ECB - Ecole de Cirque de Bordeaux

286 Boulevard Alfred Daney 33300 Bordeaux / France
+ 33 5 56 43 17 18
info@ecolecirquebordeaux.com
ecolecirquebordeaux.com

FEDEC member since 2014

Founded in 1981, the École de Cirque de Bordeaux (ECB) is an association engaged in the discovery of circus arts and the training of artists.

Established in a big top in the Bordeaux Maritime district, close to Les Bassins à Flots, the École de Cirque de Bordeaux is involved in 4 areas of activity:

Amateur practice with workshops and courses for young and old,
Training for professionals and those who wish to have a career in the circus,
Cultural action and mediation with a cultural centre for circus arts geared towards the development of the emerging scene,
And event organisation (hiring of rooms, artistic performances, etc.).

The school’s educational project is centred on 4 cross-disciplinary objectives defined by the qualities and competencies a professional circus artist requires, including being an athlete, an acrobat, a technician, a performer, a writer and a professional entertainer:

Developing physical potential,
Bringing out artist personality,
Incorporating high-level technical skills,
Acquiring the professional qualities necessary to work in this profession.

École de Cirque de Bordeaux also works on the development of an emerging artists’ scene and in this context is developing partnerships with a variety of community, cultural and educational bodies. It is a place where artists, amateurs, trainers and circus enthusiasts can come together, exchange ideas and share experiences and practice.

The training centre was founded in 2002 with the first vocational training course for circus artists. In 2010, the association decided to restructure the training centre and make it the cornerstone of the circus Arts cultural centre project.

Since its founding, the training centre has been funded by Aquitaine regional council. It is currently evolving within a large partnership network and is underpinned by a team of committed professionals who complement each other in their approach and skills.

Training in circus movement

At the heart of the learning which takes place at the École de Cirque de Bordeaux training centre is awareness of movement. The opening to related arts such as contemporary and street dance is an integral part of the educational project.

Dance is incorporated in the educational content of the training programmes. Often seen as an add-on to learning and physical development, pupils pick up “choreographic language” in order to develop their own artistic identities as “movement circus artists” or “circus dancers”.

Following the example of other sectors, the Training Centre conveys the educational values and goals held by the Ecole de Cirque de Bordeaux:

a vision of a learning pathway, self-fulfilment and physical development,
a driving force for social interaction, exchange and encounter between amateurs, enthusiasts recognised and emerging artists and circus arts audiences,
an artistic and cultural opening to all circus aesthetics, a cross-disciplinary relationship with related arts,
a responsible and socially-aware approach positioning the circus as a vehicle for social cohesion, encouraging responsibility and cultural diversity,
communication, through their implementation, of community values and popular education, making circus arts accessible to as many people as possible.