La Pequeña Nave – Escuela de Circo de León

La Pequeña Nave is a circus school and creative space located in the city of León, in Castile and León.

The project was created in March 2014 at the initiative of La Pequeña Victoria Cen and the association LEÓNESCIRCO.

It is the first space specifically dedicated to circus creation and training in the province of León.

La Pequeña Nave is an independent and self-managed project whose operation relies largely on the voluntary involvement of its members and supporters.

The space was designed as a meeting place for contemporary circus, dance and body arts.

The training

Training is one of its main activities.

The school welcomes children, teenagers and adults for regular courses and intensive workshops.

Aerial tissues

Aerial tissues occupy an important place in teaching.

They allow you to develop strength , coordination , mobility and body awareness while discovering the artistic possibilities of aerial work.

Acrobatics

Acrobatics is another major focus of the training.

It is practiced individually but also in collective forms.

Acrobatic lifts allow us to address trust , cooperation and relationships with partners .

Juggling and balancing

Juggling is also among the disciplines taught.

It helps to work on coordination, concentration, rhythm and creativity.

The balances complement this multidisciplinary training.

The audiences and the levels

Courses designed for children make particular use of play and experimentation as learning methods.

The goal is to allow participants to gradually discover the different techniques in a respectful and safe environment.

Teenagers can deepen their skills in several disciplines.

Adults also have access to courses and workshops adapted to different levels of practice.

Occasionally, family circus workshops allow children and adults to practice together.

La Pequeña Nave also hosts private lessons and one-off activities.

Intensive training courses are organized to further develop certain techniques.

The school thus seeks to offer different entry points into the practice of circus arts.

The collective dimension

Training is not limited to the acquisition of physical skills.

The collective dimension plays an important role in the project.

Students learn to work together, to help each other, and to create collaborative projects.

The practice also promotes autonomy and confidence .

Stage production

Stage production is the natural extension of learning.

The students regularly participate in group presentations and performances.

These creations make it possible to bring together different disciplines in a single artistic project.

Aerial silks, juggling, balancing and acrobatics can thus be combined within a common show.

La Pequeña Nave welcomes a particularly intergenerational audience.

The school's shows bring together both young practitioners and adults.

This diversity helps to create a local community around circus arts.

The training space and professional creation

The project is also developing a free training area.

People who already possess the necessary technical knowledge can use the facilities to continue their practice independently.

This option is particularly useful for experienced artists and practitioners looking for a space suitable for circus disciplines.

La Pequeña Nave also serves as a workplace for professional artists.

The space can be used for rehearsals and creative processes.

The proximity to La Pequeña Victoria Cen allows us to maintain a direct link with professional creation.

This circus-theatre company was founded in León in 2013.

Its artists possess diverse training and stage experience acquired in Spain and abroad.

Their work combines circus arts, juggling, clowning, acrobatics, theatre, dance, movement and music.

This professional experience directly informs the educational project developed at La Pequeña Nave.

The space has approximately 180 m2 of usable area.

Its height of approximately 7.5 m allows for the practice of aerial disciplines.

This configuration makes it a suitable place for classes, training sessions, and rehearsals.

A contemporary circus performer in León

La Pequeña Nave has been contributing to the development of contemporary circus in León since 2014.

She contributes to the creation of new audiences for circus and movement arts.

It allows people who might not otherwise have access to these practices to discover different disciplines.

The project also seeks to promote cultural autonomy and the involvement of participants in the life of the place.

Its associative model reinforces this collective dimension.

Students do not only attend an institution where they come to take a course.

They operate within a vibrant cultural space, developed and maintained by a community of practitioners, artists and supporters.

Collaborations

La Pequeña Nave also develops collaborations with various cultural and educational institutions in León.

The University of León notably hosts some of the school's public presentations.

These partnerships allow students to present their work in different contexts.

They also contribute to the visibility of contemporary circus in the city.

A landmark location

Over the years, La Pequeña Nave has become a reference place for circus practice in León.

• It allows children and teenagers to discover the circus arts.
• Adults can begin or continue a practice.
• More experienced students have an independent training area.
• Professional artists can also work there and develop their projects.

The coexistence of training, amateur practice, coaching, creation and associative life is thus one of the main characteristics of La Pequeña Nave.