Trapeze ASBL – Brussels Flying Trapeze School

Trapèze ASBL is a Brussels-based association specializing in the teaching and practice of the flying trapeze. Founded in 1990 by Philippe de Coen , it is located in the municipality of Saint-Gilles , where for several decades it has been developing a project combining the learning of circus arts, artistic practice and social cohesion.

The association organizes its activities mainly in the facilities of the Les 4 Saisons school, located in the Bethlehem Square district.

Its distinctive feature lies in its specialization around the flying trapeze, a discipline that is relatively underrepresented in traditional amateur circus schools.

A flying trapeze practice

Trapèze ASBL offers weekly courses adapted to different ages and levels, allowing a progressive discovery of this aerial technique.

The small steering wheel

The small shuttlecock provides an accessible first approach from the age of 10. Participants discover or deepen their practice from a platform located three meters high.

The large steering wheel

The large-flying course then allows for a more advanced practice, with platforms located six meters high, accessible by a rope ladder.

The students gradually work on different aerial figures, flights and bar-to-bar techniques. A landing net is installed to ensure safety during practice.

The workshops are organized in small groups , in order to allow for tailored support and progress that takes into account the abilities of each participant.

Diverse audiences

Teenagers can access big-shuttlecock lessons from the age of 12 , with groups corresponding to their level and prior experience.

Specific sessions are also offered to adults , including those discovering this discipline.

For practitioners already possessing acrobatic or aerial experience, the association organizes semi-professional training sessions for large-flying aircraft.

These sessions promote a more autonomous practice, based on exchanges between participants, while maintaining a framework dedicated to safety .

Additional workshops in fitness gymnastics , stretching , postural rehabilitation and muscle strengthening are also integrated into the association's activities.

A social and cultural approach

Beyond technical education, Trapèze ASBL develops a particularly important social approach.

The organization works in partnership with youth associations, schools and socio-cultural actors in Saint-Gilles .

Its objective is, in particular, to make accessible circus disciplines that usually require significant infrastructure and specialized supervision.

The association thus adapts its pricing policy to the resources of the participants, with several levels of contribution, including a social tariff .

This desire for accessibility is also reflected in the numerous cultural activities organized for the residents.

The Quel Cirque! project

Trapèze ASBL participates in particular in the Quel Cirque! project, developed with several Brussels cultural centers.

Every summer, a flying trapeze installation is set up in the public space to allow residents to discover this discipline for free .

These events also offer other circus techniques, including juggling , tightrope walking , balancing and acrobatics , thanks to the collaboration of various circus associations.

A link with the professional sector

The association also maintains a close relationship with the professional sector.

Outside of class hours, its facilities are made available to professional circus artists wishing to have a suitable training space.

The facilities allow for the practice of several aerial disciplines, including Chinese pole , slack wire and other acrobatic techniques.

Each year, more than a hundred professional artists frequent the association's spaces.

This presence fosters encounters between students, local residents, and working artists.

Professionals are encouraged to share their knowledge through educational exchanges, presentations or interventions with young people.

A pedagogical training program since 2022

Since 2022 , Trapèze ASBL has also been developing educational training for its most motivated students, from the age of 15 .

This course allows them to deepen their technical knowledge while learning to pass on the circus arts to beginners.

Young people can then put their skills into practice by assisting the teaching team during internships and events organised by the association.

This intergenerational transmission project contributes to the training of future leaders and allows teenagers to gradually take on responsibilities.

A special place in the Brussels circus scene

Trapèze ASBL thus occupies a special place in the Brussels circus scene.

At once a school specializing in flying trapeze , a neighborhood association , a professional training space and an actor in participatory cultural projects , it defends an approach to the circus based on accessibility, encounter, learning and the sharing of know-how.