Zō Circo – Escuela de Circo de A Coruña

Zō Circo is a training and creation school dedicated to circus arts located in the Monte Alto district of A Coruña, Galicia.

Davinia Rico, a director from the world of entertainment

The school is run by Davinia Rico Bravo , an artist, pedagogue and educator with extensive experience in teaching and practicing circus arts.

After initial training in dramatic arts, she discovered circus arts during a stay in the United Kingdom.

This encounter with the circus, and particularly with the trapeze , led him to continue his training in several European countries.

She studied in particular at Chapitô , a school and cultural center dedicated to the performing arts in Lisbon.

She then continued her studies in Bilbao at the Koblakari school and simultaneously developed an activity as an artist and creator.

After various professional experiences, she settled in Galicia and worked in particular with the local Circassian community before creating her own school in A Coruña.

Zō was born from the desire to offer a permanent place in the city to discover and deepen the techniques of contemporary circus.

Children's groups

The school now welcomes both children and adults. The youngest children have groups specifically designed according to their development.

The Pre-Circo

Pre-Circo allows children aged three to five to have their first introduction to circus arts. At this age, activities emphasize play, movement, and physical exploration.

The Little Circus

Peque Circo then welcomes children from about five to eleven years old . They can gradually discover several families of circus techniques.

Acrobatics is an important component of this learning. Children develop coordination, mobility, strength and body control through different movements and situations.

Juggling is also part of the practice. It helps develop coordination, precision, concentration and perseverance.

Aerial disciplines, at the heart of Zō's identity

Aerial disciplines occupy a particularly important place in the identity of Zō.

The trapeze

The trapeze is one of the main specialties taught. This apparatus allows you to work in suspension around the bar and ropes and offers numerous technical and creative possibilities.

The aerial hoop

The aerial hoop complements this approach. Its circular shape allows for the exploration of different positions, transitions, and movements.

Aerial tissues

Aerial silks are also offered. They require significant strength, coordination and body control.

Adult classes

Adults can take courses specifically dedicated to aerial acrobatics . Trapeze, hoop and silks are among the apparatus offered in this training.

Vertical dance with harnesses complements the school's offerings. This discipline allows students to explore movement on vertical surfaces and to alter the body's usual relationship with gravity. It creates a link between aerial technique, dance, and choreographic research.

Body preparation

Physical preparation plays an important role in the sessions. The classes include warm-up and strengthening exercises.

The strength required for using the apparatus is developed gradually. Technical work is followed by mobility, stretching, and recovery exercises. This structure prepares the body before tackling the various techniques.

From technique to creation

However, learning is not limited to the creation of isolated figures. Zō also gives a place to creation .

Students can work on constructing choreographies and stage proposals. The techniques learned thus gradually become tools for artistic expression.

Creating shows allows students to connect technical learning with stage presence. They discover that contemporary circus can use traditional techniques while developing new artistic forms.

This approach corresponds to the career path of Davinia Rico, whose work has been built at the intersection of circus, theatre and contemporary creation.

A teaching approach that is attentive to the group

Zō's pedagogy places particular emphasis on the group . Mutual support and trust among practitioners play an important role in the learning process.

This dimension is particularly present in circus disciplines where safety and progress often require the attention of others.

Overcoming difficulties is a normal part of learning. Circus arts thus allow one to develop perseverance and confidence in one's own abilities .

The progression is adapted to the pace of the participants. With children, this teaching method also aims to build a genuine sense of group cohesion.

The circus becomes a space where everyone can progress while remaining attentive to others. Students learn to practice in an environment where cooperation and collective responsibility are important.

This philosophy accompanies the learning of different techniques.

Beyond the weekly classes

Zō also offers activities that go beyond the weekly classes. Workshops allow new audiences to discover circus arts.

The organization has notably participated in youth programs organized in A Coruña.

Intensive courses and activities may be organized during certain periods of the year. The school also develops programs during the holidays and the summer period.

These formats allow participants to practice more intensively and explore different techniques. The space can also accommodate specific circus-related activities.

A place for training and creation

The school defines itself as a place of training but also of creation . This dual dimension allows for a direct relationship between technical learning and the performing arts.

People who attend Zō thus discover the disciplines not only as physical activities but also as tools for building an artistic language .

The presence of a director from the professional entertainment world contributes to this direction. Davinia Rico herself has a background that combines teaching, circus, theatre and creation.

His main specialty is aerial work , with a particularly strong connection to the trapeze. His European experience also informs the teaching approach developed within the school.

A foothold in the Spanish socio-educational circus network

Zō belongs to the Federación Española de Escuelas de Circo Socio Educativo.

This federation brings together Spanish schools and projects that use circus arts from a pedagogical and socio-educational perspective.

This membership places Zō within a national network, enabling organizations to share their experiences and teaching methods. The school thus contributes to the development and structuring of circus pedagogy in Spain.

Its establishment in A Coruña also contributes to the development of circus arts in Galicia. The project provides the city with a permanent space dedicated to learning circus disciplines.

An offer open to all ages

The school promotes a pedagogy that is attentive to the progress of each individual and the quality of the group. Circus arts become simultaneously a physical discipline , a means of expression , and a collective experience .