Zirkus Datterino – BDKJ Darmstadt

Zirkus Datterino is an educational circus project for children and teenagers based in Darmstadt, in the state of Hesse, Germany. Created in 2000 and run by BDKJ Darmstadt, it is now one of the city's well-established youth activities.

The project allows children and teenagers to discover the world of the circus in an artistic , educational , and collaborative environment. One of its key features is the organization of full-fledged circus weeks during school holidays. For several days, the young people live under the big top, discovering different disciplines, choosing their activities, and preparing a performance together.

The program caters to different age groups. Holiday activities can start from age 6 , and some weeks welcome teenagers up to 17 years old . Different options are offered depending on age: circus days, full weeks, overnight stays, and even an international week for teenagers.

Various disciplines

The range of disciplines offered is particularly varied. Participants can learn to juggle balls, scarves, or a diabolo, practice acrobatics , walk on a tightrope, balance ball, or stilts, and discover aerial disciplines such as trapeze and silks . Magic, clowning, and theatrical performance also round out the activities offered.

Professional and volunteer supervisors

Children and teenagers are guided by experienced professionals in circus and theatre pedagogy. These professionals teach them the technical foundations of the various disciplines and support them in preparing their acts. They work alongside young volunteers trained in leadership and holding, or preparing for, the German Juleica qualification for youth activity leaders.

One performance every week

Each week of circus training culminates in a performance. After several days of learning and rehearsals, the young artists present the disciplines and acts they have worked on in front of their families, friends, and the public. During the summer season, these shows take place in the actual red and white big top erected at the Forsthaus Fasanerie in Darmstadt.

An inclusive approach

Zirkus Datterino champions a highly inclusive approach. The project aims to enable all children and teenagers to participate, regardless of their physical, mental, or social abilities. Financial difficulties should not prevent a child from joining the circus either: significant cost reductions are available for families in need.

This philosophy is based on the idea that every young person can find a discipline that matches their abilities and desires. Circus thus becomes a space for experimentation, building self-confidence, discovering new skills, and experiencing a collective journey.

Interventions in schools

Datterino's activities are not limited to school holidays. The project also works directly with several schools in Darmstadt through Zirkus-AG workshops organized during the school year. These workshops are led by a professional circus educator and an educational consultant.

Schools can also contact Zirkus Datterino to organize full days or weeks dedicated to circus arts. For at least three days , students work in groups on different disciplines before presenting their learning in a final performance. These projects can involve a single class, an entire grade level, or the whole school.

When conditions permit, Datterino's actual big top can also be used for training or the final performance of a school project, further enhancing the children's immersion in the world of the circus.

An international dimension

The project also has an international dimension. Some weeks bring together teenagers from Darmstadt with young people from partner cities or other countries. The circus then becomes a tool for encounter, allowing them to create and work together beyond linguistic and cultural differences.

Training for supervisors

Zirkus Datterino also places great importance on training teenagers and young adults who wish to participate in the supervision. From the age of 16 , it is possible to become a chaperone and take various modules focusing on group leadership, prevention, first aid, and the daily operations of the circus.

With its weeks under the big top, its holiday activities, its regular workshops in schools, its inclusive and international projects, and its performances, Zirkus Datterino is a very comprehensive circus education program. Each year, it allows numerous children and teenagers from Darmstadt and the surrounding region to discover the circus arts and to collectively experience creation and performance.