Kinder- und Jugendzirkus Wannabe eV

Kinder- und Jugendzirkus Wannabe eV is a non-profit circus for children and teenagers based in Neu-Isenburg , in the state of Hesse, near Frankfurt. The project offers young people a space where they can discover and practice circus arts in an atmosphere that emphasizes fun, creativity, movement, and community.

The name " Wannabe " refers to the question " What would you like to be? ". Clown, magician, juggler or simply an awestruck spectator: the project encourages children to try, experiment and discover what they enjoy without being subjected to a logic of competition or performance.

The circus's educational philosophy is based on three core values: courage , creativity , and community . Children should be able to try new things without pressure and gradually learn to overcome their fears.

The aim is, in particular, to develop self-confidence , courage , autonomy , and respect for others . The instructors patiently guide the children, providing technical guidance while allowing them sufficient freedom to develop their own initiatives.

Mistakes are considered a normal part of learning. Each child is welcomed with their strengths and difficulties and can progress according to their own abilities. This approach allows participants to discover circus arts without pressure to achieve a specific result .

Wannabe offers its members a variety of activities. Indoor training sessions allow for regular practice of circus techniques. Specific sessions are also dedicated to acrobatics , while the association's gatherings provide opportunities to practice, create, and share different circus activities.

The historical range of disciplines practiced by Wannabe is particularly diverse. It includes juggling, acrobatics, unicycling, clowning, stilt walking, and aerial disciplines such as silks. Depending on the projects and periods, other activities have also been integrated into the circus weeks and workshops.

The project also has a group dedicated to fire arts , the " Firebees ". It participates in certain local events with fire shows, thus complementing the circus activities offered by the association.

Stilts also feature prominently in Wannabe's outdoor performances. The circus's stilt walkers participate in various events and festivals in the region, including Christmas markets, neighborhood celebrations, and public events.

The children are therefore not only in a training context. Wannabe regularly participates in the cultural and community life of Neu-Isenburg and the surrounding towns with shows, activities and participatory circus workshops allowing the public to discover different disciplines.

The association can also work with schools and early childhood centers. These projects allow the association to use circus arts pedagogy outside its usual framework and to introduce circus activities to children who don't necessarily attend the circus during the year.

School holidays are another important time. Wannabe participates in summer activities organized with the town of Neu-Isenburg. Children can then spend several days immersed in a " Bright Circus World ," discovering different techniques and collectively experiencing circus arts.

Performances naturally form an important part of the project. The skills acquired during training and workshops can be transformed into acts presented to the public at events in which the association participates.

The circus also maintains an important link with its local area. Wannabe regularly participates in neighborhood festivals, World Children's Day events, and activities in Neu-Isenburg, Gravenbruch, Zeppelinheim, and the neighboring town of Langen.

The association is a member of LAG Zirkuskunst Hessen , the regional network bringing together various circus and circus education organizations in the state of Hesse. This membership in a professional network allows Wannabe to participate more broadly in the development of circus pedagogy.

Wannabe thus develops a concept of the circus in which success is not measured solely by the technical difficulty of an act. Learning to try, accepting mistakes, persevering, helping others, performing in front of an audience, and participating in a collective project are all integral parts of the experience offered to children and teenagers.

Through its regular training, acrobatic activities, shows, participatory events, school interventions and holiday activities, the Kinder- und Jugendzirkus Wannabe is today a place for practicing and discovering circus arts firmly established in Neu-Isenburg.