Kinderzirkus Robinson – Zurich Circus School

Kinderzirkus Robinson is a circus school located in the Allenmoos district, north of Zurich. Founded in 1960 , it is a historic institution for children's and teenagers' circus in Switzerland.

The school is run by a non-profit association established in 1992. Its project combines circus arts teaching , personal development , collective practice and artistic creation .

Kinderzirkus Robinson welcomes participants from early childhood and develops a particularly diverse educational offering, allowing everyone to discover the circus or to pursue a more intensive practice.

Early learning can begin as early as two and a half years old with parent-child classes, called Zirkusmix Eltern-Kind. These sessions allow toddlers to discover movement and circus disciplines in the company of a parent or a responsible adult.

Children can then join preschool groups , kindergarten classes, and then the different levels corresponding to their progression in the Swiss school system.

The teaching is based on a multidisciplinary approach. Participants discover, in particular, acrobatics, juggling, aerial silks, trapeze, tightrope walking and balance exercises on barrels.

The classes allow you to progressively develop coordination , flexibility , strength , balance , concentration and body awareness .

The teaching method emphasizes the enjoyment of practice and the discovery of one's own abilities, without imposing a performance-based approach on students in introductory courses.

The sessions are led by instructors with artistic and teaching skills. The groups are organized according to age in order to offer exercises adapted to each individual's abilities.

Children can showcase their learning to their families during performances or open training sessions .

For participants wishing to deepen their practice, Kinderzirkus Robinson also offers several specific artistic courses .

Robinson-Stage

The Robinson-Stage is aimed at children and teenagers aged 6 to 18 who wish to develop a more intensive practice and begin to specialize in certain disciplines.

The students follow a weekly training program combining acrobatics, performing arts and technical work in their chosen disciplines. They also participate in several public performances during the year.

Robinson-Together

The Robinson Ensemble is a more demanding artistic program, intended for particularly motivated young people aged 7 to 16 .

Participants train for approximately eight hours per week and can gradually specialize in three circus disciplines .

Each year the Ensemble prepares a full-fledged artistic production which is presented to the public as part of a tour .

This project also has an important family dimension , since parents actively participate in the running of the association and the organization of performances.

Robinson-Variety

Robinson-Varieté, on the other hand, is aimed at teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 21 who already have advanced experience in circus arts.

This program encourages autonomy , technical development , and personal artistic exploration .

Each year, participants undertake a creative project which can take the form of a show, a collaboration with a cultural institution, participation in a festival, or a performance in a public space.

These three stage programs allow Kinderzirkus Robinson to develop a true continuity between amateur discovery and in-depth artistic practice.

Internships and workshops

The school also organizes internships during Zurich school holidays.

Aimed particularly at children aged 6 to 12 , these courses allow them to discover different disciplines for a week, before choosing two specialties to explore further in small groups.

The week ends with a performance in front of family and friends.

Kinderzirkus Robinson also offers occasional workshops , group activities , entertainment and birthday parties centered around circus arts.

A conception of the circus as a development tool

Its operation is based on a conception of the circus as a tool for social and cultural development .

The school aims to enable children to gain self-confidence , develop their imagination and discover the possibilities of their bodies in a caring collective environment.

Participation in shows also promotes taking responsibility , cooperation and the discovery of the different stages necessary to the realization of an artistic production.

The association has its own place of activity in Zurich and has been contributing to the transmission of circus arts in the region for several generations.

With its history dating back to 1960 , its numerous weekly courses, internships and three stage training programs, Kinderzirkus Robinson constitutes an important structure for amateur circus education in Switzerland .