National Circus School of Châtellerault

Presentation

The ENCC is a leading institution dedicated to teaching and training in circus arts, located in Châtellerault in the Vienne region. Created in 1995 as part of the movement to structure circus education in France, the school now offers a comprehensive program allowing students to explore circus arts from recreational practice to preparation for prestigious higher education institutions and a professional artistic career.

Historical

The story of ENCC began in 1994 with Roser Segura and Dominique Toutlemonde . The school quickly distinguished itself through a pioneering approach to circus arts training. From its earliest years, it established a program to prepare students for entrance exams to prestigious circus schools such as ENACR and CNAC. In 1998, it participated in a major innovation by developing, in partnership with the French Ministry of Education, a program that integrated circus arts into the baccalaureate curriculum. This program has since become one of Châtellerault's defining characteristics.

Amateur practice

Amateur practice is the most accessible entry point. Weekly classes are offered to children from age 6 , teenagers, and adults. They run from mid-September until the end of the school year, excluding holidays. The school pays particular attention to student-to-teacher ratios, aiming for one instructor for every seven students . Groups are formed taking into account age, skill level, independence, and progress of each participant.

Internships

Workshops complement the regular classes. They allow young people to discover or deepen their knowledge of different circus disciplines. For the 2026-2027 season, the ENCC is offering workshops combining aerial disciplines, balancing acts, Chinese pole, and teeterboard. More intensive introductory workshops also allow teenagers interested in a future artistic career to discover the school, its programs, its teachers, and the various circus specialties.

• Aerial disciplines
• Balances
• Chinese pole
• Rocker
• Intensive introductory workshops for artistic career guidance

Baccalaureate specializing in Circus Arts

One of the ENCC's distinctive features remains its Baccalaureate specializing in Circus Arts, organized in partnership with the Marcelin-Berthelot High School in Châtellerault. Students complete their general education at the high school while the specialized circus training is provided by the permanent staff of the National Circus School. The curriculum allows students to acquire a solid artistic and circus culture while developing physical, technical, creative, and stagecraft skills.

Creation and confrontation with the public

The training program doesn't just aim to produce circus technicians. Students are exposed to creation, live performance, and audiences. They participate in the school's own productions, external events, and projects with cultural partners. This regular exposure to the stage allows them to gradually grasp the realities of the artist's profession.

Preparatory Class for Higher Education (CPES)

After high school graduation, ENCC offers a preparatory course in Circus Arts. This program is designed for young artists wishing to prepare for entrance exams to French and international higher education institutions. It admits a small class size to ensure individualized support.

CPES Program

The CPES program is particularly comprehensive. It combines technical, artistic and cultural instruction while promoting the development of a circus specialty.

• Acrobatics
• Physical preparation
• Flexibility
• Balances
• Contemporary dance
• Acting
• Arts and culture
• Personal work
• Development of a circus specialty

Additional modules may cover applied sciences of the body, anatomy, dietetics, masks, commedia dell'arte or even the flying trapeze.

Workload and Experiences

The CPES program demands a particularly significant commitment: the published curriculum comprises over 25 hours of weekly instruction, in addition to internships, creative projects, performances, independent work, and professional experiences. Students participate in public presentations and external projects, allowing them to gradually encounter the realities of the industry.

International opening

International exposure is also an important component of the educational program. ENCC is a member of FEDEC , an international network dedicated to professional training in circus arts. The school participates in FEDEC meetings at CIRCa, Spring Talks, and various international projects that allow students to meet students and teachers from other leading European schools.

ENCC maintains relationships with French and foreign institutions and participates in European projects such as CIRCLE and TRACES . These exchanges allow young artists to broaden their horizons, discover other teaching methods, and begin building an international professional network.

Infrastructure and places

The school is also a place of creation. It hosts professional companies and artists in residence and has large spaces adapted to the needs of contemporary circus. At the La Manu site, students have access to a large training hall of approximately 800 m2 , a circus library dedicated to circus culture, a costume room, and administrative offices.

The ENCC also benefits from the Dôme de l'Ozon, a vast structure dedicated to circus arts and creation. Located in the Parc du Chillou, this facility measures approximately 40 meters long by 26 meters wide and reaches a height of 17 meters . Its dimensions allow for the work of disciplines requiring significant height or space, and the hosting of professional artistic projects.

School performances

School performances play a vital role in the curriculum. Each graduating class of the Circus Arts Baccalaureate and the CPES (Preparatory Class for Higher Education) regularly performs for the public through original creations and presentations. These shows serve both as cultural events for the Châtellerault public and as valuable educational experiences for the students.

Lifelong learning

ENCC is finally developing a lifelong learning program for professional artists and companies. Training programs can be structured around a specific circus discipline or tailored to the unique needs of an artist, company, or institution. This activity allows the school to remain directly connected to the evolving techniques, practices, and professions within contemporary circus.

Positioning and project

Through its combination of amateur classes, circus arts training from high school onwards, a preparatory course for higher education (CPES), professional training programs, residencies, performances, and international collaborations, the National Circus School of Châtellerault occupies a unique position in the French circus landscape. It allows students to progressively build a path from discovering the circus arts to preparing for a professional artistic career.

Its project is based on technical excellence, creativity, artistic culture, stage experience, and international openness. The stated objective is to train active circus artists and creative performers, while guaranteeing access to a quality arts education and making the school a meeting place for students, professional artists, companies, and audiences.