Zirkushof – Cologne Circus School

Zirkushof is a German circus school located in Cologne , in the Porz-Westhoven district, on the Engelshof site. Run by the Zukunftsmanege eV association, it develops an educational and artistic project for children, teenagers and adults, in an environment entirely dedicated to the discovery of circus arts and theatre .

Management and team

The school is run by Steffanie Wrobel , known as Steffi , and Dirk Schäfer , known as Lemmi . Both have extensive experience in live performance, professional artistic practice, and the transmission of circus disciplines.

Steffi is a professional artist , circus and theatre educator, specializing in fire arts , light shows and stilt walking . She provides creative and educational direction for the school.

Lemmi is also a professional artist, specializing in light shows and fire arts . He participates in the organization of activities, workshops and equipment management.

Philosophy

Zirkushof's philosophy is based on openness , diversity , and individual development . The goal is to enable everyone to discover their own abilities, develop their confidence, and find their place in a supportive group environment.

Children's classes

Training begins in early childhood with parent-child sessions adapted for children aged 3 to 5. These initial activities use play and movement to introduce the basics of circus arts, including balance and basic exercises on apparatus.

Children aged 5 to 7 can continue with the MINI groups, dedicated to a general discovery of circus techniques.

The KIDIs groups, intended for 6-12 year olds , offer multidisciplinary teaching combining juggling, object manipulation, ground acrobatics, balance and introduction to aerial disciplines.

Participants can discover juggling balls , Chinese plates , the balance ball and various acrobatic exercises.

Aerial arts

Aerial arts are an important component of the school.

Several LUFTI groups are organized according to the age and level of the students. They allow participants to discover the trapeze , aerial hoop and silks , with a progression adapted to the abilities of each participant.

A course combining aerial acrobatics and ground acrobatics is also offered to children aged 6 to 10 .

These activities develop strength , flexibility , coordination and body awareness , while encouraging students to better understand their abilities and gradually overcome their fears.

Some aerial courses are intergenerational and allow participants of different ages to share the same practice.

Zirkushof also offers Aerial Yoga activities, combining body work and the use of a suspended fabric .

Open training for teenagers and adults

Teenagers and adults have access to a free training area , open to both beginners and experienced practitioners.

These meetings allow participants to work on juggling with balls or clubs, to perfect certain techniques and to develop personal acts .

The school provides the necessary equipment and infrastructure for this activity.

Artistic creation and troupe

An important dimension of the educational project also concerns artistic creation .

Zirkushof notably has a performance troupe , Pott-Püree , which allows for the development of stage work and the presentation of acts in front of an audience.

Holiday internships

Holiday internships occupy another important place in the functioning of the association.

Organised during the Easter , summer and autumn holidays, they welcome children and teenagers aged 6 to 16 .

Participants discover different circus disciplines over several days and collectively prepare a show presented to families at the end of the course.

These workshops take place in the original environment of the Zirkushof big top , including a living space set up around a circus caravan .

Educational projects in schools

The association also develops educational projects for preschool , primary and secondary schools.

The establishments can organize days or weeks of circus discovery, either directly at the Zirkushof or in their own premises.

These activities allow participants to experience juggling , trapeze , tightrope walking , balance ball and acrobatic pyramids .

Beyond learning techniques, these projects seek to develop self-confidence , concentration , coordination , body awareness and group cohesion .

A supportive education

Zirkushof also advocates a solidarity-based approach to education. Several membership levels are offered to facilitate access to courses for families with different income levels.

The school thus seeks to make circus arts accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of their financial situation.

Cultural events

The site also hosts cultural events , shows, parties and demonstrations in its big top.

A multidisciplinary amateur circus school

With its regular classes, specialized groups in aerial disciplines, open training sessions, holiday camps and numerous school interventions, Zirkushof constitutes a true multidisciplinary amateur circus school .

His project combines technical transmission , artistic creation , conviviality and personal development in an original place dedicated to circus arts in Cologne.