Sirkus Ilmawa

Sirkus Ilmawa is a circus school located in Porvoo, in southern Finland. It offers regular instruction in circus arts for children, teenagers and adults, from the first discoveries of movement to the preparation of shows.

The establishment is distinguished by the diversity of its activities: general circus, ground acrobatics, aerial acrobatics, balancing, juggling and collective creation.

Its program also includes parent-child activities, workshops, private lessons and a group of young artists.

A school open to all ages

Sirkus Ilmawa welcomes participants of very different ages and skill levels.

The youngest children discover the circus accompanied by their parents, while older children can join regular groups adapted to their age range.

Teenagers have specific courses and adults can practice general circus arts or specialize in aerial acrobatics.

The school offers several options: semester registration, short-term internships, trial sessions and cards allowing participation in certain courses.

This flexibility allows you to discover different disciplines before choosing a regular practice.

Introducing children to the circus from their earliest months

The establishment offers Vauvasirkus sessions, or circus for babies, intended for children aged 4 to 10 months.

These activities allow babies to discover different sensations and motor experiences in the company of an adult.

The sessions include games, adapted physical exercises and the discovery of circus equipment.

Parents also participate in the activities, in an approach that promotes shared movement and the relationship with the child.

These courses provide a fun first introduction to the world of circus arts.

The family circus for 1 to 6 year olds

Sirkus Ilmawa offers Perhesirkus groups, dedicated to the practice of circus arts as a family.

They welcome children aged 1 to 2, 3 to 4 and 5 to 6 accompanied by an adult.

Participants discover fundamental movements through adapted games and acrobatic exercises.

The sessions help to develop balance, coordination and confidence in movement.

The school encourages adults to actively participate in the exercises, making the circus an activity shared between generations.

General circus classes starting from age 5

Regular circus classes are offered from age 5.

The groups are organised according to several age brackets: 5–6 years, 7–8 years, 9–12 years and 13–16 years.

Students discover different circus disciplines during the sessions.

The program includes ground acrobatics, aerial acrobatics, balance exercises and equipment handling.

Teachers also offer games and group activities to encourage the enjoyment of practice.

This approach allows children to develop their physical abilities while discovering the diversity of circus arts.

Aerial acrobatics

Aerial acrobatics is an important specialty of Sirkus Ilmawa.

Students can practice aerial hoop, vertical silks and hammock.

The sessions include strength, mobility and coordination work, as well as the progressive learning of figures and sequences.

The courses are organized in small groups to allow for individualized support.

The teachers adapt the exercises to the abilities of each participant.

The groups welcome young people aged 9 to 12, teenagers aged 13 to 16 and adults.

Groups suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners

Aerial acrobatics courses operate on an open level principle.

Participants can therefore join a group with different experiences.

Teachers offer tailored exercises so that beginners can learn the basics while more advanced students work on more complex figures.

This organization allows progress without necessarily changing groups at each new stage.

It also encourages mutual support among participants.

Ground acrobatics and human pyramids

The school offers ground acrobatics exercises in its general circus courses.

Participants work on body control, coordination and various acrobatic movements.

Group activities also include duo acrobatics and human pyramids.

These exercises require good communication between partners and help to develop mutual trust.

They play a particularly important role in workshops for groups and private events.

Juggling and balancing

Juggling and balance disciplines are part of general education.

Students discover different manipulation techniques and learn to coordinate their movements.

Balance exercises help to improve stability, concentration and body control.

These activities complement acrobatics by offering a variety of technical challenges.

They also offer possibilities for creating individual or group numbers.

A group of young artists

Sirkus Ilmawa has a performance group aimed at young people aged 10 to 16.

To apply, students must have at least six months of experience in circus arts or aerial acrobatics.

The selection process is based in particular on a cover letter sent by email.

Participants train twice a week, in 90-minute sessions.

The group prepares acts and participates in events in Porvoo and neighboring municipalities.

It can also occur at gatherings of circus practitioners organized in different regions of Finland.

A concrete experience of the stage

The performance group allows young people to discover the demands of a collective artistic practice.

Participants must invest regularly in their training and in preparing for performances.

The participation of families is also requested for certain practical tasks, including travel to events.

This organization promotes student engagement and allows them to discover how a troupe operates.

Internships to discover the disciplines

Sirkus Ilmawa organizes internships and short courses.

Aerial acrobatics courses for adults allow beginners in particular to discover the discipline over several sessions.

The school also organizes workshops for children during school holidays.

Participants can discover several techniques, including aerial acrobatics and hand balancing.

The internships also include games and creative activities.

They constitute a complementary option to the weekly classes.

Free training sessions

The facility offers slots for independent training.

These sessions allow practitioners to work individually on techniques already learned.

For children, specific time slots are organised with the presence of an adult in charge of supervision.

Younger children must be accompanied by their own guardian.

Open sessions are not structured classes: they are intended to allow personal practice in the school's facilities.

Private lessons and group activities

Sirkus Ilmawa offers private lessons tailored to the needs of the participants.

The establishment also organizes activities for private groups, companies and events.

Participants can discover aerial acrobatics, ground acrobatics, lifts and human pyramids.

The sessions are adapted to the level and objectives of the group.

These performances allow people who do not necessarily practice these disciplines on a daily basis to discover the circus arts.

Circus-themed birthdays

The school also hosts children's birthday parties.

Participants benefit from a supervised session allowing them to discover different circus exercises.

Activities may include ground acrobatics, aerial acrobatics, and human pyramids.

A period is then planned for snack time and free exploration of the equipment, according to the conditions of the establishment.

This formula allows for a combination of physical activity, play, and artistic discovery.

A pedagogy based on personal progress

Sirkus Ilmawa promotes an encouraging pedagogy, based on creativity, skills development and self-confidence.

The exercises are adapted to each person's abilities.

Small aerial acrobatics groups allow for individualized guidance.

The school seeks to enable students to gradually take on new challenges, without losing the pleasure of practice.

This approach is suitable for children discovering the circus as well as teenagers and adults wishing to deepen their skills.

A school deeply rooted in the cultural life of Porvoo

Through its regular classes, workshops and performance group, Sirkus Ilmawa contributes to the dissemination of circus arts in Porvoo.

The performances of its young artists help to raise awareness of circus arts among the local public.

The establishment thus combines an educational activity accessible to all with an artistic dimension focused on performances.

Sirkus Ilmawa is a Finnish circus school that offers a diverse range of activities, from the physical awakening of babies to the creation of shows by teenagers, with a significant specialization in aerial acrobatics.