Pied'né Company

Presentation

Founded in 2012 in Guémené-Penfao, Loire-Atlantique , Compagnie Pied'Né develops an artistic and educational project based on two complementary activities: the creation of professional shows primarily for young audiences and families, and a traveling circus school under a big top . Now based in Vay, the company operates more broadly in the Pays de la Loire and Brittany regions, bringing circus arts directly to children and educational institutions.

Values and educational project

The Pied'Né Company's work is rooted in the values of popular education . Its project is based on creativity, knowledge sharing, generosity, autonomy, and each individual's ability to find their place within a group. Through its traveling circus school, it aims to facilitate access to culture and artistic practice, particularly in areas that may not have a permanent circus school.

Mobile operation

To carry out these projects, the company travels with its big top and temporarily transforms the venue into a veritable circus space. Schools, leisure centers, special education institutions, and other specialized establishments can thus host a complete project combining the discovery of disciplines, practice, skill development, creation of acts, and the presentation of a show.

Pedagogy: "play, learn and create"

Pied'Né's teaching method can be summarized by three verbs: "play, learn, and create." The initial sessions allow participants to experiment with different branches of circus arts and identify the techniques that suit them best. The work then progresses towards refinement, the creation of acts, and their staging. The goal is to gradually make children independent in the ring and allow them to become fully involved in the performance they will present.

Multidisciplinary teaching

The teaching is intentionally multidisciplinary . Participants discover several families of disciplines, including juggling, object balancing, acrobatics and aerial disciplines.

• Juggling and object manipulation: scarves, balls, clubs, rings, diabolos, devil sticks, Chinese plates and cigar boxes.
• Balancing on objects: rola-bola (American roller), balance ball, unicycle, acrocycle.
• Acrobatics: ground work, acrosport, human pyramids.
• Aerial disciplines: trapeze, aerial silks, rope.

Juggling and object manipulation

In juggling and object manipulation, participants can discover scarves, balls, clubs, rings, diabolo, devil sticks, spinning plates , and cigar boxes. These activities help develop coordination, laterality, rhythm, precision, and eye focus.

Balances on objects

Balancing acts on objects also play a significant role. Teaching equipment includes the rola-bola (or American roller), the balance ball, the unicycle , and the acrocycle. These disciplines require body control, concentration, balance, and the ability to adapt one's body to a moving object.

Acrobatics

Acrobatics is approached through ground work, acrosport, and human pyramids . These practices develop physical abilities as well as cooperation between participants. They introduce the concepts of base and flyer and require listening, trust, and responsibility towards partners.

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines are also part of the school's educational program. Pied'Né notably uses the trapeze, aerial silks and rope , allowing participants to progressively discover suspension, body placement and movement at height in a suitable educational setting.

Body expression, theatre and acting

In addition to these technical skills, the company incorporates physical expression, theatre , and acting. It believes that circus arts are not simply about mastering a single move. Group games, public speaking, listening, concentration, spatial awareness, character creation, and emotional expression all contribute to imbuing movements with intention and gradually transforming learned techniques into artistic expressions.

Construction of a show

This creative dimension culminates in the creation of a full-fledged show . For a project under the big top, the company recommends a minimum of six sessions per class. The first sessions are dedicated to discovery, followed by those focused on selecting and refining skills, creating acts, and staging them. Run-throughs, rehearsals, and performances then allow participants to experience all the stages leading from learning to performing on stage.

A comprehensive approach to live performance

The company also aims to convey a more comprehensive vision of live performance: the history of the circus, an exploration of different disciplines, technical constraints, script development, and the workings of a performance can all be integrated into the program. The final show is therefore not considered a mere end-of-course exercise, but an essential part of the artistic experience.

To enhance this immersive experience, some projects begin with a performance of "Dear Cousins," a show by Compagnie Pied'Né blending circus, clowning, and music. The artists who will later lead the workshops first appear before the children as performers. This encounter introduces the artistic world of the project and gradually fosters a genuine sense of community among the participants.

Organization and duration

The interventions can involve a class or a group of approximately 20 to 30 participants , but the mobile format also allows for much larger projects involving up to ten classes. Depending on the project and the age of the participants, sessions can last from about 50 minutes to three hours .

Teaching staff

The teaching team comprises professional circus artists who are also trained in teaching . The instructors listed by the company hold qualifications such as the BIAC (Brevet d'Initiation Aéronautique - National Circus Arts Instructor Certificate), the BPJEPS (Brevet Professionnel de la Jeunesse, de l'Éducation Populaire et du Sport - Professional Certificate in Youth, Popular Education and Sport) in various specializations, and the French State Diploma for Circus Teachers. This dual experience as both artist and educator is a key characteristic of the project: the disciplines are taught by individuals who also practice them in a creative and performance context.

Introductory courses

The Compagnie Pied'Né also organizes introductory circus arts workshops , notably under its heated big top, which is set up occasionally at the Vay Festival Grounds. These workshops allow children to discover or further develop their skills in juggling, object balancing, human pyramids, acrobatics, and various circus techniques. Sessions are organized by age group to adapt the duration and educational content to the participants' abilities.

Target audience

Pied'Né's identity remains deeply rooted in young audiences . The company primarily targets children aged 3 to 11 in its productions, seeking to stimulate their imagination, curiosity, and critical thinking through circus arts, physical theatre, and music. Its shows typically combine acrobatics, clowning, magic, theatre, physical comedy, music, and sometimes song or dance.

Dissemination and link between stage and pedagogy

The company primarily presents its productions in Western France , particularly in the Pays de la Loire and Brittany regions. Its stage experience directly informs its educational activities: the artists can teach children not only circus techniques, but also the concept of character, audience interaction, the rhythm of an act, and the joy of collectively creating a performance.

Conclusion

Based in Vay in Loire-Atlantique , affiliated with the French Federation of Circus Schools and holder of the Amateur Practice quality accreditation, the Compagnie Pied'Né thus defends an approach to the circus based on proximity, popular education and collective creation , with the ambition of allowing each participant to discover the circus arts, to progress at their own pace and to find their own place on the ring.