Zarakali – Frankfurt Circus School
Zarakali is a non-profit circus school located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. For over twenty years, it has offered children and teenagers the opportunity to discover and develop their circus arts through juggling, trapeze, aerial silks, unicycle, acrobatics, stilt walking, and balancing. Committed to inclusive and participatory teaching methods, the association organizes weekly classes, workshops, collaborative projects, and open training sessions in a vibrant community space built around its big tops.
60431 Frankfurt am Main
Zarakali is a non-profit circus school for children and teenagers located in the Ginnheim district of Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Present for over twenty years in the cultural and social life of the city, the Kinder- und Jugendzirkus Zarakali eV association develops an educational project based on collective practice , creativity , inclusion and the transmission of contemporary circus arts .
The school has an original activity space, organized around its starry big tops , the Sternenzelte, which offer participants the opportunity to discover the circus in an authentic atmosphere.
A structured weekly teaching program
Zarakali offers structured weekly instruction, with different groups allowing children and teenagers to discover several families of circus disciplines or to specialize gradually.
The subjects taught
Overview of disciplines
The school covers a wide range of circus arts, organized around several families of disciplines.
- Juggling : Juggling occupies an important place in its program, with specific sessions devoted to the manipulation of objects .
- Aerial disciplines : trapeze, aerial silks and rope allow students to develop strength , coordination , flexibility and confidence .
- Balance techniques : these include unicycling , stilts and ball walking .
- Acrobatics : taught in various forms, including through specific courses in acrobatics and hand balancing .
- Complementary activities : such as parkour , which allow for expanded possibilities of movement and bodily exploration.
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The artistic dimension
Zarakali also places great importance on the artistic dimension of the circus.
Circus-theatre groups allow participants to combine acquired techniques with stage performance , expression and collective creation .
The association notably supports an artistic ensemble, Kollektiv Kinem , which has specific rehearsal sessions.
For students wishing to deepen their practice, an additional intensive training session is offered on Friday evenings .
This organization allows everyone to progress gradually, from the playful discovery of disciplines to a more committed practice .
A strong commitment to inclusion
One of the foundations of the Zarakali project is its commitment to inclusion .
The association welcomes people with different physical , intellectual , social and financial abilities, with the aim of making circus arts accessible to as many people as possible.
Integrative training sessions are organized each week to promote shared practice between participants with and without disabilities.
The circus is considered a tool for personal and collective development , allowing everyone to discover their potential, gain confidence and contribute to a common achievement.
A cultural venue open to all generations
This approach goes beyond just the children's audience.
Zarakali defines itself as a cultural place open to all generations and also offers opportunities for practice for young adults , adults and seniors .
- An open training session for adults is organized every Monday evening .
- An open training session is offered on Friday afternoons for interested children, from the age of six .
Internships and interventions
Internships constitute another important aspect of its activities.
During school holidays, Zarakali organizes various themed workshops , particularly around aerial disciplines , the discovery of the circus and artistic creation .
Inclusive internships also make it possible to bring together participants with diverse profiles in the same learning process.
The association also develops interventions aimed at schools , extracurricular groups and structures that welcome young children .
Its " Schule & Zirkus " program allows classes to discover circus disciplines in the association's big tops, for half a day or several days .
The activities are adapted to the abilities and needs of the participants, with particular attention paid to mutual support , coordination , balance and cooperation .
Workshops can also be organised directly in establishments , businesses , festivals and local events .
A territorial and social dimension
Zarakali thus has a real territorial dimension and actively contributes to the social life of the Ginnheim district.
Its project is not limited to technical education: the association wishes to create a meeting space where children, teenagers, families, volunteers and artists participate together in the life of the place.
It also develops a reflection on ecology , sustainable infrastructure and living together .
In summary
With its multidisciplinary teaching, creative groups, inclusive training and community involvement, Zarakali represents a particularly comprehensive amateur circus school in the German circus scene.
