Social Circus

Social Circus refers to the growing movement toward the use of circus as an agent of social change, as a tool of personal and social development of young people and for an intercultural dialogue. It uses alternative pedagogical tools to work with marginalized people, mainly with youth with personal or social difficulties.

While a career in the circus is one possible future to the youth who participate in the social circus, it is not the purpose. Rather, the objective it to increase self-awareness, individuality and collective unity, self-discipline and many other values through a pedagogical alternative in order to transform the vision and capabilities of youth. The main goals of the trainings are to teach autonomy, solidarity, self-esteem, perseverance, physical-fitness, communication, and adaptability.

In social circus, circus arts are also used as a motor for intercultural dialogue. As an art of the body it transcends linguistic barriers. Circus is then used as a special tool for encountering the other, regardless of ethnic or social origin, and to promote social and cultural diversity for the artists as well as for the audience.

On the right side of this blog, I put some links on social circus program in the world. The most famous between all of them is the project Cirque du Monde, a branch of the Cirque du Soleil that works to expand and support social circus programs in eighteen different countries, and over forty worldwide communities. The Circus du Monde also offers intensive programs and training networks, aimed at enhancing the teaching skills of the circus instructors who wish to practice their art in a social-intervention context.

To know more about the project of "Cirque du Monde", click here.

And to know about the partners of the project, click here.