Les Impromptus — Académie Fratellini

Les Impromptus: Two Days of Free Circus in La Plaine Saint-Denis

Les Impromptus is the major public event of the Académie Fratellini, the international higher education school for circus arts located in La Plaine Saint-Denis. Every June, for two days, the Academy transforms into a space for celebration and sharing: end-of-year student performances, workshops open to all, demonstrations, and performances by guest artists take place in the Grand Chapiteau, the Petit Chapiteau, the studios, and the outdoor areas of the site.

The great originality of this event is its completely free admission. During these two days, residents of La Plaine Saint-Denis and the entire Seine-Saint-Denis region can discover circus arts in all their diversity, attend performances by the next generation of French and international circus artists, and even try circus practice themselves in workshops offered by the Academy's students and teachers.

Académie Fratellini: An International Institution

Founded in 2003 by Annie Fratellini, granddaughter of the legendary clown Paul Fratellini, Académie Fratellini quickly established itself as one of the most reputable circus schools in the world. Each year, it welcomes around a hundred students—dancers, acrobats, jugglers, tightrope walkers, aerialists—of all nationalities for a high-level professional training program.

The Academy has been located in La Plaine Saint-Denis since 2003, at 1-9 rue des Cheminots, in a remarkable architectural complex that combines big tops, rehearsal rooms, and creation spaces. In October 2025, after three years of renovation and expansion, the Academy inaugurated its newly renovated and enlarged building, offering even better training and creation conditions.

Pedagogy Combining Tradition and Innovation

The pedagogy at Académie Fratellini is based on a dual heritage: that of the great family circus tradition, carried by the Fratellini name, and that of contemporary creation, which renews the forms and languages of the circus. Students learn fundamental technical disciplines—acrobatics, balance, aerial arts, juggling, clowning—but are also encouraged to develop a personal artistic approach, in dialogue with other performing arts, dance, music, and visual arts.

This approach, which combines technical mastery and artistic creation, is reflected in the end-of-year performances presented during Les Impromptus, which showcase both the students' technical achievements and their ability to invent new forms.

A Festival Rooted in the Territory

Les Impromptus is also a local event, a moment of connection between the Academy and the residents of La Plaine Saint-Denis and Seine-Saint-Denis. Académie Fratellini plays an important role in the cultural and social life of the area: it offers amateur circus classes for all ages and levels, develops partnerships with local schools and social structures, and contributes to the promotion of La Plaine Saint-Denis as a center of artistic and educational excellence.

The festival also features a concert in partnership with the Festival de Saint-Denis, highlighting the close ties between the two Dionysian institutions and the richness of the city's cultural ecosystem.

Sunday 100% Circus: The Regular Format

Outside of the festival, Académie Fratellini offers Sunday 100% Circus events throughout the year, open days with workshops and performances for families. These regular events complement the Impromptus program and allow the general public to discover the Academy and circus arts outside the exceptional annual festival.