Royat MLC – Introduction to Circus Arts

The Royat Leisure and Culture Center offers a year-round introductory circus arts workshop for children. Located in Royat, near Chamalières and Clermont-Ferrand, this activity allows young participants to discover the main circus disciplines within a community-based and educational framework.

The classes welcome children from 5 years old . Two groups allow the sessions to be adapted to the age of the participants: one for 5-6 year olds and a second for children from 7 to 12 years old .

Management

The instruction is provided by Mylène Pouyet , a qualified professional with a BPJEPS in Circus Activities and a Circus Arts Instructor's Certificate . She also holds an accreditation as an external instructor issued by the Puy-de-Dôme Academic Inspectorate.

A multidisciplinary approach

The activity is intentionally multidisciplinary . Children discover several major families of circus arts throughout the year in order to develop varied skills rather than immediately specializing in a single technique.

Juggling

Juggling plays an important role in the sessions. Students can experiment with balls , clubs , rings , diabolos , kiwidos , devil sticks and Chinese plates .

Balances on objects

Balancing on objects constitutes a second area of learning. Children discover, in particular, the wire , the balance ball , the rolla-bolla and the pedalgos .

Acrobatics

Acrobatics allows for more direct work with the body. It is approached in different forms and complemented by lifts and human pyramids , introducing a collective dimension in which listening, cooperation and trust between partners become essential.

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines are represented by aerial silks , allowing children to gradually discover a different relationship to the body, height and space.

The educational project

Beyond technical learning, the educational project places significant emphasis on the child's overall development . The workshops are organized around four main themes:

• motor skills
• creativity
• the expression
• the relationship

The playful approach should allow each child to explore their physical and creative possibilities according to their own abilities. Progress is therefore not solely viewed as the acquisition of figures or circus techniques.

Creativity is integrated into the learning process so that technique can gradually become a means of artistic expression. Children are encouraged to experiment , imagine , and develop their own way of using the disciplines they encounter.

Group practice also plays an important role. Collective exercises and the dynamics of the workshop foster mutual support , sharing , and solidarity among participants.

The circus thus becomes a support for developing self-confidence and individual expression while learning to evolve within a group.

A public presentation at the end of the year

This artistic dimension also culminates in a public presentation. In June , the children present a show to families and members of the MLC, allowing them to share the work they have done throughout the year.

A workshop included in the Royat MLC project

The circus workshop is part of the broader project of the Royat Leisure and Culture Centre. The LCC develops numerous sports, cultural and leisure activities and promotes the values of popular education , with the aim of fostering access to culture and leisure activities for all .

The circus arts workshop provides a genuine and regular amateur activity for children from Royat and the Clermont-Ferrand area. Its appeal lies in the diversity of disciplines offered, the guidance of a qualified professional , and a teaching approach that combines technical learning, motor development, creativity, artistic expression, and cooperation.