The Ain'stant Circus

L' Ain'stant Cirque is a circus school located in Grilly , in the Ain department, in the heart of the Pays de Gex region and near the Geneva basin. Run by the Truck Circus association, it will open its first annual courses in the 2026-2027 academic year and presents itself as the first circus school under a big top in the Pays de Gex .

The creation of this school marks a new stage in the journey of Truck Circus. After several years dedicated to shows, teaching and touring across France, the team has chosen to establish itself permanently in the Pays de Gex in order to create a permanent place dedicated to the transmission of circus arts .

A circus tent as a practice space

The school is located under a real big top in Grilly. This environment allows students to practice in a space directly linked to the circus world and adapted to different families of disciplines, including aerial practices .

A very wide audience, from age 4 and up

L'Ain'stant Cirque welcomes a very wide audience, from 4-year-old children to adults.

Early learning for 4-6 year olds

The youngest children have access to introductory classes specially designed for 4-6 year olds . The sessions combine physical awareness, playful juggling, balance games and first circus experiences adapted to their age.

From age 6: a more comprehensive practice

From the age of 6 , children begin a more comprehensive training. Acrobatics, juggling, balancing acts and group games allow them to gradually discover the main branches of circus arts.

Ages 9-13

For 9-13 year olds , the sessions become longer and the teaching is enriched in particular by work around aerial disciplines and stage expression .

Students can then practice acrobatics, juggling and balancing, but also trapeze , silks and aerial hoop .

Stage performance complements technical learning and allows for a gradual approach to the artistic dimension of the circus.

Teenagers aged 14 to 18

Teenagers aged 14 to 18 have a specific course combining acrobatics, lifts, trapeze, aerial silks and artistic creation.

Preparing shows is part of the content of this group, allowing the techniques learned to be transformed into real stage proposals.

Adults

Adults also play an important role in the school.

A multidisciplinary course allows them to practice acrobatics, aerial disciplines, juggling and balancing, regardless of their initial level.

A specific acrobatics course is also offered to teenagers and adults from 15 years old . It is devoted to ground acrobatics, lifts and pyramids.

This organization therefore allows people to practice circus arts for leisure but also to delve deeper into certain families of disciplines.

The subjects taught

Aerial disciplines

Aerial disciplines constitute one of the important axes of L'Ain'stant Cirque.

Trapeze , aerial silks , and hoop are explicitly included in the classes for older children. Workshops also offer the opportunity to discover the static trapeze and the swinging trapeze .

Acrobatics, lifts and pyramids

Acrobatics is present in virtually all courses and gradually evolves from initiation to more specific work for teenagers and adults.

Lifts and pyramids allow for the introduction of group acrobatics and develop complementary skills such as trust, listening and cooperation between partners.

Juggling and balancing

Juggling and balancing complement this multidisciplinary approach and are present from the earliest stages of the program.

A caring and non-competitive teaching approach

The school promotes a caring and non-competitive pedagogy.

Classes are held in small groups to allow for individualized student support. The school requires a minimum of four participants to run a class and intentionally limits group sizes.

A qualified professional supervisor

Supervision is one of the important characteristics of the project.

The courses are taught continuously by two qualified teachers , Charlélie and Océane , co-founders of Truck Circus.

Both hold the BPJEPS Circus Arts qualification and have over fifteen years of experience in teaching and performing.

This dual educational and artistic experience makes it possible to link technical learning with knowledge of live performance.

Internships during school holidays

In addition to weekly classes, L'Ain'stant Cirque organizes workshops during school holidays.

Children aged 4 to 6 have a special format in the morning, dedicated in particular to juggling, balancing and circus games.

From age 7 , the courses become more intensive and combine acrobatics, aerial disciplines, fixed and swinging trapeze, silks and stage expression.

Each week of the workshop ends with a performance allowing participants to present their work to their families.

An activity aimed at schools and local authorities

The school also develops activities aimed at schools, municipalities and communities.

A weekly time slot is reserved for welcoming groups under the big top and the team can also intervene directly in establishments.

Projects can take the form of introductory sessions , extracurricular activities , or educational cycles organized over several sessions.

This opening allows L'Ain'stant Cirque to play a wider role in the dissemination of circus arts in the Pays de Gex region.

Towards preparation for TIAC and BIAC certifications

One of the project's distinctive features is also its desire to offer continuity beyond simple leisure activity.

Truck Circus announces the development of a certification preparation course to support the introduction to circus arts, particularly around TIAC and BIAC .

This orientation distinguishes L'Ain'stant Cirque from a school solely intended for amateur practice.

It allows one to consider a path from the discovery of the circus to an in-depth practice and then, for those who wish, towards the acquisition of initiation and supervision skills.

However, this preparation for leading a professional circus artist must be distinguished from professional training : the stated objective concerns the transmission and initiation of circus arts.

A permanent location in the Pays de Gex

The permanent installation in Grilly represents an important step for Truck Circus.

The marquee now allows for regular year-round activities in the Pays de Gex region. A heating system is planned for the winter months to ensure classes are held in comfortable conditions.

Using a marquee also involves specific constraints. In the event of strong winds or severe storms , classes may be cancelled or postponed to comply with safety regulations related to the structure.

A first season already complete

For its first season 2026-2027 , L'Ain'stant Cirque is developing a project that is already particularly comprehensive: regular classes from age 4 , adolescent groups, adult practice, specialized courses in acrobatics, aerial disciplines, holiday workshops, creations and shows, welcoming school groups and interventions with communities.

Its location also reflects a territorial logic. Located in Grilly, the school serves a wider population of the Pays de Gex and the Geneva basin .

L'Ain'stant Cirque thus combines the itinerant and artistic experience of Truck Circus with the creation of a permanent place for transmission.

His project allows people to discover circus arts for pleasure, to practice regularly and to progress in different disciplines, while also opening up the possibility of further training in coaching and initiation to circus arts.

This combination of amateur school , permanent big top , qualified professional team , internships , territorial actions and TIAC/BIAC preparation project constitutes the main unique feature of this new school in the Pays de Gex.