Sans Dessous Dessus – Circus School of the Mornant Region

Sans Dessous Dessus is the circus school of the Pays Mornantais, in the Rhône. Created in 2006, this association has been developing the learning and practice of circus arts for a very wide audience for almost twenty years.

The school welcomes children from early childhood, teenagers, and adults. Its teaching allows both a first introduction to circus arts and in-depth, regular practice, with advanced and specialized training programs for students wishing to go further.

A multidisciplinary teaching

The teaching is multidisciplinary . Students discover, in particular, juggling in different forms, acrobatics, balancing on objects, cycling and aerial disciplines.

Among the apparatus and techniques practiced are the balance ball, tightrope, unicycle, rolling cylinder, trapeze, and aerial silks. This diversity allows students to experiment with several circus disciplines before gradually focusing on those that best suit their interests and abilities.

Groups adapted to each age and level

The youngest children benefit from a tailored approach based on baby gym and circus arts. The groups then progress according to age and level, with classes for 5-6 year olds, 7-11 year olds, teenagers and adults.

For more experienced students, Sans Dessous Dessus develops advanced and specialized groups. The goal is to go beyond simple discovery to allow for genuine technical and artistic development.

A professional team

The school is run by professionals with artistic and pedagogical experience in circus arts. This close connection to live performance fosters an approach in which technical development is combined with artistic exploration.

An educational project based on mutual support and trust

The educational approach of Sans Dessous Dessus places great emphasis on mutual support , active listening , and respect among participants. These aspects are particularly important in disciplines where students must work together and ensure each other's safety.

Self-confidence is also an important focus. Students gradually learn to accept the opinions of others and to offer constructive and supportive feedback on the work of their partners.

Improvisation and artistic exploration are integral to this approach. Evaluation is not based solely on the technical execution of a movement, but also on the ability to experiment, analyze one's work, and progressively develop an artistic proposition.

The stage and live performance

Performing in front of an audience is an integral part of school life. For many years, Sans Dessous Dessus has organized shows bringing together the various student groups. These events allow students to transform the skills learned throughout the year into acts and creations for the stage.

Beyond the weekly classes

The association's activities extend beyond just weekly classes. Sans Dessous Dessus develops workshops and external programs to promote the practice of circus arts throughout the Pays Mornantais region.

The school also maintains relationships with local cultural stakeholders, particularly around the discovery of professional shows and the organization of circus events.

Adapted circus and popular education

Adapted circus arts are a key focus of the association's mission. The association affirms in its statutes and mission statement its commitment to making circus arts accessible to all audiences and to using circus practice as an educational and social tool.

This approach is part of the broader values of popular education. Sans Dessous Dessus seeks to democratize access to artistic, cultural, bodily and physical practices and to maintain a local cultural offering in the rural and peri-urban area of the Pays Mornantais.

The association also participates in the training and support of young people in the area and develops partnerships with various local structures.

A well-established amateur circus school

After nearly twenty years of activity, Sans Dessous Dessus has become a well-established amateur circus school in the Pays Mornantais region. Its offerings are distinguished by the wide range of participants it welcomes, the diversity of disciplines offered, the existence of advanced and specialized levels, and a community-based project strongly focused on accessibility , popular education , and the social dimension of circus arts.