Preparatory Program, ages 9 to 13.
Intended for Canadian and French students who have completed their high school studies, this program combines specialized training in circus arts with general college-level education. This three-year program leads to a college diploma issued by the ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport du Québec.
This higher education program aims to produce professional circus artists, creators and performers. Upon completion, graduates are capable of creating and interpreting short circus works or numbers at a professional level. Graduates are able to dance, act and sing, actively participate in every step of a single or collective work, as well as interpret existing works. Graduates will have learned how to maintain good health as well as manage both creative projects and their careers.
Educational and artistic approches
This program emphasizes students' overall development. It comprises general education along with subjects specific to the circus arts and practical training in performing arts and the 5 major disciplines of the circus arts: aerials, balancing, acrobatics, juggling and clowning arts.
In the early stages of specialized training, basic skills are mastered and versatility is developed. Then, depending upon personal interest, and physical and artistic ability, students may choose to generalize, mastering more than one circus discipline from among the various discipline groups. Or, they can opt to specialize in a single discipline.
In the final stage, students concentrate on developing and performing a personal creative project that applies their training to their own artistic vision. The end result is presented before an audience and constitutes the concrete demonstration and synthesis of all that was achieved during the program.
The program encompasses numerous opportunities for students to perform in front of peers and an audience, in particular the Annual Show.
This program is open to Canadian citizens.
The ideal candidate :
The language of training is French. The DEC candidate must have an excellent knowledge of either English or French. In all cases, the candidate must have a functional knowledge of French. A Canadian candidate whose first language is English enrolling in the DEC program may elect to take 4 English literature courses (instead of French literature) and 2 courses in French as a second language. A student who does not have sufficient mastery of the French language may be required to take additional language courses at the School.
Course schedule Diploma of Collegial Studies in Circus Arts (DEC 561.D0)
| Year 1 (Fall Session) Introduction to Circus Arts Physical Conditioning 1 Floor Gymnastics 1 Balancing 1 Specialized Technique 1 Acting 1 Dance 1 Trampoline and flexibility 1 English :Components of discourse* Philosophy and Rationality* |
Year 1 (Winter Session) Physical Conditioning 2 Floor Gymnastics 2 Balancing 2 Juggling and Manipulation Aerial Acrobatics Specialized Technique 2 Acting 2 Dance 2 Trampoline and Flexibility 2 English : Literary genres* Philosophy and Ethics* |
| Year 2 (Fall Session) Health and Safety Physical Conditioning 3 Specialized and Complementary Technique 1 Acting 3 Dance 3 Flexibility Circus Arts and Influences Devising and Producing a Number 1 English : Literary themes* Philosophy : The Human Condition* |
Year 2 (Winter Session) Physical Conditioning 4 Psychological Preparation Floor Gymnastics 3 Specialized and Complementary Technique 2 Acting 4 Dance 4 Voice Researching Methodoloy Devising and Producing a Number 2 Performing a Number 1 English : Written and Oral Communication* |
| Year 3 (Fall Session) Specialized and Complementary Technique 3 Musicand Rythm 1 Dance 5 Devising and Producing a Number 3 Performing a Number 2 Career Management French as a Second Language 1 Anatomy 1 |
Year 3 (Winter Session) Physical Conditioning 5 |
| * These courses are not included in the DEE program ; they are mandatory for students of the DEC 561.D0 program. |
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Disciplines taught
| Acrobatics Hand to hand (dynamic) Contortion Hoop Chair Ladder Russian Bar Russian Swing Chinese Pole Korean Board Teeterboard Trampoline Bicycle Icarian Games Rebound Straps German Wheel Cyr Wheel |
Balance Hand to hand (static) Balancing Ball Chair Stilts Ladder Unicycle Perch Rola-Bola Tight Wire Slack Wire Tight Rope |
Aerial Cradle : - Aerial - Korean Spanish Web : - Single - Double - Triple - Cloud Swing Balancing trapeze Fixed trapeze Dance Trapeze Roman Rings Straps Hoop Silkss |
Manipulation Juggling Foot juggling Devil Stick Diabolo Clowning Arts |
The program schedule is intensive, and attendance is mandatory from morning till night all week long. Preparation for the Annual Show and/or for personal and group work frequently require additional weekend hours.
*Schedule is subject to change.
| Fees (in Canadian dollars) | |
| Entrance Exam Participation Fee | $50 |
| Admission Fee | $200 |
| Incidental Fee | $150 |
| Tuition (payable in two equal payments) | $3,800 per year |
Fees include free access to the sports therapy clinic if needed.
Admission requirements
Registration for the Entrance Exam
To take the Entrance Exam, candidates must complete the Entrance Exam Application Form, the General DEC Questionnaire, and attach all required documentation. It is important to send only one application per applicant and include all required documents, as well as entrance exam application fees.
Deadline to register for entrance exams: January 15, 2011
Completed forms must be received by the School or be postmarked at the latest by the deadline date, postmark providing proof of same.
Territorial Exemptions from Physical Presence at Entrance Examinations
A candidate who lives more than 1,000 kilometres from Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver may be exempt from the Entrance Exam, provided that his/her admission request is accompanied by a videocassette with contents that meet application requirements. For further information, candidates should consult the Territorial Exemptions from Physical Presence at Entrance Exams.
Documents to enclose with entrance application
N.B. An incomplete request will be returned to the candidate who consequently will not be admitted to the entrance exam.
* Only legible copies of all documents are to be provided with the application. Candidates officially accepted into one of the programs must provide certified copies or originals of each document (originals will be returned to candidates via post).
| Fees (in Canadian dollars) | |
| Entrance Exam Participation Fee | $50 |
| Admission Fee | $200 |
| Incidental Fee | $150 |
| Tuition (payable in two equal payments) | $3,800 per year |
Send Admission Documents to:
Registraire
National Circus School
8181 2nd Avenue
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
H1Z 4N9
Entrance exams are held in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. The purpose of the test is to evaluate a candidate's potential and talent, and his or her capacity to acquire the skills at the level required by the program within the prescribed time.
| Entrance Examination Dates | |
| Montreal | February 22 to 25, 2011 |
| Toronto | February, 2011 |
| Vancouver | February, 2011 |
Deadline to register for 2010-2011 programs: January 15, 2011
Only candidates who have registered for the Entrance Exam and have received written confirmation from the School will be allowed to take the exam. Candidates must be available for the entire duration of the audition. For a full description of the Entrance Examination requirements : Entrance Examination Description Sheet DEC.
Registering for the Entrance Examination
To take the Entrance Exam, candidates must complete the Entrance Exam Application Form, the General DEC Questionnaire, and attach all required documentation. It is important to send only one application per applicant and include all required documents, as well as entrance exam application fees.
Territorial Exemptions from Physical Presence at Entrance Examinations
A candidate who lives more than 1,000 kilometres from Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver may be exempt from the Entrance Exam, provided that his/her admission request is accompanied by a videocassette with contents that meet application requirements. For further information, candidates should consult the Territorial Exemptions from Physical Presence at Entrance Exams document.
Completed forms must be received by the School or be postmarked at the latest by the deadline date, postmark providing proof of same.
The National Circus School Foundation Bursary Program
Vital Financial Aid for Aspiring Circus Artists
Skills, talent, and determination are the only criteria for entrance into the National Circus School. It is the principle of the School and the Foundation that no qualified student who wishes to pursue their studies at the School will be unable to attend or be required to withdraw from a program at the National Circus School for financial reasons.
The NSCF Bursary is a non-repayable grant that is awarded on the basis of financial need and provides vital financial support to students who cannot handle the full cost of tuition and related expenses.
Established in 2006, the Bursary program is made possible through an endowment created through donations from individuals, foundations and corporations. This capital is invested in perpetuity and generates yearly revenue which provides a long-term source of income to disburse bursaries each year.
If you don’t think you have the financial resources to attend the National Circus School, the NSC Foundation Bursary may be a vital source of financial support for you.
Program Highlights
• The Program is open to all full time students, both Canadian and international students.
• Since 2006, over 75 % of students seeking financial aid have qualified and have received a bursary.
• On average each year, 3 out of 10 students enrolled in the college and high-school programs receive a bursary from the Foundation.
• Bursary amounts disbursed since 2006 have ranged from $500 to $4,500 resulting in an average bursary value of nearly $2,000.
Eligibility
• Students must be registered and enrolled in a National Circus School program at the time of application in order to be eligible.
• Applications for students under the age of 18 enrolled in the high school-circus arts studies or preparatory program must be completed by consenting parents.
Note: Students who apply for and receive government loans from their province of origin are still admissible to the Foundation Bursary Program.
How to apply?
To be considered for a bursary, eligible students must complete the application form and include the required documents. Information provided on the applications will be tabulated and undergo a confidential process of evaluation. Recommendations will be reviewed by the Bursary Evaluation Committee, who is appointed each year by the Foundation Board of Directors. nommé par le conseil d’administration de la Fondation.
Application Deadline : October 15, 2010