Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu

Located in Joensuu, in the North Karelia region, Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu is a school specializing in circus arts education. It is run by Sirkus Supiainen, a Finnish cultural association that has been developing artistic creation, performance presentations, and the transmission of circus arts practices since 1986.

The school offers accessible instruction for children, teenagers, and adults. Its program includes general circus arts courses, aerial acrobatics, juggling, trampoline, and ground acrobatics, as well as workshops combining circus, dance, and physical theatre.

An artistic association founded in 1986

The story of Sirkus Supiainen begins in 1986, with the creation of a collective dedicated to circus arts. Initially itinerant, the structure gradually evolved towards a multidisciplinary artistic activity.

It adopted an association form in 1995, then the name Sirkus Supiainen in 1997. Since 2015, the association has been based in Joensuu.

Over the years, it has developed contemporary circus shows, collective artistic projects, creative residencies and educational activities.

In 2026, the association celebrates its fortieth anniversary. Its work now combines the circus school with a professional activity of artistic production and distribution.

This close relationship between teaching and contemporary creation is one of the distinctive features of Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu.

Circus arts training for different ages

The school offers general circus groups organized according to the age of the participants.

The sessions begin with a warm-up, often in the form of a group game, adapted to the students' development.

Participants then discover different acrobatic movements on the ground before tackling the discipline worked on during the course.

The training includes, among other things, balancing, juggling and aerial acrobatics.

Students are also encouraged to develop their physical expression and to discover the principles of stage performance.

This organization allows you to work on several complementary skills throughout the year, rather than immediately limiting yourself to a single discipline.

The family circus

Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu offers family circus sessions bringing together a child and an accompanying adult.

These courses allow younger children to discover the circus world through games, simple movements and shared exercises.

Participants explore different circus props and discover the basics of acrobatics.

Emphasis is placed on the pleasure of practicing together, experimentation and the discovery of bodily capabilities.

The presence of an adult helps to create a reassuring environment in which the child can freely explore the activities offered.

Aerial acrobatics for children

The school has courses specifically dedicated to aerial acrobatics for children.

Students can discover several apparatus: the fixed trapeze, the aerial hoop, the aerial silks, the vertical rope and the aerial hammock.

The sessions begin with games or warm-up exercises adapted to the age of the participants, followed by acrobatic work on the ground.

The students then move on to the apparatus to gradually learn different positions and figures.

Physical preparation also includes strength and mobility exercises, necessary for practicing aerial disciplines.

The teaching is not limited to technique: participants also work on expression and how to present their movements.

Aerial acrobatics classes for adults

Adults can participate in specific aerial acrobatics sessions.

These classes begin with a warm-up and muscle strengthening exercises, before continuing on the apparatus.

Participants can practice with silks, rope, trapeze, hoop and hammock.

Mobility and physical conditioning exercises accompany technical learning.

The school recommends clothing without zippers and asks practitioners to remove jewelry and watches in order to protect the equipment.

A workshop specializing in juggling

Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu offers a group dedicated to juggling, accessible to beginners as well as experienced people.

Participants can work with balls, rings, clubs and diabolos.

Other accessories and balance exercises may occasionally supplement the sessions.

Juggling is practiced individually and collectively, which allows for the exploration of different techniques and the development of coordination between several partners.

The exercises promote precision, rhythm, concentration, and perseverance.

The presence of practitioners of varying levels also allows for the sharing of knowledge and techniques within the group.

Trampoline and acrobatic disciplines

The school offers trampoline groups in which students discover different jumps and acrobatic movements.

The techniques learned can then be transferred to an airtrack or to acrobatic mats on the ground.

This approach allows you to work on impulses, rotations, receptions and body coordination in different environments.

The sessions also include supplementary exercises using the school's equipment.

The trampoline is therefore an important educational tool for developing students' acrobatic abilities.

Floor acrobatics and creative movement

Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu also offers specialized ground acrobatics courses.

Participants learn fundamental techniques while exploring improvisation, body expression, and creative movement.

No prior experience is necessary to join the introductory courses.

The teaching allows for the development of acrobatic skills while reflecting on how a movement can become an element of artistic expression.

This approach links circus techniques with contemporary creation.

Physical theatre associated with the circus

One of the school's unique educational features is its workshop combining physical theatre and acrobatics.

Participants explore how movements, objects, space, time, emotions, and sounds can become elements of creation.

Circus accessories are no longer used solely for performing technical feats: they are also becoming tools for artistic experimentation.

Students explore different ways to transform a movement, to change its intention, or to give it a new meaning.

The workshop includes improvisation and body exploration exercises.

This approach allows us to discover contemporary circus as an artistic language combining movement, objects and stage presence.

Dance and body expression classes

The school also offers dance and artistic expression activities.

Participants can discover contemporary dance, dance improvisation and creative movement.

Some sessions also allow for the exploration of elements of jazz, show dance, and physical theatre.

These activities are accessible without prior experience.

They complement circus practice by developing musicality, personal expression and the ability to compose movements.

Open training sessions for those over 16 years old

Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu organizes free training sessions, notably under the name Perjantaisirkus , or Friday circus.

These time slots are open to people over 16 years of age, whether they are beginners, experienced or professionals.

Participants have access to the school's equipment to practice independently.

A group warm-up may be offered, but it is not a structured lesson with a teaching program.

The school's teachers are present to facilitate the running of the sessions.

These meetings promote personal practice, exchanges between artists and the development of a local circus community.

A room equipped for many disciplines

Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu has a training hall located at Koskikatu 8, in Joensuu.

The equipment includes acrobatic mats, an airtrack, a gymnastics trampoline and a trampoline pad.

The hall also has eight rigging points for aerial disciplines, with landing mats.

The available apparatus includes aerial silks, hammock, rope, trapeze and aerial hoop.

The school also provides many juggling accessories: balls, clubs, rings, scarves, diabolos, devil sticks and cigar boxes.

Balance equipment includes, among other things, tightrope walking, slacklining, unicycles, balance balls, rola-bolas and rollers.

This diversity allows us to offer general courses, technical specializations and open training in the same place.

A teaching team with complementary skills

The school is run by Sirpa Uimonen , a teacher with training in pedagogy, special education, theatre and movement therapy.

She also served several terms as president of the Finnish Youth Circus Federation.

The association is managed by Rauli Katajavuori , a circus artist with a master's degree in theatre obtained in 2013. He has taught at several Finnish arts institutions, including Sorin Sirkus and the Turku Academy of Arts.

Mari Pyykkönen , a permanent teacher, holds a master's degree in education. She has been involved in circus arts education for several years and also participates in the preparation of shows, workshops, and private lessons.

The team includes other specialists in aerial acrobatics, ground acrobatics, physical theatre and dance.

This diversity of backgrounds makes it possible to offer teaching that combines circus techniques and artistic research.

Shows and creative projects

Sirkus Supiainen has a creative and dissemination activity of contemporary shows which complements the work of his school.

The association organizes artistic productions, collaborations with other companies and cultural events.

She also develops activities around theatre and performing arts, notably through her NÄYTTÄMÖ project.

The school benefits from this artistic environment, in which students can discover the different dimensions of contemporary circus.

Occasional internships and workshops also allow for the exploration of new forms of creation.

A school rooted in the cultural life of Joensuu

Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu contributes to the dissemination of circus arts in the North Karelia region.

The managing association organizes shows, events and educational activities that reach a wider audience than just the students of the school.

His long-term commitment to the field of circus and performing arts contributes to the development of circus practice in eastern Finland.

By combining regular classes, contemporary creation and community training, Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu offers a particularly rich environment for discovering circus arts.

Supiaisen Sirkuskoulu is a circus school in Joensuu that distinguishes itself through the diversity of its disciplines, its equipment, its teaching staff and its close links with contemporary artistic creation.