Zepetra

Zepetra — Circus School

Place and audiences

The school has a dedicated space for circus arts at 153 rue Alphonse Beau de Rochas . Its activities are aimed at a particularly wide audience:

• Babies accompanied by their parents
• Early childhood
• Children
• Teenagers
• Young adults
• Adults

Early childhood and children

For the youngest children, discovery happens through play , with courses and exercises adapted to their development. Balls, scarves, and trapezes allow them to gradually explore their bodies, objects, and space. From age 6, imagination, expression, and technical learning take on increasing importance, culminating in a public presentation of the groups' work at the end of the year.

Teenagers and young adults

Teenagers and young adults can delve deeper into the major circus arts families. The school aims to consolidate technical foundations while also allowing young people to push their limits, work in groups, and gradually discover their preferred disciplines.

• Acrobatics
• Object manipulation
• Expression
• Aerial disciplines
• Balances on objects

Adults

Adults have a particularly well-developed offering: a multidisciplinary workshop to discover different techniques in a group setting and more specialized courses to work on ground acrobatics and aerial disciplines.

• Fixed trapeze
• Aerial hoop
• Fabric
• Rope

Creation and touring

Creativity plays a significant role in the educational project. Since 2006, Zepetra has been developing a CréA group for teenagers. The young people create a show together, participate in a week-long residency during the spring break, and then go on a regional tour during the summer.

This tour is a true company experience: collective travel, equipment setup, rehearsals, and performances for diverse audiences. The shows blend acrobatics, partner acrobatics, juggling, trapeze, aerial silks, and Chinese pole. Professional artists collaborating with Zepetra also support the group during the creative phase.

Artists and Residencies

The school maintains a close relationship with professional artists. It has a creative residency program and a studio that can be used by artists, fostering exchanges between teaching, amateur practice and contemporary creation.

Internships and summer camps

Internships are a major component: the school organizes internships for children, teenagers, and adults during school holidays and some weekends, allowing for both introductory and advanced technical training. For autumn 2026, the school has already scheduled children's internships during the All Saints' Day holiday, as well as a teenager's internship from October 19th to 21st .

Zepetra also organizes circus-themed summer camps for children aged 7-14. During these camps, children spend several days immersed in workshops, group activities, and evening entertainment. The camps are accredited by VACAF AVE and Pass Colo.

• Acrobatics
• Trampoline
• Juggling
• Balances
• Unicycle
• Rolla-bolla
• Airlines
• Clown

Adapted circus and inclusion

Adapted circus is one of the historical foundations of Zepetra. Since 2005, the school has worked with numerous institutions in the social and medico-social sectors, relying on the Adapted Circus methodology developed by the French Association of Adapted Circus.

In this approach, the circus becomes a tool serving an educational or therapeutic project developed jointly with the professionals supporting the participants. Personal progress takes precedence over technical performance. Experimentation, group dynamics, autonomy, and empowerment are essential objectives.

Over the years, Zepetra has worked with a wide variety of audiences and institutions: visually impaired people, autistic teenagers, special education institutions, and other social and medico-social structures. This activity is one of the association's historical defining characteristics.

School projects

Since 2005, Zepetra has been working from kindergarten to high school, offering discovery projects, creative and performance programs, field trips, integration days, and activities focused on group cohesion.

The school also develops adapted circus and inclusion projects with CLIS , ULIS , and other teaching units. Some projects can be long-term and combine several school subjects, circus practice, the creation of a show, and an introduction to professional live performance.

Shows, events and big top

School life is punctuated by shows and events. School festivals allow groups to present their work, while the Crêpe Cabarets bring together teachers, students and artists in residence around acts and creations.

Zepetra has a big top that allows it to host events and develop various activities related to circus arts. The association also welcomes companies and local authorities for specific projects and team-building activities.

Networks and recognition

Its presence in the Montpellier metropolitan area is accompanied by strong ties to the circus community. Zepetra belongs to the French Federation of Circus Schools and to FREC Soleil . Cédric Paolantonacci, head of Zepetra, is currently the contact for this regional federation.

The school regularly participates in the Regional Meetings of Circus Schools and was still among the participating structures in 2026, confirming its involvement in the federal network.

In summary

After more than twenty years in existence, Zepetra is a particularly comprehensive circus school in the Hérault region. Its strength lies in the coexistence of many forms of practice: family discovery, amateur teaching, advanced training, creation by teenagers, touring, workshops, holiday camps, school projects, adapted circus and hosting of artists.

• Discovery (for families and young children)
• Regular education (children, teenagers, adults)
• Advanced training and internships
• Created and toured as a teenager
• Summer camps
• School projects and inclusion
• Hosting artists and artist residencies

From the child discovering balls and the trapeze to the teenager going on tour with a collective creation, from the adult beginner to the artist welcomed to work, Zepetra champions an accessible and collective circus where technical learning remains closely linked to creativity, autonomy and encounters with others.