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El presente Trabajo de Fin de Grado (TFG), plantea un análisis en pos de encontrar las diferentes posibilidades que ofrece el desarrollo de las habilidades circenses en el área de Educación Física más concretamente en primaria. Además se desarrolla una propuesta educativa en un contexto concreto que consta de dos unidades didácticas y un taller en los recreos de carácter voluntario cuyos contenidos se encuadran en el campo de las habilidades circenses con el fin de involucrar al mayor número de personas a lo largo de todo el proceso. [Resumen del autor]

As atividades circenses na escola são práticas corporais que se transformam num enredo de ações culturais e motrizes. Um riquíssimo celeiro de movimentos corporais, gestos e sentimentos que a Educação Física precisa descobrir como proposta curricular. Por isso, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a prática de atividades circenses na escola, como instrumento pedagógico nos conteúdos de planejamento das aulas de Educação Física escolar. A pesquisa caracterizou-se por uma abordagem qualitativa, em função de sua temática estar enfocada no comportamento humano. Como instrumentos de pesquisa foram utilizados a observação participante, visitas em circos, utilização de filmes temáticos sobre a história e vida dos povos da lona, troca de experiências com artista de circo na escola, fotografias, diários de campo, desenhos, relatos orais e escritos. Os sujeitos deste estudo constituem-se por dezesseis crianças, na faixa etária entre oito e nove anos, estudantes da 3ª série do Ensino Fundamental da Rede de Ensino Particular, no Município de Joinville, na região Norte do Estado de Santa Catarina. As atividades circenses foram desenvolvidas uma vez por semana, com duração de uma hora, conforme o combinado com a coordenadora pedagógica da escola, sendo depois descritas num diário de campo conforme a observação direta do pesquisador. O autor também aplicou entrevistas semidirigidas aos pais das crianças e com o professor de Educação Física da turma a fim de verificar a percepção dos mesmos no tocante ao desenvolvimento das atividades circenses durante a aplicação do estudo. Considerando-se que a receptividade das atividades circenses foi unânime, cativando igualmente os alunos, pais e professores, as práticas desenvolvidas atraíram e instigaram fortemente as crianças, motivando-as e desafiando-as a práticas criativas, incontestavelmente, a pesquisa fomentou a imaginação, respeitando a inteligência, valorizando o ser humano e promovendo o exercício da cidadania.

Circus is increasingly being used as a developmental and remedial activity for children. However, it is in the paradoxical nature of circus that it operates in a way both mysterious and easily accessible. This thesis proposes that circus as education is more effective when both teacher and student have a better understanding of circus as an art form.

To explain this I first introduce six 'elements' of childhood, whose absence often seems to result in an incomplete personal maturity. I then conduct a wide exploration of both the real and the imagined circus, showing how these elements occur or are evoked there, and I establish a correspondence or 'homology' between the two entities - childhood and circus. The discoveries shed light on the aesthetic code of circus itself, leading to the conclusion that circus works as an artform because its essential composition recalls profound experiences of childhood.

I argue that contemporary Western childhood presents unexpected hazards, mostly involving passivity and over-protection. In other parts of the world, and in some Western populations, childhood has other problems, linked to deprivation, exploitation and physical danger. In either case, a child involved in circus activities has a chance to make good some deficits, by experiencing constructive physical risk, aspiration, trust, fun, self-individuation and hard work. My hope is that this dissertation will contribute some strength to the case for well-designed programmes of circus activities for young people, in both formal and informal settings. [author summary]

Circus as a community theatre medium undoubtedly produces positive results for both the individuals involved and the community in which it resides. This dissertation examines the impact of those results when the “community” is an educational setting. Five descriptive case studies of in-school circus programs are explored in the study. These schools are all located in different socioeconomic areas and serve culturally diverse students and communities across Australia.

The nature of circus is also examined; particularly the elements of risk and the perceived sense of danger that are associated with successful circus. These aspects are recurring, necessary elements in the discussion of in-school circus programs. Other recurring themes outlined in the results include:

- an increase in the physical fitness of participating students;
- individual and community pride as dominant student, staff and parent reactions;
- a new “positive” utilisation of space;
- an alignment of individuals’ projected and actual selves;
- the development of peer tutoring systems and new ways of learning;
- a new public face of the participating schools which, in turn, creates a new climate within the schools - which includes an overall decrease in violent and anti-social behaviour in the school, the home and the community.

All five of the descriptive case studies are considered successful by the staff, students and parents interviewed. Success in this case is measured in terms of popularity, both within the school and its wider community, and in the decrease of various anti-social and identified destructive behaviours.

These results are examined under the categories of physical, psychological, mental, scholastic and sociological benefits. The data also emphasizes a number of obstacles to successful circus programs, and offers suggestions for overcoming these obstacles. The principals and practices extrapolated from the data collected provide a framework for how “circus works” within an educational framework.

The results of the study and their subsequent discussion, highlight the personal and communal benefits, and illustrate the notion that “circus works” as a tool for evoking change and empowering youth. The notion of risk is illustrated as intrinsic, and essential for successful implementation in schools. Risk is also identified as the element that needs to be managed in order to alleviate obstacles to the instigation and continuation of circus programs within schools. [autor summary]

Obesity associated with a sedentary lifestyle can lead to changes in the immune system balance resulting in the development of inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to compare lymphocyte activation mechanisms between overweight children practicing regular circus physical exercises with non-exercised children. The study comprised 60 pubescent children randomly divided into 4 groups: Overweight Children (OWC) (10.67 ± 0.22 years old), Overweight Exercised Children (OWE) (10.00 ± 0.41 years old), Eutrophic Children (EC) (11.00 ± 0.29 years old) and Eutrophic Exercised Children (EE) (10.60 ± 0.29 years old). OWE and EE groups practiced circus activities twice a week, for 4.3 ± 0.5 and 4.4 ± 0.5 months, respectively. Percentage of T regulatory cells (Treg) and the expression of CD95 and CD25 in CD4+ lymphocytes were evaluated by flow cytometry. Lymphocyte proliferation capacity was measured by [14C]-thymidine incorporation and mRNA expression of IL-35, TGF-beta, IL-2 and IL-10 by real-time PCR. Lymphocyte proliferation was higher in OWC and OWE groups compared with the EC (3509 ± 887; 2694 ± 560, and 1768 ± 208 cpm, respectively) and EE (2313 ± 111 cpm) groups. CD95 expression on lymphocytes was augmented in the EC (953.9 ± 101.2) and EE groups (736.7 ± 194.6) compared with the OWC (522.1 ± 125.2) and OWE groups (551.6 ± 144.5). CTLA-4 expression was also lower in the OWC and OWE groups compared with the EC and EE groups. Percentage of Treg, IL-35, and IL-10 mRNA expression were lower in the OWC and OWE groups compared with the EC and EE groups. In conclusion, overweight children present altered immune system balance characterized by elevated lymphocyte proliferation due to a decrease in T regulatory cell percentage. These effects were partially reverted by moderate physical exercise, as demonstrated by decreased lymphocyte proliferation. [authors summary]

Bearing in mind the significant introduction of the circus into school and extracurricular activities over recent years, this study aims to present two educational programmes in which circus activities have gained prominence as part of the Physical Education curriculum. To that end we visited classes in a primary school in Brazil and a secondary school in Spain, where this discipline has been part of the study programme for more than 5 years. The facts observed reveal that the circus is presented as innovative and motivating discipline with excellent student acceptance and participation. Moreover, the teachers in charge notice that the circus and art in a wider sense are important educational components by virtue of their creative and expressive potential. Finally, the description of these experiences enables us to discuss the circus modalities used and the difficulties faced by teachers during the implementation of this discipline. [editor summary]

This qualitative study used focus groups to identify the knowledge about the Arts du Cirque Program implemented in a primary school and to explore perceptions of its impacts. Data are based on the discourse of school staff members, parents and other members of the community of an elementary school. The impacts on students are illustrated in terms of prioritized values, academic and skill learning, behavior, self-esteem, sense of belonging and child-adult relationship. Impacts are also reported regarding school staff members, parents and other members of the community. Adequacy is shown between the development and deployment of cross-curricular competencies in the Arts du Cirque Program and what is prescribed by the Quebec School Program. Results show evidence of a rapprochement between parents and teachers and of the support of the community at large mainly as an audience. Work must go in order to develop stronger family-school-community relationships. [editor summary]