Passe-Muraille

Passe-Muraille – Circus Arts Centre

Passe-Muraille – Centre des Arts du Cirque is a school and center dedicated to circus arts located in Besançon, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. Founded on May 19, 2000, as a non-profit association under the French law of 1901 , the organization arose from the desire of parents and enthusiasts to preserve circus arts education in the city after the closure of the Yole school, which itself had succeeded the Cirque Plume school. Passe-Muraille's first academic year began in September 2000.

From its inception, the project was particularly ambitious:

• leisure activities for children and adults
• internships during the holidays
• improvement
• interventions with schools and specialized facilities
• holiday centers dedicated to the circus
• support for individuals wishing to pursue a pre-professional or professional practice

More than twenty-five years after its creation, Passe-Muraille has become a true Circus Arts Centre , combining amateur practice, professional training, cultural action, creation and artistic support.

A pedagogy based on the individual and creativity

Passe-Muraille develops a pedagogy in which technical learning is never considered as a sole purpose.

The school presents itself first and foremost as a place for exchange and encounters, where experience is based on enjoyment, personal expression, personal growth, and respect for individuality. The goal is to help each student understand what they are doing, to find their own answers, and to gradually become an active participant in their learning.

Practice should allow one to dare, to experiment, to develop one's imagination and to find one's place in an environment that is both safe and stimulating.

This philosophy is summarized by the idea of learning to do it in the circus so that you can do it elsewhere : autonomy, perseverance, listening, confidence and creativity are thus considered as skills that go beyond the scope of circus practice alone.

A practice from early childhood

Passe-Muraille structures its teaching according to the different stages of child development.

The youngest children can start with parent-child activities, where adults and children discover the world of the circus together through play, movement, jumps, rolls and exploration of space.

The aim is, in particular, to promote psychomotor development, imagination and a special relationship between the child and their parent.

For 4-6 year olds, circus-based activities continue this discovery. It is not yet about seeking advanced technical mastery, but about "playing at the circus" through situations that promote motor skills, listening, confidence, mutual support, creativity and fun.

A progression adapted to age

1. Ages 7–9: Students discover different disciplines while continuing to learn in a playful way. They also begin to learn safety rules and participate in collaborative projects.
2. Ages 8–10: Technique takes on a greater role. Children practice all the major circus arts and gradually learn to become independent. Teachers work with individualized objectives while keeping creativity and play at the heart of the sessions.
3. From around age 11 to 18: young people are increasingly encouraged to identify the disciplines that correspond to their interests and abilities. This allows them to begin to assert their choices and gradually develop a specialization, without it being definitive.

The subjects taught

Juggling and manipulation

Juggling is one of the five main disciplines taught at Passe-Muraille. The school uses a wide variety of equipment: balls, clubs, scarves, devil sticks, diabolo, spinning plates, and even cigar boxes. These practices help develop coordination, laterality, precision of movement, rhythm, and the relationship between the body, space, and objects. They also provide excellent support for learning perseverance: dropping an object and trying again is a natural part of the learning process.

Aerial disciplines

Passe-Muraille also offers extensive training in aerial disciplines. Students can discover aerial silks, rope, static trapeze, dance trapeze, aerial hoop, and Chinese pole. These disciplines develop strength, flexibility, and coordination, while also exploring an essential dimension of circus arts: the relationship to height and aerial space. The progressive learning process also allows students to work through fear and apprehension in a safe environment.

Acrobatics and lifts

Acrobatics is another major discipline taught. It includes dynamic elements such as rolls, cartwheels, somersaults, and flips, as well as acrobatic lifts. These practices develop body control and energy management. When performed in groups, they also introduce particularly important concepts of trust, listening, and responsibility towards partners.

The balances

Passe-Muraille addresses both body balance and balance on objects. The work may focus on handstands or headstands, on the floor or on apparatus such as canes. Students can also experiment with different types of balance on objects like a tightrope, a balance ball, or a rolla-bolla. These practices require concentration, patience, finding one's body axis, and the ability to experiment in order to gradually discover a solution.

Clown and stage performance

The school fully embraces circus arts as a performing art form. Clowning and stagecraft are therefore integral to the disciplines offered. They allow students to develop expression, spontaneity, imagination, emotions, audience interaction, and how they perceive others. This artistic dimension allows them to move beyond simply performing technical feats and to learn how to transform acquired skills into creative expression.

Courses and internships

Courses for adults

Passe-Muraille also welcomes adults. For the 2026-2027 season, the center offers, among other things, a weekly two-hour class under its big top. Independent training sessions are also available on Thursday evenings at the Battant Hall. This open space provides circus performers in the region with a fully equipped area to continue their training independently.

Internships during the holidays

In addition to regular classes, Passe-Muraille organizes introductory and practical workshops during school holidays. These are aimed at children discovering circus arts for the first time, as well as those who already practice and wish to continue or deepen their skills during the holidays. Family workshops complete this offering, allowing children and adults to share a circus experience together.

Cultural activities beyond the walls

Since its inception, Passe-Muraille has also developed projects with schools, after-school programs, and specialized institutions. The school works with a wide range of audiences and organizations in the region. Its team notably mentions its work with nursing homes, assisted living facilities, therapeutic and educational institutes, and specialized educational institutions, in addition to its programs with schools and after-school programs. Circus arts thus become an adaptable tool for developing motor skills, expression, confidence, interpersonal skills, and creativity with very diverse groups.

A genuine professional training program

Passe-Muraille also distinguishes itself from many amateur schools by offering professional training in circus arts techniques. In 2026, the organization reported 17 years of this training program, with 34 cohorts having participated and 352 trainees having completed their training.

The training is accessible from age 18 and does not require any technical prerequisites for entry, although physical preparation is recommended.

It intensively covers acrobatics, balances, aerial disciplines, juggling, theatre and stage performance, dance, as well as elements related to health, nutrition and the creation of shows.

Preparing the next stage of a circus career

This training program aims to provide trainees with a solid technical foundation, enabling them to progress with greater autonomy and confidence. It can serve as a stepping stone to preparing for a TIAC (Technical and Artistic Training Course) or to applying for entrance exams to preparatory or artistic training programs at prestigious circus schools. Passe-Muraille clarifies, however, that this is a non-degree program. The organization does, however, hold Qualiopi certification for its professional training activities.

Hosting artists and artist residencies

Passe-Muraille is also a hub for artistic creation. The center supports young artists and circus companies by providing training spaces, equipment, and various forms of assistance. This support can include an outside artistic perspective, help with staging, as well as administrative and logistical support for their creative projects. Finally, Passe-Muraille can help artists prepare for their first performances, particularly through events organized by the center.

Shows and events under the big top

The big top is also a true performance venue. Passe-Muraille programs productions from its professional training program there, as well as guest companies and artists. The organization participates in national events such as La Nuit du Cirque (Circus Night) and organizes its own events. In 2025, the center celebrated its 25th anniversary with Come Back IV , a festival bringing together alumni and artists who have passed through Passe-Muraille. This activity creates particularly valuable connections between amateur students, those in professional training, and working artists.

Network and recognition

Passe-Muraille is accredited as an amateur circus school by the French Federation of Circus Schools and is also part of the FREC regional network. The organization also holds accreditation from the Ministry of Youth and Popular Education . It works with a particularly well-developed network of cultural and artistic partners in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.

A true Circus Arts Centre

Passe-Muraille therefore goes far beyond the operation of a simple school offering a few weekly classes. The structure brings together in a single practical project amateur, early childhood, children's and adult classes, workshops, cultural activities, interventions with specific audiences, professional training, independent practice, artist residencies, support for the creation and dissemination of shows.

Its history, directly inherited from the tradition of circus teaching in Besançon, and its development since 2000 make it today a place where children discovering their first apparatus, amateur practitioners, people preparing a professional project and artists in creation can meet.

This diversity is in line with the centre's current motto: to offer circus for everyone, in all its forms.