Quattrox4 – Scuola di Circo Contemporaneo

Quattrox4 is a school and center dedicated to contemporary circus located in Milan, Lombardy.

The structure was created in 2011 by Marco Dellabianca , Clara Storti , Elisa Angioni and Filippo Malerba .

The name Quattrox4 directly refers to these four founders.

The project was born from their shared desire to develop a space in Milan dedicated to the practice, creation and dissemination of contemporary circus.

Quattrox4 has gradually developed around several complementary activities: circus school, professional training, workshops, artistic residencies, creation, programming of shows and cultural actions.

A permanent space in Milan

It includes two large work rooms allowing the practice of a very wide range of circus disciplines.

The large hall offers the possibility of installing several Chinese poles and numerous aerial apparatus .

This infrastructure allows Quattrox4 to accommodate both regular classes and professional artists in training or creation.

Children's courses

The school welcomes children from the age of three .

Circo Micro (3 years)

The first course, Circo Micro , is intended for three-year-old children.

The activities notably use scarves, balls, mats and initial acrobatic situations.

At this age, the goal is obviously not technical performance.

Children explore their bodies, objects, and space through movement and play.

Special attention is paid to freedom of expression and relationships with other children.

Circo dei Piccoli (4-5 years old)

The Circo dei Piccoli curriculum then welcomes children aged four and five.

The teaching method combines psychomotor skills and the first elements of circus disciplines.

The game helps to develop motor skills, socialization, imagination and personal expression.

Primo Circo (6-7 years old)

From the age of six , students truly enter into a multidisciplinary circus apprenticeship.

The Primo Circo curriculum is intended for children aged six and seven.

• They discover, among other things, the human pyramids .
• Tightrope walking is one of the techniques taught.
• Various balance devices allow for the development of body control, concentration, and confidence.
• Aerial disciplines are introduced with the trapeze and silks .
• Ground acrobatics is another important component of the program.
• The trampoline allows for the gradual development of the first dynamic acrobatic techniques.
• Juggling is also featured.
• The children work with balls, among other things.
• The diabolo is also among the objects used.

Through this diversity, Quattrox4 seeks to give children a global vision of the circus rather than specializing them too early.

Secondo Circo (8-10 years old)

The Secondo Circo curriculum welcomes children from eight to ten years old.

At this age, teaching gradually becomes more technical.

• The students are developing their acrobatics skills .
• The elastic trampoline continues to be used to develop acrobatic abilities.
• The juggling becomes more precise.
• The various balance techniques are explored in depth.
• Aerial apparatus are also taking on a more important role.

The school nevertheless retains a playful dimension in its teaching.

Adolescents (11-13 years and 14-18 years)

Adolescents aged eleven to thirteen and then those aged fourteen to eighteen have specific groups.

At these ages, learning gradually goes beyond the simple acquisition of shapes.

Students develop greater awareness and better control of their bodies.

• They delve deeper into acrobatics, juggling, aerial disciplines and balancing.
• The work also incorporates personal expression and improvisation.
• Listening to the group becomes an important component of the process.

Teenagers are encouraged to gradually develop a personal circus arts research.

This individual research is then put to use in a collective creative endeavor.

A non-competitive pedagogy

Quattrox4's pedagogy is intentionally non-competitive .

The school respects the different learning paces of the students.

It prioritizes cooperation between participants.

For Quattrox4, learning circus arts is not just an individual process.

The group and the relationship with others are considered fundamental elements of progress.

Adult classes

Adults also have access to a particularly well-developed range of options.

Unlike multidisciplinary courses designed for children, adults can choose specific disciplines .

Vertical

Quattrox4 notably offers a course dedicated to verticals .

This allows you to develop the strength, technique and mobility necessary to maintain balance on your hands.

Different forms of verticals and different positions are practiced depending on the level of the practitioner.

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines constitute another major focus.

• The school teaches aerial silks .
• The aerial rope is also among the equipment offered.
• The trapeze also has its own teaching methods.

The work combines technical development and artistic research.

Chinese pole

The Chinese pole is one of Quattrox4's particularly interesting specialties.

The school has a facility that allows for the simultaneous assembly of up to several masts.

The discipline combines ground acrobatics techniques and climbing techniques.

Students learn about both static positions and dynamic elements on the ground and at height.

Acrobalance and hand-to-hand

Quattrox4 also offers a course in acrobalance and hand-to-hand .

Trust and responsibility between partners form the basis of this teaching.

The students begin by working on figures, passages and transitions in pairs or in groups.

The acrobalance can incorporate different positions of the carrier, on the ground or standing.

The teaching also draws inspiration from other partnering practices, particularly from acrobatics, dance, and martial arts.

At a more advanced level, students can learn specific hand-to-hand techniques.

Floor acrobatics and trampoline

Ground acrobatics is another important course of study.

It is associated with the trampoline .

The students work on verticals, wheels, rolls and gradually more dynamic elements such as flips, forward jumps and reversals.

The school also pays particular attention to the quality of movement.

Rhythm, fluidity, presence and body awareness are worked on alongside technical efficiency.

Adult Juggling

Juggling has its own adult course.

Participants use, among other things, balls, clubs and rings.

Manipulating objects becomes a way to develop individual coordination as well as collective work.

Physical preparation

Physical preparation also has its place.

The Potenziamento Circense course develops strength, explosiveness, agility and cardiovascular capacity with bodyweight exercises and circus equipment.

A specific flexibility course complements this preparation.

It combines various influences, notably from Pilates, yoga, dance, rhythmic gymnastics, martial arts and contortion.

Internships and workshops

This regular offering is complemented by numerous internships and workshops .

Further study sessions are offered throughout the year to allow students to work more intensively on certain subjects.

Verticals, acrobalance, hand-to-hand, trapeze, silks, acrodance, Chinese pole and trampoline were among the subjects of specific training courses.

Quattrox4 also invites external and international artists.

These meetings allow experienced practitioners and professionals to discover other working methods.

The structure is not aimed solely at amateurs.

A place for professional artists

Quattrox4 also plays an important role for professional artists .

A training area is specifically reserved for them several mornings a week.

Professional circus artists residing in the region or simply passing through Milan can come here to continue their training and research.

This system is intentionally separate from the courses intended for students.

Quattrox4 believes that amateur practice and professional practice have different needs.

The professional space therefore allows independent artists to work in good safety conditions with suitable equipment.

This professional dimension transforms Quattrox4 into a true meeting place for the Milanese circus community.

Artists can train there, meet other professionals and develop their research.

The venue also hosts projects in development.

Residencies, research laboratories and artistic experiments are an integral part of the project.

Dissemination of contemporary circus

Quattrox4 is also developing a significant activity in the dissemination of contemporary circus.

Fuori Asse Festival

The organization notably organizes the Fuori Asse Festival in Milan.

The festival welcomes Italian and international companies and offers shows, workshops, meetings and cultural activities.

Fuori Asse Focus

Quattrox4 is also developing Fuori Asse Focus at the Triennale Milano.

This project combines contemporary circus performances, meetings with artists, and critical reflection on new circus writing.

The structure thus defends a vision of contemporary circus that goes beyond mere technical virtuosity.

She is particularly interested in the intersections between circus, dance, theatre, performance and visual arts.

This artistic reflection indirectly nourishes the environment in which the students of the school evolve.

Practitioners do not simply frequent a training location.

They operate in a space directly connected to contemporary Italian and European circus arts.

Campus and outreach activities

Quattrox4 also organizes circus camps for children.

These courses combine circus disciplines, artistic activities, games and outings.

They are accessible to children who already practice but also to beginners.

The teaching approach remains non-competitive and seeks to develop mutual trust, cooperation, and creativity.

The organization also carries out activities outside its walls .

Discovery workshops allow different audiences to experience juggling, balance and other circus techniques.

This desire to make the circus accessible is part of Quattrox4's broader cultural project.

Since 2011, a contemporary circus performer in Milan

Since 2011, the structure has thus contributed to the development of contemporary circus in Milan in several complementary forms.

• It allows very young children to discover movement through play.
• She supports children and adolescents in a progressive multidisciplinary practice.
• It offers specialized technical training to adults.
• It provides spaces for professionals.
• It accommodates research and creation.
• It programs and produces events that allow the public to discover contemporary circus.

This continuity between transmission, amateur practice, professional training, creation and dissemination constitutes one of the main characteristics of Quattrox4.