This is the new attraction in the center of Limay (Yvelines).
The Compagnie des Contraires, a social circus school, has been set up for a few days on land belonging to the town hall next to the Christiane Faure cultural space.
The marquee arrived last November, after a long adventure in Chanteloup-les-Vignes, its former location.
Classes have just resumed during the February holidays.
“We feel that the children of Limay have a lot of potential,” exclaims Neusa Thomasi, the president and founder of the association which aims to promote the circus arts in the educational city.
And his team brought together around 70 students for the February holidays.
This morning, a group of around thirty children aged 5 to 9 perform acrobatics under the circus stars.
“It hurts the bone,” exclaims a boy on the trapeze.
“If you're not prepared to suffer a little, we won't be able to go any further on the trapeze,” replies his circus teacher Christopher.
Because, here, they also learn surpassing themselves, the notion of space with their heads down in the void, balance, motor skills and even gravity.
“We mix circus and theater,” confides Neusa Thomasi, knight of Arts and Letters.
The circus allows total rigor.
Juggling helps children concentrate their attention.
Then, we develop their curiosity and creativity.
We are in a society that no longer plays.
Phones diminish creativity.
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" I jump ?
», asks a little girl, both feet on the trapeze bar.
Her circus teacher, André, holds her with his fingertips.
“One hand after the other,” the 28-year-old supervisor explains.
We take our time.
Look around you.
Up down.
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“Do stupid things, but do them at the right time”
The circus is a great tool for children.
“Some are failing at home or at school,” notes Christopher, a circus teacher for around twenty years.
Adults put labels on them at school or in their family.
Here, we peel off the label.
It's a great tool to put children in a position to succeed while having fun.
We tell them we're going to play and they don't even realize they're doing push-ups and core workouts.
They understood that we weren't bad guys.
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The capital of the Compagnie des Contraires is now set up further north in the department.
The circus team also travels to schools to offer activities and shows.
“La Compagnie des Contraires puts itself at the level of the child,” admires Radhia Halladja, family referent in the context of Limay’s educational success.
We have a little one who didn't speak, she starts to open up and talk after a few sessions.
The activity is very beneficial in relation to the fragility of children: lack of concentration, behavioral problems, shyness, self-confidence... The supervisor gives space to everyone, there is team cohesion.
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The installation of this social circus is an asset for this town of 16,000 inhabitants, labeled
“Educational city”, since January 2022. “It makes it possible to fight against school break during the holidays, and maintain a link of activity, pedagogy and practice,” explains Ingrid Lukowski, operational project manager for the educational city of Limay .
We take the children out of the school context with individualized support and an artistic and acrobatic approach.
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The marquee is open during school holidays, from Sunday to Friday.
The next performance is scheduled for April.
The circus school, for its part, will begin in September, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.