicycle, trapeze and different forms of acrobatics.

Parent-child circus days also allow families to practice together.

An inclusive dimension developed

The association also has a particularly well-developed inclusive dimension.

Since 2019 , the Zirklusiv project has brought together in the same training children and adolescents with different abilities, social and cultural backgrounds, including young people with physical or mental disabilities .

The teaching methods are adapted so that everyone can participate, progress and develop their potential without a competitive mindset .

A Zirklusiv Minis group specifically welcomes children aged 6 to 12 years with and without disabilities.

This inclusive approach relies in particular on adapted circus and body-based teaching methods.

Social projects in Mannheim

Paletti is also leading several social projects in Mannheim.

• The organization works particularly with young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds in the Neckarstadt-West district.
• Cooperation with the school for sick children at the hospital also makes it possible to use circus pedagogy with young people facing health problems.
• The association also develops projects with schools and kindergartens in Mannheim and the Rhine-Neckar region.

A pedagogy that fosters human skills

Paletti's pedagogy views the circus as a tool for developing much more than just technical skills.

The gradual learning of disciplines promotes self-confidence , creativity , perseverance , resilience and the ability to work with others .

The collective creation of shows particularly strengthens cooperation and responsibility within the group.

A website entirely dedicated to circus arts

The organization has its own dedicated circus site in the Sportpark Mannheim Pfeifferswörth .

It includes training areas and big tops allowing students to practice in an environment entirely dedicated to circus arts.

The very high demand testifies to the importance Paletti has taken in Mannheim: access to weekly courses currently operates with a waiting list of up to two to three years .

In addition to activities for children and teenagers, Paletti also offers open training aimed primarily at adults and young people from 16 years old .

With nearly thirty years of existence , several hundred practitioners, a pedagogical progression from early childhood to creative ensembles, a wide diversity of disciplines and a significant social and inclusive commitment, the Kinder- und Jugendzirkus Paletti is today one of the major structures of circus pedagogy in Mannheim and the Rhine-Neckar region.