Rataplan – Scuola di Circo Teatro

Rataplan is a circus arts and theatre school located in Bastia Umbra , in the province of Perugia , in Umbria .

The school was founded in 2011 by the professional company Piccolo Nuovo Teatro .

It was born from this company's experience in street arts , theatre and circus disciplines .

Rataplan defines itself as a true breeding ground for young circus and street artists .

Its objective is to allow as many people as possible to discover circus arts while offering the most motivated students the opportunity to acquire a sufficiently solid foundation to then continue their training in higher level professional schools .

However, this ambition does not transform Rataplan into a vocational school .

Regular instruction remains accessible to children , teenagers and adult amateurs .

The content is organized according to the age and experience of the students.

The children's journey

Children can start from the age of four with the Circo-Motricità course.

This first course combines juggling , balancing and acrobatics .

At this age, the playful aspect remains intentionally predominant.

The children have a space in which they can move, experiment and explore freely.

The game helps to create an environment conducive to motor development .

But the school also seeks to stimulate the child's emotional and cognitive dimensions.

At five and six years old , students can continue with a real circus and theatre course.

From the age of seven , the frequency can reach two sessions per week .

The children then begin to acquire the first technical basics of the different circus disciplines.

The subjects studied

Acrobatics is one of the main areas of focus.

Aerial apparatus are also introduced.

The balance ball allows you to experience a first form of balancing.

The tightrope is another important piece of equipment.

The students also discover stilts .

Human pyramids allow for the introduction of collective work and trust between partners.

Juggling complements this particularly multidisciplinary program.

Scarves , in particular, allow you to start manipulating objects with a slow and easily observable trajectory.

The balls are then inserted.

Rings are also part of the equipment used.

The school systematically combines these circus skills with theatrical work.

The children explore stories , characters and situations .

They gradually learn to use their bodies as a means of expression.

The goal is therefore not just to successfully perform a trick.

Rataplan seeks to develop the creative potential of each child.

Teenage groups

Young people aged ten to thirteen then have a specific group.

Another group accommodates teenagers aged fourteen to eighteen .

These classes take place twice a week .

The teaching continues to combine acrobatics , balancing and juggling .

But the work on theatricality and expression gradually becomes more important.

Teenagers are encouraged to create.

They learn to use circus techniques as tools for expression .

The dramatization work allows them to experiment with different roles and situations.

The school views this experience as a way to develop physical as well as relational skills.

The group plays an important role.

Young people learn to observe others, to work together and to build relationships through a shared artistic activity.

The offer for adults

Rataplan also offers a particularly comprehensive range for adults .

The annual curriculum includes a beginner level .

Participants train twice a week .

The first year allows students to discover the major families of circus arts.

Ground acrobatics is one of the main focuses.

Aerial acrobatics is another example.

Juggling and balancing complete the program.

General and specific physical preparation accompanies technical learning.

The classes last approximately one and a half hours .

From the second year onwards, students can join the intermediate and advanced levels.

They are then distributed according to the skills acquired .

Specialized courses

The school offers several specialized courses .

Ground acrobatics can be studied in detail separately.

Aerial disciplines also benefit from a specific curriculum.

The trapeze is explicitly taught.

The aerial rope is one of the apparatuses used.

Aerial fabrics complement this offering.

Adults can therefore develop a true specialization in aerial disciplines.

Juggling also has its own specialized training.

Balancing techniques with apparatus are practiced in parallel.

The story of Rataplan also shows the presence of the unicycle in school practices.

Stilts occupy an important place because of their close link with street arts .

A school linked to a professional company

The teachers are themselves entertainment professionals .

This feature allows teaching to be directly linked to real-life stage experience .

Rataplan indeed depends on Piccolo Nuovo Teatro .

This company develops street theatre and circus shows.

The artists notably use stilts , aerial disciplines , acrobatics , juggling and theatre .

Students therefore develop in an environment where the disciplines they learn are also used professionally .

This relationship with the stage is one of the important characteristics of the school.

Educational and artistic objectives

Rataplan gradually seeks to lead students to construct artistic performances .

Theatre allows us to go beyond simple technical demonstration .

The body becomes a true tool of expression .

Students learn to imagine , interpret and present .

The school thus seeks to develop what it describes as artistic intelligence .

Self-confidence is also an important educational objective.

Learning a new subject regularly presents the student with difficulties .

A figure may seem impossible during the first attempts.

The progression allows us to understand that it can be broken down and acquired gradually.

This experience helps to develop perseverance and self-esteem .

However, the teaching of the youngest children retains a very playful dimension.

The enjoyment of practicing remains central.

Children's spontaneous creativity is encouraged.

Among adolescents, personal expression and relationships with the group gradually become more important.

For adults, school allows for the combination of technical learning , physical activity and artistic research .

Intermediate and advanced levels then allow for a deeper exploration of certain disciplines.

This continuity is a real strength of Rataplan.

• A child can start with circus motor skills as early as four years old .
• He can continue in children's groups .
• He can then join the teenage groups .
• A more specialized adult practice remains possible afterwards.

Towards vocational training

The school does not present itself as a professional degree program .

However, it clearly states its desire to allow students with the necessary skills and motivation to pursue professional-level circus schools .

This pathway has already become a reality for some students.

Giuliapaola Fagioli, for example, began his career in Rataplan.

She then joined Piccolo Nuovo Teatro as an aerial artist and stilt walker .

She continued her training in Umbria and Tuscany before joining the FLIC Scuola di Circo in Turin.

She graduated there in 2023 with a specialization in trapeze .

She now teaches aerial disciplines and the trapeze herself.

This example particularly illustrates the nursery function that Rataplan wishes to fulfill.

The school does not directly train full-time professional artists.

However, it can constitute a solid first step before higher education.

A presence in local cultural life

The company's activities also give students opportunities to participate in local cultural life .

Rataplan notably presents its own shows .

In September 2025 , the Scuola di Circo Teatro Rataplan and Piccolo Nuovo Teatro presented the show Intimate Emotions as part of the Palio de San Michele in Bastia Umbra.

The school is thus integrated into the cultural life of the city.

This local presence complements the regular course activities.

A leading structure in Umbria

Today, Rataplan is a particularly interesting structure for the practice of circus arts in Umbria .

Its offering covers virtually all age groups from four years old onwards.

Students can discover juggling , balancing , ground acrobatics , aerial disciplines , tightrope walking , balance ball , stilts and human pyramids .

Adults can delve deeper into trapeze , rope and aerial silks .

Theatre remains present at all stages and gives the school a strong identity oriented towards the performing arts .

Finally, its connection to Piccolo Nuovo Teatro and the paths of former students who have subsequently entered professional schools create a real continuity between amateur practice, artistic creation and the discovery of the profession of circus artist.