The FEDEC European Pedagogical Exchanges (EPE) network European Federation of Professional Circus Schools

FEDEC European Federation of Professional Circus Schools 45 members in 21 countries founded in 1998

FEDEC’s role Supporting the development and evolution of pedagogy and creation in the field of circus arts education improving the education in professional circus schools –encouraging and supporting international exchanges –assembling and distributing information of all natures in the circus arts education sector –insuring health and security norms for all members of the federation –having a common professional code of ethics promoting the work of young artists who have graduated from these schools intervening with the authorities or European authorities or national, according to the needs of the Federation or of its members

The 15 partners of the EPE network Germany –Die Etage Belgium –École Supérieure des Arts du Cirque –Banquine – La Maison du Cirque Spain –Escuela de Circo Carampa –Escola de Circ Rogelio Rivel Italy –Flic Reale Sociatà Ginnastica di Torino –Scuola di Cirko Vertigo France –Arc en Cirque –Balthazar –Centre National des Arts du Cirque –École Nationale des Arts du Cirque de Rosny-sous-Bois –École Nationale de Cirque de Châtellerault –Le Lido The Nederlands –European Circus Association United Kingdom –The Circus Space

The EPE network objectives to promote and share the teaching methods of each school to validate and spread the most effective teaching methods to raise the level of expertise through the exchange of teaching practices to stimulate the mobility of students and teachers to promote inter-cultural exchanges to create a durable network of teachers

The working of EPE network 7 vocational training modules production of pedagogical tools definition of a methodology for the transmission of techniques broadcasting of the results in and out of the network

7 vocational training modules Pedagogical exchange –gathering teachers and students –sharing of theoretical and practice knowledge –summarising results Schedule –conferences –directed working sessions –free working sessions –discussions and debates

7 training modules 7 themes –6 circus techniques static trapeze, rope and silkspartner acrobatics tight wire and slack ropebanquine aerial cradleswinging trapeze –1 safety and rigging module 7 hosting schools / 7 towns –Berlin (Germany) –Bruxelles (Belgium) –Rosny-sous-Bois (Paris, France) –Madrid (Spain) –Torino (Italy) –Châlons-en-Champagne (France) –London (United Kingtom)

7 training modules

Production of pedagogical tools Pedagogical exchanges  summary of the results  pedagogical tools (manuals and film)  evaluation of the tools by teachers  improvement based on commentaries  reference tools

Methodology definition for knowledge transmission reflection over the harvest and the transmission of the circus techniques definition of a model for the organisation of training modules production of reference pedagogical tools (manuals and films)

Dissemination of the results to the final users (teachers et future teachers) distribution of manuals and DVDs in all the circus network : professional and leisure sector through partners and FEDEC members

Result broadcasting EPE network FEDEC schools fédérations / associations non FEDEC schools documentation centres federations / associations circus companies documentation centres

A few figures… Average participation to the modules –22 teachers –18 students –15 represented schools –10 represented countries Distribution of the tools –244 page pedagogical manual (a chapter per module) in English, French and German > 230 copies –electronic version of the manual > 300 CD-roms and free downloading from Internet –pedagogical film > 500 DVDs