Terzo Tempo Ululì – Scuola di Circo & Accademia Ululì

Terzo Tempo Ululì is a school and space dedicated to contemporary circus, acrobatics, aerial disciplines, dance and theatre located in Milan.

The project is led by Ululì ASD , a sports association founded in 2015 by a group of artists, teachers and entertainment professionals wishing to have their own place for practice, transmission and creation.

From the outset, the project was conceived as more than just a training facility .

Its founders wanted to create a true school but also a welcoming place where practitioners could meet, share and build a community.

The name " Terzo Tempo " perfectly illustrates this philosophy. It refers to the convivial moment shared after training. This human dimension remains at the heart of the project.

The school now welcomes children, teenagers, and adults alike. It offers the opportunity to discover circus arts and also to delve deeper into certain disciplines up to an advanced level.

Acrobatics, a pillar of education

Acrobatics is one of the pillars of the teaching. Students can progressively work on rolls, verticals, cartwheels, roundoffs, reversals, flips, jumps, rotations and various acrobatic combinations.

The teaching is intentionally non-competitive . Each person is guided according to their level and abilities. This philosophy allows us to welcome both people discovering acrobatics and practitioners with significant experience.

The trampoline complements the acrobatic work.

Hand-to-hand and acrobalance

Hand-to-hand acrobatics and acrobalancing also occupy an important place in the school's identity. These disciplines are based on the construction of balancing figures by two or more people.

They demand technique, strength and precision. But they also require listening, synchronization and trust between partners.

Ululì develops these disciplines to an advanced level. Experienced practitioners can, in particular, work on complex hand-to-hand and partner acrobatic techniques.

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines are another major focus of the school. Aerial silks are taught, and aerial hoop also has its own courses. Other aerial apparatus and techniques are incorporated into the instructors' training and the activities offered by the school.

Juggling is also an integral part of the program. It is taught to adults and is also included in the courses designed for children.

Acrodance

Acrodance creates a bridge between dance and acrobatics. The work aims to connect acrobatic elements through dance movement. Students thus learn to no longer consider each figure as an isolated element.

Transitions, the relationship to the ground, impulses, suspensions, and the different qualities of movement become integral parts of the work. This approach is particularly well suited to the needs of contemporary circus .

Clowning

Clowning is another historical component of the project. Ululì has developed different approaches around clowning and circus comedy.

The goal is not simply to reproduce gags. The clown also becomes a way to talk about oneself and explore one's own stage persona.

For children: the "Circo in gioco" course

For children, this technical diversity is adapted to the age of the participants. The " Circo in gioco " program uses circus arts to allow children to discover their bodies and their expressive possibilities.

Play is the primary learning tool. Exercises help develop coordination. Children experience balance and imbalance. They gradually discover how to overcome certain limitations.

The techniques offered are inspired by adult classes but adapted to suit the language and abilities of younger children. Juggling, acrobatics, and clowning are among the techniques used.

This practice is explicitly based on a socio-educational approach. Circus thus becomes a means of motor development, but also relational and expressive development.

An inclusive dimension

The school places particular emphasis on the inclusive nature of its practice. Several team members have experience teaching very diverse student populations.

One of the founders specifically mentions her teaching work with adults, children, and people with disabilities. This diversity of experience informs the overall philosophy of the space.

The goal is to create an environment where everyone can develop strength, body awareness, creativity, and self-confidence. Respect for each body and each individual's journey is paramount.

A diverse teaching team

The teaching team itself comes from particularly varied backgrounds. It includes circus artists, acrobats, jugglers, tightrope walkers, actors, clowns, dancers and specialists in aerial disciplines.

Some teachers have decades of experience. Others come from professional circus schools or have studied at various international institutions. This diversity provides students with multiple approaches to circus arts.

The workshops

Ululì also organizes workshops . External artists and teachers occasionally participate to delve deeper into certain disciplines.

The school has notably hosted training programs in vertical arts, hand-to-hand acrobatics, clowning, and various circus specialties. This openness allows advanced practitioners to continue their development without necessarily leaving their usual school.

The Ululì Accademia

The major development of the project today is the creation of the Accademia Ululì . This training marks a new stage in the development of the structure.

The Accademia is presented as a year-long training program for circus artists . It has an explicitly professional focus. It is aimed at young people and adults wishing to deepen their understanding of the language of contemporary circus.

An initial observation

The project starts from a simple observation: the contemporary circus artist can no longer necessarily limit themselves to mastering a single apparatus.

• He must be able to use his body as a means of expression.
• He needs to know how to work with other artists.
• He needs to understand the stage space.
• He must be able to participate in a dramatic creation.
• He must finally be able to connect with the public.

The Accademia therefore seeks to build more well-rounded artists .

The program

The program combines technical training and physical preparation. Dance is part of the curriculum. Theater is integrated into the training. Juggling is also a subject of study.

Artistic research accompanies technical progression. Finally, performance experience is directly integrated into the program.

Admission and prerequisites

The program can be used as an intensive year of training. It is also explicitly presented as preparation for future career paths.

Admission is not automatic. Candidates must submit their application and participate in an interview .

• Good physical preparation is required.
• Prior experience in at least one physical discipline is required: circus, dance, gymnastics, performing arts or similar discipline.
• Motivation is an important criterion.
• The candidate must be available to attend the program on a regular basis.

A trial session can be arranged to assess the candidate's technical level and aptitude.

Hourly volume and organization

The training takes place from October 1st to May 31st . It comprises 160 days. In total, approximately 560 hours of training are planned.

Students work from Monday to Friday. Classes take place from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. This volume completely changes the nature of the course compared to recreational classes.

The stage experience

Stage experience is a mandatory part of the training. Students participate in the production of a show at the end of each phase of the program.

They are not just performers. They take part in the creative process: they reflect on the theme, participate in the artistic research, work on the dramaturgy, build the scenes, participate in rehearsals and the staging of the show.

Performing in front of an audience thus becomes a training step. Students discover firsthand how a company works.

Educational supplements

• Workshops with guest teachers.
• Meetings with professional artists.
• Technical seminars to delve deeper into certain disciplines.
• Injury prevention and specific safety training.
• Educational outings to contemporary circus, dance and physical theatre festivals and events to broaden artistic culture.

Evaluation and objectives

The training is divided into several phases. At the end of each phase, an individual interview is organized with the teaching team.

Technical progress is assessed. Physical preparation is taken into account. Participation and effort are observed. Creative abilities are also considered. Autonomy, stage presence, and teamwork are among the other criteria.

Upon completion of the program, the student must have developed a multidisciplinary technical skill set. They must also have identified a specialization discipline.

• Autonomy in training.
• Artistic research tools.
• Understanding of certain principles of stage composition.
• Real-world performance experience.
• Better understanding of the professional environment of contemporary circus.

Effective

The number of participants is intentionally limited. The course starts with a minimum of ten and a maximum of fourteen . This small class size allows the team to offer more individualized support.

A dual identity: amateur and professional

This Accademia therefore significantly changes the place of Terzo Tempo Ululì in the landscape of Milanese circus schools.

• Children can discover the circus in a fun and socio-educational setting.
• Teenagers can make progress.
• Adults have a wide variety of courses available.
• Advanced practitioners can work on specialized techniques.
• Those wishing to go further now also have a truly intensive course available.

For the NetJuggler directory, this dual identity is particularly interesting. Terzo Tempo Ululì should appear among amateur schools. But Accademia Ululì also justifies its classification among professional and preparatory training programs.

The volume of 560 hours, admission by application and interview, physical prerequisites, training five days a week, integration of artistic research and stage experience as well as the explicitly professionalizing objective constitute sufficiently solid criteria.

Terzo Tempo Ululì thus represents a place where one can start by discovering the circus for pleasure and, for some practitioners, gradually continue towards a much more intensive artistic approach.

This continuity between discovery, amateur practice, improvement, creation and training of the artist constitutes today one of the main strengths of the structure.