Ludica Circo – School of Circo

Ludica Circo is a school and contemporary circus collective based in Valpolicella, in the province of Verona, in Veneto.

The project was founded in 2010 by Stefania Garaccioni , also known by her stage name Ermione .

Circus artist, director and educator, Stefania Garaccioni provides artistic and educational direction for the school.

She is a graduate of the FLIC – Scuola di Circo in Turin and has a particularly rich background combining circus arts, pedagogy, social sciences, theatre, dance and body practices.

She notably trained in social circus with Cirque du Soleil .

Ludica Circo was born with the support of the Hermete social cooperative and has gradually developed as a project bringing together artists and teachers.

The structure views contemporary circus as a meeting space between physical practice, artistic expression and personal development.

His teaching is therefore not based solely on learning technical figures.

The body is the starting point for a broader work around self-awareness and relationships with others .

Ludica Circo seeks to create spaces in which participants can experiment, play, create and develop their own artistic language.

Creativity and play thus occupy a fundamental place in his pedagogy.

A school for children from the age of three

The school welcomes children from the age of three .

The youngest children gradually discover circus arts through an approach adapted to their motor development.

The team has specific experience in circomotricity and piccolo circo.

Children can then continue in multidisciplinary circus classes.

The goal is to allow them to discover several major families of circus arts before gradually developing their preferences.

Juggling

Juggling is one of the disciplines historically practiced by Ludica Circo.

It allows you to work on coordination, concentration, rhythm and relationship with the object.

Balance techniques

Balance techniques also play an important role.

• Unicycling is one of the disciplines practiced by the organization.
• The taut wire is also used.
• The balance globe allows for another form of body control.
• Stilts complement this work around balance and movement.

Ground acrobatics

Ground acrobatics is another fundamental component of the teaching.

It develops strength, mobility, coordination and body awareness.

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines now represent one of the most developed areas of Ludica Circo.

The school offers specific courses in aerial acrobatics .

Children and teenagers are placed in groups adapted to their age and progress.

Adults can also take dedicated courses.

• Aerial silks is one of the main apparatuses practiced.
• Aerial rope is also one of the specialties present in the team.

Aerial work allows for the combination of acrobatic technique , movement and artistic expression .

The school's students also participate in aerial acrobatics performances.

Circus and dance

Ludica Circo places great importance on the relationship between circus and dance .

The structure presents contemporary circus as an art capable of integrating athletic abilities, music, dance and theatricality.

The movement is therefore not considered solely from the perspective of performance.

It becomes a language that allows for the development of a creation.

This approach is directly linked to Stefania Garaccioni's artistic background, which includes training in contemporary dance, contact juggling, and butoh.

The theatre

Theatre is another component of the project.

Ludica Circo has specialists in theatre and drama therapy.

Courses and workshops thus allow us to explore stage presence , imagination and relationships with others .

Locations in the Verona region

The school currently operates at several locations in the Verona area.

In Montorio Caiò , in the Cancello area, circus classes are offered to children from the age of three.

A circus course for adults is also organized there.

In Balconi di Pescantina , Ludica Circo is developing its aerial acrobatics activity in particular.

Specific groups are offered there for children and teenagers.

Several aerial acrobatics sessions are also available for adults.

This organization allows the structure to reach different audiences in the Verona and Valpolicella region.

The teaching staff

The teaching team brings together several complementary profiles.

Jennifer Giusti teaches aerial acrobatics, among other things.

A psychologist and psychotherapist, she has been working since 2015 in the fields of social and educational circus, ground acrobatics, aerial acrobatics, circus motor skills and piccolo circo.

She also participates in the training of Ludica Circo teachers.

Diana Giusti is trained in social circus and works particularly with silks and aerial rope.

Caterina Falziroli develops theatrical work and drama therapy.

Young teachers are also gradually being trained within the structure itself.

This internal transmission is interesting because some participants themselves started circus at a very young age at Ludica Circo before later participating in the teaching.

The school therefore possesses genuine educational continuity .

An accessible and non-vocational school

Several former students have also continued their careers in the professional sector.

Ludica Circo indicates that some have joined professional circus schools in Europe.

Others became artists or teachers.

This ability to support young people towards professional development demonstrates the level that some students can achieve within the school.

Ludica Circo remains, above all, a school accessible to all and not a higher professional training program.

Participants can take part for fun, to develop an artistic practice, or to gradually build a more advanced project.

Regular courses are supplemented by workshops and seminars .

Ludica Circo invites external artists and specialists to enable students and teachers to discover new techniques and approaches.

The organization also participates in national and international networks dedicated to circus pedagogy.

The social circus

Social circus has been one of Ludica Circo's major focuses since its creation.

The association develops projects in Italy but also abroad.

She has worked in particular with social structures, schools, day centers and associations working with people with disabilities.

Projects have been carried out in various municipalities in the province of Verona.

Ludica Circo has also developed international activities, notably in Thailand .

In these projects, circus arts are used as tools for education and social development .

The objective is, in particular, to promote self-esteem, autonomy, cooperation and self-discipline.

The circus allows participants to move from the position of spectator to that of actor .

Artistic creation then becomes a way to value everyone's abilities.

Ludica Circo believes that individual differences can enrich the group rather than be an obstacle.

This approach explains his involvement in projects combining circus arts and disability.

The organization has notably worked with the association Il Paese di Alice of San Bonifacio on circus and disability projects.

She also collaborated with Le Fate Onlus on a social circus project developed in Verona.

The school participates more broadly in Italian networks dedicated to recreational-educational circus and social circus.

It is notably included in the register of social circus projects of AltroCirco .

A professional artistic activity

Ludica Circo also has a genuine professional artistic activity .

The collective creates and presents various shows blending circus, theatre, dance and music.

• Juggling, globe balancing, aerial silks and other disciplines can be incorporated into the creations.
• The artists also offer aerial performances.
• Other forms combine aerial acrobatics, fire juggling, live music and theatrical research.
• Ludica Circo also works with stilts, unicycle, tightrope, light juggling and various forms of circus entertainment.

The organization participates in festivals in Italy and abroad.

His artists have notably performed in Austria , Spain , France , Thailand , Brazil and Malta .

Ludica Circo also has significant experience in the artistic direction of events .

The organization is notably responsible for the artistic direction of the Valpolicella Buskers Festival in Purano.

She also participated in the organization of several festivals dedicated to contemporary circus and street arts in the Verona region.

This artistic activity allows students to develop in an environment directly connected to live performance .

They can discover the circus not only as a leisure activity but also as a contemporary art form.

A cross-disciplinary approach to circus arts

Ludica Circo's philosophy is ultimately based on a very cross-disciplinary conception of circus arts.

Technique , movement , creativity , relationship , theatre , dance and social engagement are closely linked.

This identity makes it a particularly interesting school for children and adults looking for a circus practice that is not solely about sport.

After more than fifteen years of activity , Ludica Circo is now a well-established structure in the circus landscape of Verona and Valpolicella.

Its teaching experience, artistic activity and historical commitment to social circus make it a particularly relevant school for the NetJuggler directory.