Zirkusschule KOKOLORES – Saarbrücken

The Zirkusschule KOKOLORES is an amateur circus school located in Saarbrücken , in the Malstatt district. Founded in 1996 , it will celebrate its thirtieth anniversary in 2026 .

The school is run by the Verein für Spiel und Theater eV , an association that uses play, theatre and circus arts as tools for creativity , expression and personal development .

KOKOLORES champions a particularly open conception of the circus. Its project is aimed at children, teenagers and adults, but also at seniors and people with disabilities .

The goal is not just to learn technical skills. The circus is seen as a space to experiment , develop one's imagination , gain self-confidence , and build a collective dynamic .

Circus disciplines

Children and teenagers can discover a very wide range of circus disciplines.

Juggling includes, among other things, balls, scarves, Chinese plates, clubs, rings, devilstick, diabolo and bolas.

Balance disciplines are also particularly developed with the balance ball, the tightrope, the rola-bola, the unicycle, the penny-farthing and stilts.

Aerial arts are represented by the trapeze and aerial silks.

Acrobatics is another important aspect of the teaching and can be combined with other techniques during different courses and projects.

Clowning and theatre also occupy an important place in KOKOLORES' pedagogy.

This dimension allows participants to work on expression , improvisation , stage presence and the relationship with the public , beyond the mere technical execution of a figure.

Magic is also among the subjects taught.

The universe developed by the school also includes other forms of spectacle such as soap bubble effects, balloon sculpting and, in certain adapted contexts, fire effects and techniques.

Course organization

Courses for children generally start from age 7 .

KOKOLORES operates primarily with one-day courses between May and October and multi-week cycles organized between November and April.

The cycles generally consist of eight to twelve sessions .

The groups are intentionally kept small. Two instructors usually supervise around fifteen children , which allows for a truly close educational relationship.

No prior experience is necessary to get started.

Children can explore several techniques before identifying the disciplines that best suit them.

Practitioners who have already acquired some basic skills can simultaneously deepen their techniques.

An inclusive dimension

Inclusion is an important dimension of the educational project.

The school explicitly states that children with health problems, those who consider themselves not very sporty, and children with disabilities are welcome in its activities.

KOKOLORES thus seeks to create socially diverse groups.

The school also works with social projects and various local institutions, particularly in its Malstatt neighborhood.

She participates in the German network " Zirkus macht stark ", which uses circus pedagogy to promote equal opportunities for disadvantaged children and adolescents.

2026-2027 Programming

For the 2026-2027 season, the school offers courses in juggling and balance, aerial arts, acrobatics and clowning, as well as activities combining acrobatics, juggling and theatre.

Teenagers who already have experience can also join a presentation group .

This course allows you to go beyond technical learning and work on building a real act intended to be presented in front of an audience.

The course cycles also conclude with performances . For the 2026-2027 season, two closing shows are scheduled for April 2027 .

KOKOLORES also offers a drop-in session for adults and members of the association who already have experience.

These meetings provide an opportunity to train and exchange ideas around disciplines such as juggling, acrobatics, trapeze or aerial silks.

External interventions

KOKOLORES' activity is not limited to the courses organized in its own space.

The team also works with schools , kindergartens , associations , institutions and communities .

Participatory workshops can be organized in KOKOLORES tents or directly in requesting establishments and events.

The content is then adapted to the age of the participants and the context of the project.

A team with diverse profiles

The teaching team brings together profiles from various fields, including circus pedagogy , education , social work , inclusion and theatre pedagogy .

This diversity corresponds to the identity of KOKOLORES, which considers the circus as much as an artistic and physical practice as an educational and social tool .

With thirty years of existence , a program still active in 2026-2027, a very wide diversity of disciplines and a strong focus on inclusion, the Zirkusschule KOKOLORES is a well-established amateur circus school in the cultural landscape of Saarbrücken.