Zirkus Klatschmohn – Halle (Saale)

Zirkus Klatschmohn is an educational circus school located in Halle (Saale) , Saxony-Anhalt. It is part of the Zentrum für Zirkus und bewegtes Lernen Halle eV (ZZB), an association specializing in the transmission of circus arts and the use of circus as an educational tool.

The school currently welcomes more than 130 children and teenagers spread across 14 different courses , in addition to offerings for adults.

Regular training sessions take place in the Zirkus Klatschmohn tents set up at Rossplatz in Halle.

The marquees have a heating system that allows classes to be held throughout the year.

Younger children can discover the world of the circus through Zirkusspiel courses, a fun formula specially designed for a first approach to circus arts.

As students grow older, they can join courses that are more oriented towards different families of disciplines.

The subjects taught

• Acrobatics is one of the main areas taught and allows for the gradual development of coordination, strength, mobility and body awareness.
• Aerial arts also occupy an important place in the school.
• Juggling is another aspect of the teaching and allows students to work on coordination, concentration and object manipulation.
• Balance techniques complement this multidisciplinary training.

In his various projects, Zirkus Klatschmohn notably uses the wire , the balance ball , the Rola Bola , the diabolo , the bolas/poi and different forms of juggling.

Pedagogy at the heart of the project

Pedagogy is a fundamental dimension of the project. Zirkus Klatschmohn considers the circus as a tool to develop not only artistic and physical skills, but also personality, creativity and relational skills .

Group work is therefore as important as technical learning. In training sessions, team games are intentionally combined with artistic practice.

The aim is not to put children in a competitive mindset. On the contrary, the teaching team prioritizes the enjoyment of the activity , the collective experience , and a progression adapted to the abilities and needs of each participant.

This approach allows each child to find their place in the group and develop their own skills. Students also learn to help each other and to build projects collectively.

The stage, an integral part of learning

The stage is nevertheless an integral part of the learning process. Twice a year , participants present what they have developed during training to an audience. These performances allow children and teenagers to gradually discover the creation of an act and the experience of performing without turning the practice into a competition .

Beyond the weekly classes

Zirkus Klatschmohn's activities extend far beyond weekly classes. The association also organizes circus project weeks for schools, nurseries, after-school programs, and other facilities that welcome children and teenagers.

During these projects, participants work in small groups guided by specialized educators. They explore different disciplines, choose and develop acts, and then participate in a group presentation at the end of the project. The goal is to showcase each participant's talents while fostering cooperation, confidence, and active participation.

Shorter introductory days can also be organised around acrobatics, juggling, balance ball or tightrope walking.

Zirkus Klatschmohn also offers holidays and stays entirely dedicated to the circus.

For these activities, the association has a second, particularly unique site: the Sport- & Zirkuskirche Geiseltal in Großkayna. This former church has been transformed into a space dedicated to circus arts, accommodation, and educational projects. It can host groups and classes for stays of several days, combining accommodation, communal living, and circus skills.

Training and transmission

This transmission also concerns adults and future education professionals. The Zentrum für Zirkus und bewegtes Lernen (Center for Circus and Movement Learning) develops a training program in circus pedagogy designed to transmit methods for using circus arts with diverse audiences.

This training covers juggling , balances , aerial arts , acrobatics , diabolo , clowning , and methods of creation and staging.

The objective deliberately goes beyond technical learning: circus pedagogy is considered as a tool for the overall development of the person .

Zirkus Klatschmohn also participates in festivals and events with participatory circus setups allowing the public to experience different disciplines.

A comprehensive project

All of these activities make Zirkus Klatschmohn much more than just a leisure workshop. Weekly classes, shows, workshops, school projects, trips, training for supervisors and participatory actions are all structured around the same project: using circus arts to develop motor skills, creativity, confidence, cooperation and personal expression .

With more than 130 regular young practitioners and an activity developed throughout the year, Zirkus Klatschmohn is today an important structure for the transmission of circus arts in Halle (Saale).