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UNICAMP

University of Campinas - Circus Research Lab

Partner member

FEDEC member since 2025

Over the past 20 years, the Circus Research Group (CIRCUS) at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) has consolidated as one of the leading circus studies collectives in Brazil and Latin America. It offers quality public higher education in circus arts, as well as scientific, technological and social development.

The University of Campinas (UNICAMP) is the second most important in Brazil and third in Latin America: each year, it welcomes over 32000 undergraduate students (undergrade) and 13000 post-graduate students, as well as 2800 professors and 6900 employees/workers.

In 2006, UNICAMP created the "Circus Arts Study and Research Group", now called "Circus Research Lab", to provide training for circus teachers, performers and researchers. Today, it gathers 28 associated researchers, all dedicated to the study of the circus and more than half of them working at various universities in the region.

They have published more than 120 scientific articles, 15 books, and dozens of teaching materials (educational videos, podcasts, etc.), aimed at producing scientific evidence and disseminating quality and safe teaching practices in circus arts.

UNICAMP has also built a national and international network of collaborators, by maintaining constant dialogue with different segments of circus arts: circus schools, social circus projects, artists and professional associations/unions.

  • © UNICAMP
  • © UNICAMP

Activities

  • Training programmes in the field of circus arts
  • University extension projects & Scientific initiation projets
  • Development of research studies on circus arts
  • Organisation of events (International Circus Seminar)

Research Lines

  • Pedagogy of Circus Activities

  • Circus History and Culture

  • Circus and Physical Education

  • Circus Games (circus activities and playfulness)

  • Safety and Technology in the Circus

  • Circus Activities in School Physical Education

Affiliation

UNICAMP has formal agreements with many universities and professional circus schools based in Brazil, Canada, Spain, Portugal and Argentina, which allows the development of research projects on circus arts.

As a partner of the Ministry of Culture and the Brazilian National Arts Foundation, it contributes to the development of many professional circus programs in Brazil and Latin America. In 2025, it became the first Brazilian collective to be part of FEDEC.

Here are some of its main partners:

Learn more about this member

Founded in 2006

Management

  • Rector/President: Professor Dr. Paulo César Montagner
  • Contact-person for FEDEC: Marco Bortoleto (full professor in circus arts)

Localisation

Av. Érico Veríssimo,
701, Cid. Universitária Campinas,
Sao Paulo, Brasil