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Study programme

During your study, you are trained to be a versatile (circus) artist. After the four- year programme, you can start working as a member of a collective or as an independent performer.

Study programme

Codarts - Study programme

Codarts Circus Arts offers a four year training program leading to the diploma Bachelor of Circus Arts. In order to follow the main phase of the program, you need to have passed the test from the propaedeutic phase (year 1). In the first year you mainly attend group classes and prepare themselves for physical skills. As of the second year there is a greater scope for personal specialization and development. In the third year you are given the opportunity for participating in work placements in the profession (internships) or for an exchange with another within the FEDEC network. The fourth is focused on the graduation trajectory.

A good professional attitude is of fundamental importance to the circus student, who seeks employment in the professional world. In the first three years of your education the professional attitude and your development will be evaluated every semester. In the first three years you will also follow the physical preparation classes which will provide you with the physical base to perform circus skills. The purpose of these classes are to empower you to become more self-aware and give your body the strength, stamina, body-alignment, coordination and flexibility you need to improve as a circus artist.

Below you can read more about the structure of the study programme. 

  • Year 1

    PROPAEDEUTIC PHASE

    In the first year In the first year the students mainly attend group classes and the focus is on improving your technical and performing skills.

    • You will be prepared to take a wide range of subjects in circus techniques and learn about the various circus disciplines.
    • You will follow classes in supporting artistic creative disciplines such as dance, music, theatre training and improvisation/composition
    • The theoretical programme includes circus history, health and anatomy and art orientation and a general introduction in safety and rigging
    • In the first semester you will receive introductory specialization classes. From the second semester on you concentrate on your chosen specialization.
    • You take part in a group production supervised by a choreographer (circus from dance).
    • You create and perform personal work, in which you will be guided by an artistic coach
    • You will participate in two project weeks, one of which is circus based, the other one focused on cross overs with other disciplines.

  • Year 2

    The second year is an intensive year and marks the start of the main phase.  There is a greater scope for personal specialisation and development.

    You take intensive specialization classes in small groups.

    • You continue with the various circus discipline classes, but can make a choice in which classes you want to follow.
    • You continue with the artistic creative classes from year one and start with Laban Movement Analysis, which principles will return in other classes.
    • The theoretical programme includes circus history, health and anatomy and safety.
    • You take part in a group production about circus based on theatre.
    • You create and perform personal work, in which you will be guided by an artistic coach and a duet. For the duet you will collaborate with a fellow student from another specialization.
    • You will participate in two project weeks, one of which is circus based, the other focused on cross overs with other disciplines.

  • Year 3

    In the third year, your independence as a circus performer becomes more important. You are also given the opportunity of participating in work placements in the profession (internships) or to do an exchange with another school within the FEDEC network,

    • You take intensive specialization classes in small groups.You continue with the artistic creative classes. In the dance classes guest
    • teachers are involved.
    • You take classes in entrepreneurship to learn about production, marketing/PR and financial management.
    • In the physical preparation classes you develop together with a coach your own training programme. By now you know what the best warming up is for you.
    • You take part in a group production, supervised by a circus maker/director.
    • You create and perform personal work, in which you will be guided by an artistic coach.
    • You will participate in two project weeks. The first one is focused on the portraits assignment in which music is integrated. The second project week is focused on cross overs with other disciplines.

  • Year 4

    The final year is  focused on the graduation trajectory

    • You continue with the specialization classes
    • You will have dance classes with guest teachers
    • As a preparation for your final examination project you take coaching classes in the fields of composition, music ,theatre light and sound and workshops in costume and styling. You will use this knowledge in the development of your personal work.
    • You independently research a subject that is related to your main subject and will give a written, audiovisual and/or oral presentation. You demonstrate that you have analytic research skills and that you are capable of presenting a convincing and appealing performance and  have a well-considered view of the profession.
    • You graduate with an individual act and a group production supervised by a renowned circus director, which will be performed in a theatre.

Specializations

Codarts offers the following specializations:

  • (Applied) floor acrobatics

    • dance acro
    • integrated acro in performance 
    • floor acro

  • Aerials skills:

    • static trapeze
    • dance trapeze
    • duo trapeze
    • aerial hoop
    • vertical rope
    • straps 
    • aerial silks

  • Balancing skills:

    • balancing skills (hand balancing -eventually in combination with object manipulation)
    • tight wire
    • walking globe

  • Chinese pole and dance pole

  • Cyr wheel

  • Object manipulation

    • balls
    • clubs
    • rings
    • diabolo
    • non-conventional objects and materials

  • Partner acrobatics

    • banquine  
    • hand to hand
    • icarian

  • Teeterboard

  • Trampoline

Participation week

During a participation week you have the possibility to get to know the programme in practice. The participation week is meant for pupils from high schools and circus preparatory schools who want to explore the different circus schools and audition requirements.

This year, we are organising a number of participation weeks. Click on the button below for more info and registration.