CADC Balthazar

The CADC Balthazar was created in 1990, promoting the emergence of a multifaceted contemporary circus. Since then, it has become a resource centre and a place where people can meet, exchange ideas, conduct research and create artistic works.

Its educational and artistic project aims to help individuals develop their characters and creativity through the circus arts, providing tailored coaching to empower them.

The CADC Balthazar is part of a landscape, a pleasant and inspirational cultural city in a large region historically steeped in circus tradition (Archaos, CIRCa, etc.) and contributes to the development of the professional environment by participating in a large number of events and festivals.  

It is supported by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, the Occitania Region, the Department of Hérault, and the Metropolis and the City of Montpellier. It actively participates in federation work (FFEC and FEDEC) and belongs to the Procirk network, awarding the Level III Circus and Movement Artist vocational qualification registered with the French National Register of Professional Certifications. (under renewal)

The vocational artistic training programme “Circus arts and movement" enables students to visualise a professional project by offering two courses:

• A preparatory course for higher education institutions (auditions)

The CADC Balthazar is approved by the Ministry of Culture for lessons preparing for entry into higher education establishments for artistic creation for the circus specialty.

• A certifying professional specialization course leading to a qualification: obtaining the professional certification “Circus and movement artist” registered with the RNCP (in the process of renewal)

The training centers: Balthazar in Montpellier, Arc en cirque in Chambéry, Piste d'Azur in La Roquette sur Siagne are grouped into the ProCirK network which issues a level 5 certification (formerly III) “Circus and movement artist” registered the National Directory of Professional Certifications (RNCP).

The training programme produces well-known artistic figures who work in famous companies. The courses take place in several specially adapted locations, in a friendly, attentive and participatory atmosphere, and include:

• An innovative programme of active and creative teaching
• Laboratory workshops for circus creation
• Top quality coaching allowing students to move forward in their choices and find their own personal expression of movement.

Training offered

• Vocational training for higher schools approved by the French Ministry of Culture,
• Level 5 certified professional training (bac + 2),
• PEPS - nursery of the creation studio, in partnership with the Domain d'Ô venue,
• Title of Initiator in Circus Arts (TIAC),
• Continuous training in the form of professional internships: dance and aerials, dance and trampoline, dance and circus objects…
• "Tremplin" training program to acquire the prerequisites for preparatory circus schools,
• Advanced and Creation" training program to develop an individual stage performance and a professional artistic portfolio in preparation for joining a company or the PEPS program.

Trainer training program

• Since 2023, CADC Balthazar has been offering a "Preparatory Training for TIAC Prerequisites" to train new individuals and help schools recruit future circus arts instructors.
• CADC Balthazar also implements the "Pedagogical Posture, Gestures and Contact" training for schools in the FREC Soleil and Midi-Pyrénées networks.

Admission

Requirements

Excellent physical fitness, basics in acrobatics, dance and acting, artistic motivation.

Procedures

Applicants are preselected by application.
The chosen applicants are then invited for two selection days.

Application pack

The vocational training programme application pack is available from the Centre des arts du cirque Balthazar's website.

Disciplines taught

• Acro dance
• Aerial acrobatics
• Aerial straps
• Chinese pole
• Clowning
• Equilibristics
• Floor acrobatics
• German wheel/Cyr wheel
• Juggling/Object manipulation
• Rope
• Silk
• Static trapeze
• Swinging trapeze/Cloud swing 
• Tightrope
• Unicycle
• Urban dance (break, …)

Learn more about this member

Management

• Director & Artistic Director: Martin Gerbier
• Pedagogical coordinator for vocational training : Martin Jouan

School category

Preparatory

Teaching language

French

Location

Centre des Arts du Cirque Balthazar
16 rue Toiras
34000 Montpellier
France

Founded in 1990