Zirkuspädagogisches Zentrum Braunschweig

The Zirkuspädagogisches Zentrum Braunschweig is an educational center dedicated to circus arts, located in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. It offers children and teenagers a permanent space to discover, practice and develop their skills in various circus disciplines.

Approximately 120 children and young people currently attend the center's activities each week.

The teaching takes place in a space of approximately 190 m2 specially dedicated to circus pedagogy projects.

The structure develops an approach in which circus arts constitute at once an artistic practice , a physical activity and an educational tool .

The Flohzirkus: a first discovery for children as young as 4

Early learning can begin as early as four years old with the "Flohzirkus", literally the flea circus.

Aimed at children aged 4 to 6 , this course offers a fun first introduction to the circus.

Children experiment with their first little acts through play , movement , and imagination .

Psychomotor skills play an important role in this initial approach.

The goal is as much to develop motor skills as to stimulate creativity and the pleasure of movement.

The Kinderzirkus: multidisciplinary training from age 7

Children aged 7 and over can join the Kinderzirkus.

This training is becoming much more multidisciplinary .

The students discover, among other things, the tightrope, aerial silks, trapeze, juggling, trampoline, acrobatics and walking on a balance ball.

Other techniques can also be integrated into the sessions.

Teaching is not limited to learning apparatus and figures.

Theatrical games , movement games and fundamental elements of gymnastics complete the training.

This diversity allows children to experience different circus disciplines before gradually identifying the ones that suit them best.

As they progress, they can choose a main discipline in which they wish to further develop their skills.

This approach allows us to maintain a strong , multidisciplinary circus culture while gradually encouraging a more personal practice.

The Jugendzirkus: for ages 11 to 18

The Jugendzirkus continues this approach with adolescents and young adults aged 11 to 18 .

It includes, among other things, the tightrope, aerial silks, trapeze, juggling, trampoline, acrobatics and balance ball.

Young people gradually choose a specialty that matches their tastes and abilities.

They then benefit from more in-depth support in this discipline.

The stage dimension also becomes more important.

The teenagers collectively design acts, participate in their preparation and present them during shows.

They thus discover the circus not only as a technical activity, but also as an artistic practice intended to be shared with an audience.

Creativity and quality of supervision

Creativity plays a central role in the center's educational project.

The officials want to enable children and teenagers to develop their own abilities and find forms of expression that suit them.

The organization also attaches great importance to the quality of its supervision .

The instructors combine teaching skills with personal artistic practices.

The team includes professionals trained in circus pedagogy, social work, psychomotor skills, special education and performing arts.

The founders and managers Mirjam and Roman von Dobbeler themselves have backgrounds combining pedagogy and artistic practice.

Mirjam von Dobbeler is a circus educator and clown-actress trained at the TUT clown school in Hanover. She also has training as an educator supplemented by a qualification in special education.

Roman von Dobbeler is a circus educator, professional artist, and graduate in social pedagogy. He also has additional training in psychomotor skills and movement pedagogy.

He is also involved in teacher training and higher education in the areas of circus pedagogy and movement arts.

The centre thus maintains close links with the fields of education, youth and training.

The Spokuzzi eV association

The Spokuzzi eV association, which is leading the project, wants to offer children, teenagers and young adults in Braunschweig a permanent institution in which they can train and develop.

It is recognized as a youth assistance organization by the city of Braunschweig.

Its associative objectives include, in particular, youth, education, art, culture and sport.

Internships and holiday projects

In addition to weekly classes, the Zirkuspädagogisches Zentrum organizes projects and internships during school holidays.

Children can then practice several disciplines intensively for several days.

These weeks culminate in the preparation and presentation of a real circus show in front of family and friends.

Jugglers, acrobats, trapeze artists, tightrope walkers, balancers and other young artists thus collectively construct a performance.

The center also maintains a close relationship with the Zirkus Dobbelino , created by Roman von Dobbeler.

This organization develops circus projects in schools and during holidays.

These projects use the circus as a tool to promote physical activity , creativity , self-confidence , and artistic expression .

Particular attention is also paid to inclusion and the possibility for each child to find a place in the collective project.

A truly structured amateur circus school

The Zirkuspädagogisches Zentrum Braunschweig thus constitutes a true structured amateur circus school , with weekly courses organized by age, a pedagogical progression, a possibility of specialization, collective creations and internships.

His approach closely combines learning circus techniques , movement pedagogy , creativity , artistic expression and personal development .