ESAC Ecole supérieure des arts du cirque

ESAC is an institution of higher artistic education. To enter the program, students must have a secondary school diploma (CESS), a baccalauréat, or a corresponding qualification. Candidates must already have a solid base in the circus specialty that they are auditioning to study. Because training in a circus degree-program is many times more intense than the training given in a recreational program, it is strongly advised that students attend a preparatory circus school before taking the ESAC entrance examination. Although we accept students from a wide variety of backgrounds, they must all have excellent physical preparation, a good acrobatic level, and a curious attitude towards contemporary art. Stage and musical experience are important advantages.

Every circus discipline is taught at ESAC, except flying trapeze. If candidates propose group acts, they must indicate precisely the status of each member of the act. It is not unheard of for groups to be formed during the entrance exam, but as this is a risky step, it is only suggested in special cases. Because it is extremely difficult to change course mid-way through the program, groups admitted to ESAC will remain together at least until they have graduated.

Given the specific demands of circus training, candidates below 23 years old are given preference.

Candidates wishing to take the entrance exam must register before the deadline. For the specialty portion of the audition, candidates must either bring their own material (subject to approval by the ESAC technical team), or contact ESAC to verify the availability of the school’s material (swinging trapeze, tight wire, cradle, trampoline, etc.). The entrance exam takes place over the course of five days.

• PRE – SELECTION 30-40 candidates are pre – selected at the end of the first three days.

Days 1 and 2: welcome and presentation of the school and the school team. The candidates will be split into groups to do classes similar to those they would have as students: circus specialty, acrobatics, acting, dance, and physical preparation. Based on rigorous criteria, the candidates will be evaluated on:

• their circus specialty. Capacity to reproduced demonstrated or described figures, spatial awareness, ability to break down movements into discrete elements, etc.
• their physical aptitudes. Flexibility, endurance, splits, pull-ups, abdominals, explosiveness, etc.
• open-mindedness towards and capacity to learn dance and acting. Quality of execution, quality of interpretation and expression, creativity and creative potential, ability to work well in a group, etc.
• their acrobatic aptitudes. Understanding of movement, capacity to listen, availability to new ideas, repetition, etc.
• the administrative check-up verifies information and documents transmitted by the candidate, the validity of the secondary-school diploma, etc.

day 3: each candidate presents a short piece which highlights his or her circus
specialty. These pieces must be maximum 3 minutes. In the piece, the students must demonstrate a high technical level, the ability to manage sound and the environment of the piece in general, a connection with the audience, and excellent awareness of themselves and their apparatus. The evaluation criteria are: the quality of execution (leg line, clean movement, fluidity, confidence), stage presence, acting and movement quality, creativity, and the candidate’s embodiment of the artistic proposition. The candidates should come with music on CD or on an iPod-type musical player.

THE SELECTION Between 15 and 18 students will be admitted.

days 4 and 5: The choice will be made! Candidates are put in a class scenario (circus specialty, acrobatics, acting, dance, trampoline), with an emphasis on evaluating artistic and technical aptitudes. These classes help us see in even more detail the candidates’creative potential, their ability to adapt and react to new input, and their facility with new circus research, both solo and in a group. The candidates are interviewed so that we can get a sense of their general culture. The interview also assures that the candidates’expectations match the promise of the program: we want to be certain that they understand that they are signing up for an intense, full-time program (and that due to the time commitment expected there are certain financial implications during their time here). The point of these two days is to get to know the candidates better, so we can be sure that ESAC is the right choice for them and they are the right choice for ESAC.

The school reserves the right to require a candidate to undergo a medical exam if something problematic is suspected. The doctor’s report will be disclosed to the candidate at the same time as ESAC’s decision.

At the end of the five days, ESAC informs the selected candidates that they will be offered admission to the first year of the Bachelor’s of Circus Arts program.

Each of the following documents is required to participate in the entrance exam and must be sent by post to ESAC, Av. Emile Gryzon 1 – 1070 Anderlecht – Belgique. The inscription cost for the entrance exam is €50, to be payed in cash the first day of the exam. Cheques and postal orders will not be accepted.

required documents (incomplete applications will be rejected). – via Postmail

1. the inscription form for the July 2018 entrance exam 
   (if you are having trouble downloading the form, please contact us via [email protected])
   
2. a CV
3. a letter of motivation
4. a recent ID photo
5. a photocopy of the candidate’s ID card
6. a medical certificate stating the candidate’s physical aptitude for the circus arts +Lumbar x-ray : front, profile, 3/4
7. a dvd or video link (with no edits)
   flexibility : 3 splits ( front and profil ) , fermeture carpé et écart 90°, bridge
   handstand back and profil ( + maximum technic level )
   one phrase movement
   technic vocabulary on specilaty
8. an official birth certificate ( not a photocopy )
9. The proof that the applicant is coveres with insurance in case of sickness/accident during the week of our auditions enclossed in the application form:

   -For the Belgiqn applicants: A confirmation of the mutual insurance taken from the SIS card.

   -For the Européan applicants: A copy of a valid European social security card.

   -for applicants outside the European Union: Proof that the applicant has registered with an insurance that covers in case of sickness/accident in Belgium during the dates of the auditions.

10. a certificate of good life and morals or a certificate of good conduct from the police or judiciary authorities (non-EU candidates only)
11. a certified copy of the candidate’s secondary-school diploma (CESS. or an equivalent higher secondary school).
12. For students having foreign secondary-school diplomas, we ask for a copy of their secondary-school diploma (equivalent to the French baccalauréat) and a copy of the transcript of their grades. Although these documents can be simple copies, it is imperative that candidates authorized to present at the selections bring with them the originals of both documents. Admitted candidates will be required, via the secretary of ESAC the 03/07/2017, to execute the process of having their diploma recognized by the French-Speaking Community of Belgium.  All above documents are mandatory to participate in the admission process and must be sent by postal service to ESAC, Av. Emile Gryzon 1 – Bât. 8b – 1070 Anderlecht – Belgium. The cost of the admission process is fifty euros to be paid in cash the first day. Personal cheques and money orders will not be accepted.