Yverdon-les-Bains Circus School – Switzerland

The Yverdon-les-Bains Circus School is a Swiss association dedicated to teaching and passing on circus arts. Located in the canton of Vaud for over twenty years, it welcomes children, teenagers and adults around an educational project combining technical discovery, artistic expression, the pleasure of practice and personal development.

As a member of the FSEC, the institution benefits from recognition for the quality of its teaching and the seriousness of its educational work.

A school of life

The school promotes a view of the circus as a true school of life . Beyond learning figures and techniques, the activities help develop self-confidence and trust in others, concentration, perseverance, willpower, and the ability to take on new challenges.

The courses are led by a team that includes professional artists and experienced educators .

The courses offered

Circo-Mini: Early childhood development

The program begins with Circo-Mini , a parent-child circus class for toddlers aged 2 and a half to 5 years old. This introductory course allows children to discover movement, props, and the circus world in a setting adapted to young children.

The basic courses

From the age of 5, students can join the weekly basic courses . Organised according to age and level, they allow students to explore all the major subject areas taught at the school.

Juggling occupies an important place in learning, alongside various balance techniques, acrobatics and aerial disciplines .

Students gradually discover the possibilities offered by their bodies and by the different apparatus, while developing coordination , precision , flexibility and body control .

Specializations

The school also offers specific courses for students wishing to delve deeper into a particular discipline in addition to their general education.

Training in aerial arts allows students to practice trapeze, silks, hoop, and rope. Technical work is complemented by muscle strengthening and flexibility exercises.

Magic is another specialization accessible from age 10. Participants learn various tricks, but also work on their presentation and their ability to captivate an audience.

Adult classes

Adults have several practice options, with beginner , intermediate and advanced groups as well as a course specifically dedicated to juggling.

Artistic creation and The Troupe

One of the distinctive features of the Yverdon-les-Bains Circus School lies in the significant place given to artistic creation .

Particularly motivated students can join La Troupe , organised into two groups: the Petite Troupe and the Grande Troupe .

These courses allow students to deepen their circus techniques and prepare acts for demonstrations and shows at the school.

The work is not limited to mastering the apparatus. The members of the troupes also develop their stage presence through dance, their physical expression through theatre and their technical skills in juggling.

External speakers may occasionally participate in these lessons in order to enrich the students' training.

Theatrical activity

The school also has a theatre activity, with an amateur troupe mainly intended for participants aged 15 and over, whose opening depends on the annual program.

The stage at the heart of community life

The stage dimension occupies a central place in the life of the association.

Every two years, the school organizes a large show bringing together all of its students. These performances allow participants to present their work in the conditions of a real circus show.

The association also participates in cultural events , local festivals and events organized in the Yverdon-les-Bains region.

Students from La Troupe can thus participate in various demonstrations and creations presented outside the school.

Schools, internships and activities

The establishment also welcomes school classes for introductions to circus arts, organised as one-off sessions, half-days or projects spread over several meetings.

Workshops and activities complement the regular courses.

Transmission and training of young supervisors

Knowledge transfer is also an important aspect of the association's operation. Since 2019 , some experienced students have been able to join the team as trainees , and then progress to assistant instructor roles after a training period.

This approach allows young practitioners to gradually discover the responsibilities associated with supervising and teaching circus arts.

A complete structure rooted in the North Vaud region

The Yverdon-les-Bains Circus School thus constitutes a complete structure , combining initiation from early childhood, regular amateur practice, technical specializations, artistic improvement, creation of shows and progressive training of young supervisors.

Thanks to its human approach , the diversity of disciplines taught and its roots in the cultural life of North Vaud , it actively contributes to making circus arts accessible to a wide audience.