Mycelium Circus School

The Mycelium Circus School

The Mycélium Circus School is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching and exploring circus arts, located between the Aude and Hérault departments. It develops its activities primarily in Narbonne and Sauvian , in the Béziers region, and also participates in projects, events, and partnerships within the local area.

Pedagogical approach

Mycélium offers a multidisciplinary approach to circus arts, allowing children, teenagers, and adults to discover different techniques and progress according to their age, experience, and aspirations. The school welcomes both beginners looking to explore their first circus disciplines and experienced practitioners wishing to refine specific techniques.

Workshops and content

The workshops allow participants to explore the major branches of circus arts. Acrobatics , juggling , and object balancing play a particularly important role in the curriculum. Participants discover different equipment and situations in order to progressively develop coordination, balance, dexterity, motor skills, concentration, and body control.

• Acrobatics — work of the body, breath and coordination.
• Juggling — object manipulation and games of skill.
• Balancing on objects — wire, slackline and other apparatus.

Juggling can be approached through various objects and skill-based games, while balance work allows participants to discover techniques such as tightrope walking, slacklining, and different apparatus. Diabolo, spinning plates, and other forms of object manipulation are also among the disciplines used in the workshops and activities offered by the association.

The unicycle

The unicycle holds a special place in Mycélium's educational history. The school has developed a program ranging from introductory and recreational riding to advanced training. This discipline can be approached from various angles: balance and control of the unicycle, endurance, speed, acrobatics, and even performance. Outings and rides have also been organized around the Canal du Midi, giving unicycling a dimension beyond just indoor practice.

Regular workshops are organized according to the age and level of the participants. The goal is to allow everyone to progress in a suitable environment, from a first playful discovery to a more in-depth exploration of the chosen techniques.

Pedagogy, creation and presentation

Mycelium's teaching method goes beyond simply learning individual figures. The school also emphasizes imagination, collaborative creation, and performance in front of an audience. Preparing a demonstration or show is therefore an extension of the technical work done during the workshops.

The students are encouraged to share their learning in order to create group presentations. This approach allows them to gradually discover another dimension of the circus: choosing and linking figures, taking into account other participants, occupying space and presenting the result of their work in front of an audience.

Historically, the school organizes several showcases throughout the year in the form of cabaret performances. These events highlight the progress of the participants and bring together students, families, and teaching staff to celebrate the work done during classes.

Internships

In addition to its weekly workshops, Mycélium regularly organizes courses during school holidays. The school offers sessions at various times of the year, notably in Narbonne and Sauvian.

• These courses allow children to discover several disciplines in a more concentrated time, with groups adapted to different age ranges.
• The training courses can also allow already registered practitioners to devote more time to certain techniques and continue their progress during the holidays.

Projects, interventions and partnerships

The school's activities extend far beyond its own members. Mycélium develops partnerships with schools, local authorities, associations, and facilities wishing to implement projects around circus arts.

• Schools
• Communities
• Associations
• Accommodation facilities

The interventions are tailored to the target audience and the objectives of the partner organization. The school can mobilize several specialist instructors and provide the necessary educational materials to ensure the activities are carried out effectively.

These projects can range from a one-off introduction to an intervention built over several sessions. They allow work on motor skills, dexterity, balance and coordination, but also on collective dimensions such as mutual support, creation and preparation of a presentation.

Putting on a show can indeed be the culmination of certain projects. Participants then pool the skills acquired during the workshops to create a collective performance. This step allows them to showcase the work accomplished and gives a concrete objective to their learning.

Events and entertainment

Mycélium also participates in local events and offers introductory circus arts workshops outside of its usual teaching locations. The association provides services at public events with various workshops allowing the public to try juggling, skill games, balancing acts, or unicycling.

This presence at events contributes to the association's mission of discovery: circus arts can be practiced occasionally, as part of an activity, and then possibly lead to an internship or regular practice within the school.

Territorial implementation

Mycelium's history is closely linked to its local presence. Over the years, the association has offered workshops in numerous towns and villages in the Aude and Hérault departments. Its organization has evolved over time, and its regular activities are now particularly associated with Narbonne and Sauvian.

• Narbonne
• Lézignan-Corbières
• Ginestas
• Roquebrun
• Puisserguier
• Capestang
• Cazouls-lès-Béziers
• Nissan-lez-Enserune

In Sauvian, near Béziers, the school notably has a big top space allowing circus arts to be practiced in an environment directly connected to the ring. This space hosts regular activities as well as workshops during the holidays.

In Narbonne, Mycélium has a long-standing presence and continues to offer courses and workshops. The association has been active there for many years and participates in various local projects and events.

The school thus operates within a framework of transmitting circus arts across a region rather than relying on a single location. Regular classes, workshops, school projects, outreach programs, and performances allow it to reach diverse audiences in several municipalities.

This diversity is one of Mycélium's distinguishing features. A child can discover the circus during a workshop or training session, then join a regular workshop, delve deeper into different techniques, and finally participate in a group performance.

Through this progression, the school seeks to combine the enjoyment of practice with technical learning and artistic experience. Circus arts become a field of experimentation where everyone can develop their physical abilities and dexterity, but also their imagination, confidence, and ability to build something with others.

Through its workshops, training courses and numerous interventions in the region, the Mycélium Circus School has been contributing for many years to the discovery and amateur practice of circus arts in the Aude and western Hérault, around Narbonne and the Biterrois.