Saltimbanco – Scuola Arte del Circo

Saltimbanco – Scuola Arte del Circo is a fun-educational circus school located in Livorno and Cecina, Tuscany.

The association offers circus arts training for children , teenagers and adults , with a teaching method combining technical learning, creativity, cooperation and personal development.

The circus disciplines taught

The teaching is organized around several major families of circus disciplines.

Juggling and balancing

Juggling is one of the foundations of the multidisciplinary approach.

The students also discover different balance techniques.

• The tightrope allows, in particular, for working on balance, concentration and control of movement.
• Stilt walking is also among the disciplines regularly offered.
• The balance ball allows for another form of body control and coordination.
• The rola-bola completes this set dedicated to balances.

Ground acrobatics

Ground acrobatics is another important component of the teaching.

It helps to develop coordination, strength, mobility, body awareness and confidence in one's own abilities.

Clowning

Clowning is also an integral part of Saltimbanco's educational identity.

Clowning is not only considered a technique for performance: schools also use it as a tool for expression , relationship building, and non-formal education .

In 2026, the team notably participated in France in an Erasmus+ project dedicated to the attitude of the clown in non-formal education with young people.

This experience then led to workshops in Livorno aimed at teenagers, teachers, educators and youth workers.

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines also occupy a particularly important place in the school.

• Specific courses are dedicated to aerial silks .
• The aerial hoop is also among the apparatus taught.
• The students can finally work on the static trapeze .

Organization of air courses

Aerial courses are organised by age and level .

• In Livorno, children aged 7 to 10 have their own groups.
• From the age of 11, young people can join groups that better match their technical progress.
• Adults have access to beginner groups as well as intermediate and advanced groups.

This organization allows a complete beginner to discover aerial disciplines and then progress gradually towards more technical and artistic work.

Aerial training is not solely about performing maneuvers.

Saltimbanco also emphasizes listening to the body , body awareness , and the ability to use the apparatus as a means of expression.

The students gradually work through sequences and develop a genuine artistic presence.

The annual courses culminate in the creation of a collective performance .

In Livorno, these shows are notably presented at the Nuovo Teatro delle Commedie .

This interaction with the public is an integral part of the curriculum offered by the school.

Classes for younger children

For younger children, Saltimbanco offers circus motor skills classes.

Two groups are planned for 3-4 year olds and 5-6 year olds .

Through play and direct experience, children gradually discover juggling, ground acrobatics, aerial disciplines, clowning and balance.

The circus thus becomes a tool for exploring the body and its possibilities.

The learning environment is based on listening , cooperation and the pleasure of practicing .

Multidisciplinary curriculum

From around the age of 7, children can join the multidisciplinary circus program.

This course allows you to discover and experience juggling, balance, acrobatics and clowning.

The groups are intentionally multi-level .

This organization makes it possible, in particular, to develop initial forms of transmission between young people themselves.

More experienced students can accompany those who are learning a technique.

Cooperation thus becomes a direct component of learning.

“Esibizioni e Spettacoli” Project

Teenagers can also join the " Esibizioni e Spettacoli " project.

This theatre-circus course allows interested students to create a show that can then be presented at events, festivals and demonstrations.

The project functions like a small company of young artists travelling around the territory.

It allows teenagers to discover the requirements involved in creating and regularly presenting a show.

Artistic competitions and gatherings

Saltimbanco also participates in artistic competitions and events.

Some students from the school have notably participated in the national and European phases of the Performer Cup in circus disciplines.

The school specifies, however, that these experiences must remain associated with a healthy spirit of sports practice, cooperation and personal progress.

Social Circus

Saltimbanco is also developing a significant social circus activity.

CircAbile Project

The CircAbile project is intended for children and adolescents with disabilities.

It offers a multi-month program in which circus disciplines are adapted to the abilities of each participant.

The goal is not performance or the final result.

Circus arts are used as a language to develop expression, confidence, relationships with others, and a sense of belonging to a group.

The project is also open to young people without disabilities who are particularly sensitive to issues of inclusion .

This diversity allows for the creation of a truly shared experience.

A professional educator specializing in special educational needs is part of the school team.

It supports teachers in adapting activities and promotes the participation of different audiences.

Circo di Classe: interventions in schools

Saltimbanco also develops projects directly in schools.

The Circo di Classe program offers juggling, balance, acrobatics and clowning to children and teenagers.

These disciplines become tools for experiencing trust, cooperation, and mutual support.

The philosophy of the project is based on the idea that everyone can find their place in the circus.

Differences in abilities are not considered a problem but a component of the group.

The school thus uses circus arts as a genuine educational tool .

Teaching staff

The teaching team has complementary profiles.

• Enrico Pellegrini is a multidisciplinary, playful, and educational circus instructor and a social circus operator. Trained since 2011, he develops projects in schools, disadvantaged neighborhoods, and various community organizations. He is also a street artist, a performer specializing in soap bubbles, and a lighting technician for live shows.
• Elena Cei is an aerial acrobatics instructor, clown artist, and participates in the development of the association's projects. She also has training in yoga, meditation, and counseling.
• Aeneah A. Ochaka is a professional acrobat from Nairobi. Founder of Asante Kenya Acrobats, he has international experience and brings his work on Kenyan acrobatics to the school.
• Giulia Meoni is a movement artist, graduated in classical dance and trained at the FLIC – Scuola di Circo Contemporaneo in Turin.
• Elisa Venesio is a professional educator and works more specifically on specific educational needs and inclusion.

This diversity of profiles allows Saltimbanco to combine artistic practice, pedagogy, social circus and educational support.

Implants

The school now has two main campuses.

• In Livorno , classes are held at the Nuovo Teatro delle Commedie . This theatrical environment allows students to work directly in a venue dedicated to live performance.
• In Cecina , the courses are organized in the Cinquantina premises, at Parco Villa Guerrazzi.

Both locations offer courses adapted to different age groups.

A comprehensive project

Saltimbanco thus develops an activity that goes far beyond that of a simple weekly workshop.

Regular classes, student performances, a young company, school interventions, European projects, inclusive actions and social circus are all brought together in the same project.

The school advocates a conception of circus arts in which technical learning serves both artistic development and personal and collective construction .

This strong playful, educational and social dimension makes Saltimbanco a particularly interesting structure in the landscape of circus schools in Tuscany.