Roanne Circus School

The Roanne Circus School is an association dedicated to the discovery, learning, and amateur practice of circus arts. Located in the Malleval Gymnasium in Roanne, in the Loire region, it now welcomes a particularly wide audience, from toddlers accompanied by their parents to adults, with programs also available for students wishing to deepen their practice.

An original origin

The school's history begins in 1997 in a rather unusual way. René Suchail then owned a toy shop in Roanne called "Super Chouette". Rather than developing his offering around video game consoles, he chose to offer more skill games, balls, clubs and diabolo sets.

Customers quickly moved beyond simply wanting to buy the equipment; they also wanted to learn how to use it. René Suchail then gathered a few enthusiasts and created the association. The first courses began with approximately 25 students .

The school developed rapidly and moved to the Malleval Gymnasium. Between the late 1990s and the 2000s, it gradually built its identity around a friendly practice of circus arts and organized its first shows.

In 2008 , a fire damaged the gymnasium used by the association. With the support of the City of Roanne, the school was nevertheless able to continue its activities and permanently moved into a new, specialized room within the Malleval Gymnasium.

This facility becomes the main location of the school and allows for the development of regular practice in a space dedicated to circus disciplines.

Over the years, the association has structured itself and developed its professional team while maintaining a significant volunteer involvement.

A progressive and multidisciplinary pedagogy

The Roanne Circus School is now accredited by the French Federation of Circus Schools . The courses are led by qualified professionals, employed by the association and trained in the transmission of circus arts.

The teaching method is based on a progressive approach adapted to the age, level, and abilities of each participant. The goal is to allow everyone to discover the disciplines, gradually acquire new skills, and develop their own practice in a safe and supportive environment.

The teaching is multidisciplinary . Students discover, in particular, juggling, balancing, acrobatics, aerial disciplines and different forms of artistic expression.

Object manipulation

Object manipulation allows you to work with scarves, balls, diabolo, spinning plates, and devil sticks. These disciplines gradually develop coordination, precision, rhythm , and the ability to dissociate movements.

The arts of balance

The arts of balance allow participants to experiment with different apparatus such as rollers, balance balls, or the tightrope. Practitioners gradually learn to find their footing, control their movements, and manage imbalance.

Acrobatics

Acrobatics develops body awareness, movement control, and perseverance. It also forms an important foundation for many other circus disciplines.

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines complement this approach and allow students to discover another relationship to the body, space and height.

The expressive arts

The school also integrates the expressive arts into its teaching methods. Clowning, in particular, allows students to explore emotions, self-discovery, relationships with others, and performing in front of an audience.

Technique is therefore not considered an end in itself. Circus arts also become tools for developing creativity, self-confidence , and personal expression.

An educational program for all ages

Baby Circus and Early Learning

The educational program starts very early with the Baby Circus , accessible to children from 18 months to 3 years old accompanied by a parent.

The children then continue with circus arts initiation classes. Several groups allow the duration and content of the sessions to be adapted to the abilities of children aged 3 to 6 .

Children's and teenagers' classes

From age 6 , the school offers longer courses allowing for in-depth study of the different disciplines. Groups are organized by age and, for some, also according to skill level.

Children aged 6 to 12 can take various general circus classes. Intermediate groups are also offered, subject to pedagogical approval by the team.

The school also develops a program for children who are particularly motivated by their sport. The " Rising Stars " group, in particular, helps young practitioners who want to progress further.

A " Mini-troupe " welcomes experienced children. This course is intentionally more focused on demanding practice: the playful aspect plays a less important role, and participants delve more seriously into their circus skills.

Access to this Mini-troupe is subject to the prior agreement of the supervisors in order to verify that the level and abilities of the practitioner correspond to the functioning of the group.

Teenagers also have specific time slots. The school thus allows them to continue practicing throughout adolescence and to gradually develop more autonomy.

The adults and the Troupe

Adults can also practice circus arts in Roanne. A weekly class is dedicated to them, allowing beginners as well as those with prior experience to continue their learning.

At the top of the amateur circuit is the Roanne Circus School Troupe . Its access is also subject to educational validation.

This organization allows us to offer several levels of engagement: discovery and leisure activities for the majority of members, further development for intermediate practitioners, and more demanding work for members of selected groups.

Creation and performances

Creation and representation have long occupied an important place in the history of the school.

The first shows were presented at the Chervé amphitheater . With the development of the association, the projects gradually grew in scope.

In 2015 , the end-of-year show was presented for the first time at the Scarabée in Riorges , a large performance hall in the Roanne area.

For its twentieth anniversary in 2017 , the school notably created two shows, "The secret of my room" and "The twisted history of the circus".

Performing in front of an audience allows students to discover another dimension of circus arts. The technical skills acquired during classes can be integrated into a group performance, involving genuine creative work and stage presence.

Educational internships and interventions

In addition to weekly classes, the Roanne Circus School organizes workshops during school holidays .

These workshops are aimed at children and teenagers and are open to both beginners and experienced practitioners. They offer the opportunity to discover circus arts or to dedicate more time to specific disciplines.

The association also carries out important work with schools, leisure centers and other educational structures.

The projects are custom-built according to the age of the participants, their level and the objectives defined with the partner structure.

Educational programs can incorporate expressive arts, object manipulation, acrobatics, and balancing.

Through these projects, the team uses circus arts to develop awareness, motor skills, creativity and self-confidence.

An adapted and inclusive circus

Adapted circus now constitutes another important aspect of the activity of the Roanne Circus School.

The association works with children, adolescents and adults with disabilities, particularly within IME, FAM, MAS, ESAT and ADAPEI structures.

The workshops are tailored to each participant's abilities. Circus disciplines then become tools for developing autonomy, expression, coordination , and confidence in a fun and safe environment.

The school also works with elderly people in retirement homes, nursing homes and sheltered housing.

The exercises are then adapted to work on gentle mobility, body memory and the pleasure of movement while creating moments of meeting and social connection.

The association's inclusive work also extends to so-called sensitive environments. The team can intervene in detention centers, reception centers, or accommodation facilities.

The circus is then used as a space for expression and personal development, with objectives adapted to the context and the people involved.

These actions show that the Roanne Circus School views circus disciplines far beyond a simple recreational physical activity.

Coordination, balance, body awareness and motor skills can be worked on in parallel with expression, communication, self-confidence and personal achievement.

A committed team

The teaching team plays a central role in this project. The school's trainers are full-time employees of the association and are involved in regular classes as well as internships, extracurricular activities and adapted projects.

They are supported by a large association team made up of active members and volunteers who participate in the organization of events, the management of the association and the maintenance and development of the project.

Founder René Suchail remains present in the history and team of the association, while the presidency is now held by Théo Belot .

Nearly thirty years of amateur practice

Nearly thirty years after its creation, the Roanne Circus School has thus become an important structure for the amateur practice of circus arts in the Roanne region.

Its offer allows you to start from 18 months with a parent, to continue during childhood and adolescence, to possibly join improvement groups or a troupe, and then to continue practicing in adulthood.

In addition to this leisure school, there are internships, shows, school projects, interventions in leisure centers and a significant adapted circus activity.

The whole forms a project in which technical learning, artistic creation, the pleasure of practicing, individual progress, inclusion and collective life are closely linked.