The Children's Circus – Circus School of Saint-Jean-d'Angély

Le Cirque du Gamin is a professional circus company and school located in Saint-Jean-d'Angély , Charente-Maritime. Created in 2003 , the organization develops a project combining the creation of shows, the transmission of circus arts, popular education and cultural activities.

The school welcomes a particularly wide range of students, from young children accompanied by their parents to teenagers and adults. The 2026-2027 season offers various options: weekly classes, monthly workshops, short courses, and training sessions focused on specific disciplines.

A multidisciplinary teaching

The teaching is multidisciplinary . Juggling is practiced with scarves, balls, rings, and clubs. Balancing exercises on objects allow students to discover, in particular, the balance ball, the tightrope, American rollers, and the unicycle. Students also practice simple acrobatics.

Aerial disciplines play a significant role in the school, including the fixed trapeze , aerial silks , and aerial hammock . Specific workshops also allow beginner teenagers and adults to learn or further develop their skills in the fixed trapeze and silks.

The clown complements this approach. This dimension illustrates Cirque du Gamin's desire to transmit circus arts as a performing art form, not just as a physical or technical activity. Creativity, character development, expression, and show production are all integral parts of the educational program.

An activity for all ages

For younger children, the association offers a program pairing a parent with a child aged 2 to 6. Children then participate in age-appropriate groups, while a true ensemble work is developed with teenagers.

The 13-18 year old group combines juggling, balancing, aerial disciplines, character work, creativity and performance. Teenagers are thus gradually introduced to using the techniques learned in a collective artistic creation process.

Adults also have several opportunities to practice. Juggling workshops allow participants to practice at their own pace, while other sessions focus more on clowning, creativity, and performance. Specific workshops are dedicated to aerial disciplines.

Popular education as a project

The educational project is based on the values of popular education . The Cirque du Gamin particularly emphasizes solidarity , cooperation , cultural emancipation and shared practice .

An actor working with external institutions

One of the structure's key features is its work with external institutions. Since 2003, the company has been developing educational and artistic projects with schools, associations, local authorities, and institutions serving specific audiences.

These programs are suitable for all ages from 2 years old and up. Cirque du Gamin works with young children, school groups, senior citizens, and people with disabilities. Projects are tailored to the needs and abilities of each audience.

This experience is reinforced by a dual accreditation: the Cirque du Gamin is an approved Youth and Popular Education structure and an approved National Education structure .

The collaboration with the École des Arts de Haute-Saintonge illustrates the importance of this educational activity. In 2026 , the Cirque du Gamin celebrated ten years of partnership with this institution, with several dozen students each year and the regular creation of shows.

Adapted circus arts and interventions in medical and social care facilities are also a significant part of the company's current activities. In 2026, the company will notably be leading a multi-month circus project with a specialized nursing home in Matha.

A professional company in operation

Alongside its school, Cirque du Gamin remains a professional, active company . It creates and presents its own shows under a big top, in theaters, or outdoors. This combination of professional creation and teaching allows students to develop in an environment directly linked to live performance.

In Saint-Jean-d'Angély, the company is also developing La Gamelle , a community space dedicated to cultural activities, workshops and live performances.

The Cirque du Gamin is a particularly comprehensive amateur circus school, combining regular classes, workshops, family activities, adult workshops, show creation, aerial disciplines, clowning, and educational projects. Its experience working with schools, social and medical institutions, and people with disabilities also makes it a particularly attractive partner for adapted circus projects and arts education .