Pukinmäen Sirkuskoulu

Pukinmäen Sirkuskoulu – Circus school in Helsinki, Finland

Located in Helsinki, Finland, Pukinmäen Sirkuskoulu is a school specializing in circus arts education. It belongs to Pukinmäen Taidekoulut, a multidisciplinary arts institution that welcomes children, teenagers, and adults.

The school offers a progressive training program combining technical learning, artistic expression, and an exploration of contemporary circus. Students can be introduced to numerous disciplines, develop their skills, and, as they progress, specialize in the practices that interest them.

Circus arts training recognized in Finland

Pukinmäen Sirkuskoulu provides structured artistic training based on the Finnish system of basic artistic training, called Taiteen perusopetus .

The institution has authorization from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture to offer the advanced circus arts curriculum.

This course includes 1,300 teaching hours, divided between 800 hours of fundamental studies and 500 hours of advanced studies.

It allows students to acquire a solid foundation in several disciplines before focusing more specifically on certain techniques.

Although it is an art school and not a higher professional training institution, this course can be an interesting preparation for young people wishing to pursue artistic studies.

A complete exploration of circus disciplines

The school offers a particularly varied program, allowing students to discover the different branches of circus arts.

Students can practice individual acrobatics, partner acrobatics, and group routines. These activities develop coordination, strength, flexibility, and the ability to work with others.

Aerial disciplines also occupy an important place in the teaching. Participants can learn aerial silks, rope, trapeze, aerial hoop, straps and cloud swing, a discipline using a suspended rope to perform aerial movements.

The school also teaches juggling, hand balancing, unicycling, balance ball, tightrope walking, Cyr wheel and hoop manipulation.

This diversity allows students to discover several practices before choosing those they wish to explore further.

Activities for toddlers and families

Pukinmäen Sirkuskoulu offers activities for very young children, accompanied by an adult.

Circus sessions for babies and family circus combine physical games, motor skills exercises and the discovery of movement.

Children gradually explore their abilities through activities tailored to their development.

The presence of parents promotes interaction and allows for a shared, playful experience centered around circus arts.

These initial workshops provide a gentle introduction to movement and may prepare children for more independent practice as they grow up.

A gradual introduction for young children

Before joining the main curriculum, children can participate in preparatory acrobatics and circus classes.

These sessions are based on games, balance exercises, movement and simple activities.

The goal is to develop coordination, body awareness, and basic technical skills.

Teachers also place great importance on learning how to live in a group, listening and cooperation.

The preparatory courses generally last 45 minutes and allow you to approach circus arts without performance pressure.

A progressive educational path

The main teaching is organized into several stages, corresponding to the technical and artistic progression of the students.

The first years are devoted to discovering the fundamentals, including acrobatics, balances, movement and object manipulation.

Students then move on to more complex techniques and develop their autonomy in different disciplines.

As they progress through their training, they can choose specialties and devote more time to the equipment or techniques they prefer.

In-depth studies allow for the strengthening of technical skills and the development of a personal artistic project.

The curriculum also includes a final project, giving students the opportunity to mobilize the knowledge acquired during their training.

An important place is given to artistic creation

At Pukinmäen Sirkuskoulu, learning circus arts is not limited to performing technical tricks.

Students also discover the different forms of contemporary circus and the history of circus arts.

They are encouraged to think about how to present their movements and to develop their own artistic expression.

The preparation of individual or group acts is part of the educational program.

These creations allow us to work on stage presence, the composition of an act, rhythm and relationships between artists.

Performances created by students

The school organizes performances allowing students to present their work in front of an audience.

These shows constitute an important step in the educational journey, as they combine technical skills with stage experience.

In May 2026, the students notably participated in the Aikamatka show, presented at the Malmitalo in Helsinki.

This production brought together artists of different ages around aerial acrobatics acts, human pyramids and object manipulation.

Students also participate in outings to discover professional shows, thus enriching their knowledge of contemporary circus.

Circus classes for adults

Pukinmäen Sirkuskoulu also welcomes adults wishing to discover or deepen their knowledge of circus arts.

Several disciplines are offered to them, including aerial acrobatics, Cyr wheel, hand balances, ground acrobatics, duo acrobatics and clowning.

The sessions allow participants to develop their physical abilities while discovering artistic techniques.

The teaching takes into account the participants' prior experience, their objectives and their capabilities.

The courses emphasize an encouraging atmosphere, in which everyone can progress at their own pace.

A school open to other art forms

One of the distinctive features of Pukinmäen Taidekoulut is its multidisciplinary approach.

In addition to circus arts, the institution offers courses in theatre, dance, music, visual arts and literary expression.

Students enrolled in the circus program can choose complementary subjects from among these five artistic fields.

This opportunity promotes encounters between disciplines and allows young artists to enrich their practice.

A circus student can thus develop skills in theatre, dance or music, useful for the construction of shows and stage expression.

Internships and workshops during the holidays

In addition to its annual teaching, the school organizes internships, workshops and intensive courses.

These activities allow you to discover new techniques or to practice a discipline more intensely.

Circus and circus-theatre workshops are offered, in particular, during school holidays.

They offer children the opportunity to participate in collective artistic activities over several days.

The institution can also organize thematic workshops devoted to certain disciplines.

A specialized teaching team

Circus instruction is provided by several instructors with experience in circus arts and pedagogy.

The teachers include Jilka Repo, the pedagogical manager of the circus school, as well as Elli Jukkala, Sanni Korhonen, Anne-Mari Jokinen and Kukka Eklund.

The team's skills include acrobatics, aerial disciplines, balancing, Cyr wheel, family circus and clowning.

This diversity allows us to offer courses adapted to different levels and the many disciplines taught.

An organization based on the school year

Regular courses are organized over 30 weeks of instruction, divided between 14 weeks in the fall and 16 weeks in the spring.

Depending on their level and background, students participate in sessions of 60 to 90 minutes, one to five times a week.

The 2026-2027 academic year runs from August 28 to December 10, 2026 for the autumn semester, and then from January 8 to May 15, 2027 for the spring semester.

Registration is done via the Eepos platform, which presents the available groups and their schedules.

A comprehensive circus school in Helsinki

Pukinmäen Sirkuskoulu stands out for the richness of his disciplines and his extensive artistic training.

Younger children can discover circus arts through fun activities, while more experienced students have a pathway allowing them to progressively develop their technical and creative skills.

The establishment also offers adults the opportunity to practice various circus disciplines.

With its 1,300-hour program, performances, and openness to other art forms, Pukinmäen Sirkuskoulu is a particularly comprehensive circus school for people wishing to practice circus arts in Helsinki .

Course address: Ohrahuhdantie 4, 00680 Helsinki, Finland.

Email: pukinmaki@taidekoulut.fi

Official website: https://taidekoulut.fi/sirkus/