Stars of Progress – Sonia Circus 56

Étoiles de Progrès – Sonia Cirque 56 is an amateur circus arts school developed around several municipalities in Brittany and the Pays de Redon.

The school offers weekly classes in Saint-Nicolas-de-Redon, Les Fougerêts and Brec'h. It welcomes children from the age of 5 as well as teenagers and adults.

His teaching is based on a multidisciplinary approach to circus arts, combining technical learning, physical development, artistic expression, self-confidence and collective practice.

The subjects taught

Students discover several major families of disciplines.

Juggling and object manipulation

Juggling and object manipulation allow practice with balls , rings , Chinese plates , devil sticks and diabolo .

Balances on objects

Object balancing includes the wire , the balance ball , stilts , the rolla-bolla and the unicycle .

Acrobatics

Acrobatics is approached on the ground as well as through acrobatic lifts .

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines are one of the school's major specialties . Aerial silks , trapeze, and hoop are among the apparatus regularly offered.

A specialized advanced aerial course is available for children aged 9 and up, as well as teenagers and adults. It allows practitioners wishing to progress further to dedicate more time to aerial silks, trapeze, and aerial hoop.

Artistic expression and clowning

Artistic expression complements technical learning.

Physical and vocal games allow students to explore presence, movement, and expression on the stage.

The clown also has its place in the educational project. It is approached as a space for play, allowing the discovery of the body's possibilities, action, transformation, and the relationship with the audience.

Introduction to magic

The school also offers an introduction to magic .

Participants can discover different principles of magic using cards, ropes, ribbons, foam balls and other small accessories.

This activity benefits in particular from the involvement of Pierre Guedin , a specialist in close-up magic and the history of magic.

Educational direction

The circus arts training is directed by Sonia Kim .

A top-level aerial artist, she graduated from the Korea National Circus Arts Academy in flying trapeze .

Her artistic journey includes various aerial disciplines: flying trapeze , swinging trapeze , rope , ladder , silks and hoop .

In France, she notably holds the Certificate of Initiation to Circus Arts as well as a qualification related to working at height and the use of fall protection equipment.

His artistic experience informs a teaching approach that is not limited to learning figures.

Pedagogical approach

The school uses circus arts as a support for physical development , perseverance , courage , willpower , expression and building social relationships .

Special attention is paid to the pace and development of the children .

For these groups, she now favours moments of discovery and sharing with parents , in order to preserve the pleasure of practicing and to respect the development of each child.

Older students can continue to work on stage expression and participate in school presentation projects.

The archives of Sonia Cirque bear witness to numerous end-of-year shows organized with students over the seasons.

Workshops and activities

In addition to weekly classes, circus workshops are organized during school holidays.

These training courses allow participants to discover fundamental disciplines or deepen their existing knowledge. They may include balance work, physical preparation, flexibility, acrobatics, juggling, and various circus techniques.

The school also develops occasional introductory workshops and activities around circus arts and magic.

Location and local practices

Its presence across several municipalities allows it to offer a local practice to different audiences in Morbihan , Ille-et-Vilaine and Loire-Atlantique .

• Saint-Nicolas-de-Redon : courses for children, teenagers/adults and a slot specifically dedicated to aerial skills development.
• Brec'h : children's and adolescent/adult groups also allowing for regular practice.
• From the 2026-2027 season, the offering will be expanded to Fougerêts with new courses for children.

Étoiles de Progrès – Sonia Cirque 56 thus constitutes a particularly versatile amateur school, allowing both a first discovery of the circus and a more in-depth practice of certain disciplines.

Juggling, diabolo, devil stick, Chinese plates, unicycle, tightrope, balance ball, rolla-bolla, stilts, acrobatics, lifts, silks, trapeze, aerial hoop, expression, clowning and magic make up a particularly diverse teaching.

Sonia Kim's extensive experience in aerial disciplines also gives the school an interesting specialization for students wishing to progress in this field.