Kinder- und Jugendzirkus Tasifan – Weimar Circus School

The Kinder- und Jugendzirkus Tasifan is a circus school for children and teenagers located in Weimar , Thuringia, Germany. Run by the Kindervereinigung Weimar eV association, this educational and artistic project develops an approach to circus arts based on creativity , youth participation , inclusion , and the collective discovery of circus arts.

Tasifan is much more than just a place for technical learning. The association aims to offer children and teenagers a space where they can experiment , invent , create stories, make costumes, prepare shows and develop their own personalities.

The school organizes a regular course season each year, following the German school calendar. Its program includes multidisciplinary instruction for younger students as well as specialized workshops that allow for the progressive development of various circus techniques.

The subjects taught

Introduction to and juggling

The introductory courses offer an introduction to juggling , acrobatics , unicycling , balancing on objects , and numerous group activities. They allow children to develop their coordination, concentration, and confidence while discovering the different branches of circus arts.

Aerial disciplines

Tasifan also places great importance on aerial disciplines . Students can practice trapeze , aerial silks , rope , and aerial hoop .

The trapeze

Trapeze workshops are offered to different age groups, starting from eight years old . Participants gradually learn positions, figures, and techniques for suspension and swinging. They can also work in pairs and create short choreographies accompanied by music.

Aerial fabric

Aerial silks is taught in several groups adapted to the students' ages. Instruction includes climbing techniques, suspended figures, wraps, and various aerial sequences. More experienced practitioners can also explore partner figures .

A workshop dedicated to aerial arts allows teenagers from the age of twelve to discover or deepen their knowledge of several apparatus within the same course.

Acrobatics and parkour

Acrobatics plays a central role in the educational program. It is taught on the ground and on various equipment, including the trampoline , and can be combined with balance and coordination exercises.

Parkour complements this approach by offering a more dynamic workout focused on movement, overcoming obstacles, and body control.

Unicycle and clowning

The school also develops workshops dedicated to unicycling , allowing young people to discover the practice on one wheel and progress towards different tricks.

Clowning is another important dimension of the project. Children and teenagers can explore physical expression, emotions, improvisation, characters, and the creation of comedic acts.

Ensembles of young artists

Tasifan also has several groups of young artists who collectively prepare shows, performances, and public interventions. These groups are aimed particularly at participants who already have several years of circus experience and wish to become more involved in the creative process.

A participatory approach

One of Tasifan's distinctive features lies in its participatory approach . Children are not simply considered as students who reproduce the techniques taught: they take part in the construction of projects, invent their own acts and participate in the various stages of preparing the shows.

The association thus encourages imagination , initiative , cooperation and autonomy .

Practice locations

Tasifan has several practice locations in Weimar, including an outdoor space with a marquee at Papiergraben and a converted former industrial hall, the Schwungfabrik , whose height allows, in particular, the installation of aerial apparatus.

The traveling circus

Another important feature is its traveling circus , which moves to different districts of Weimar as well as other municipalities in Thuringia and beyond.

Thanks to its circus bus , the team transports educational materials directly to schools, gymnasiums, youth centers and partner organizations.

These interventions allow participants to discover juggling, diabolo, unicycle, balancing, acrobatics and sometimes clowning, without necessarily having to enroll in a permanent school.

Traveling projects take different forms:

• introductory courses lasting a few days
• circus weeks
• holiday internships
• collective creations

Children can choose the disciplines they wish to explore further and prepare a performance that will be presented at a final show in front of their families and loved ones.

Accessibility and social engagement

Tasifan pays particular attention to the social accessibility of its activities. Its mobile projects are open to young people regardless of their origin, family situation or social environment.

The association works in particular with:

• schools
• socio-cultural centers
• facilities that accommodate people with disabilities
• organizations that support refugee families

It also offers free workshops in certain neighborhoods to allow children to discover the circus without financial barriers.

Transmission and training

Finally, transmission plays an important role in the school's operation. Tasifan participates in the training of young assistants and future circus instructors, allowing them to gradually discover the responsibilities associated with educational supervision.

Events and festivals

In addition to its regular classes, the organization hosts numerous events and festivals. The Festival der Möglichkeiten, in particular, brings together teenagers for artistic workshops, performances, and multidisciplinary encounters.

A complete transmission structure

With its permanent school, its ensembles of young artists, its big top, its training spaces and its touring projects, Tasifan constitutes a complete structure for the transmission of circus arts .

His project is distinguished by a pedagogy that combines technical learning , artistic creation , social engagement and active participation of children and adolescents in the life of the circus.