AUDITIONS Higher education program in Circus arts
Opening for the auditions applications
November 1, 2024
Deadline to send applications on Qidigo (École de cirque de Québec)
February 3, 2025
Deadline to send applications for the SRACQ (Cégep Limoilou)
February 1 or March 1, 2025 depending on where you’re from (see details below)
Auditions are one of the steps in the admission process for the Circus Arts advanced training program (DEC 561.D0) offered by the École de cirque de Québec in partnership with Cégep Limoilou through the Centre de Formation et de Consultation en Métiers d’Arts de Québec for Quebec and French students.
For international students, the advanced training program is called the Diplôme d’études d’établissement (DEE), and is identical, the only difference being that the core curriculum delivered by the Cégep to Quebec and French students as part of the DEC is replaced by a set of theoretical courses delivered by the École de cirque de Québec, as well as French as a second language courses.
Auditions are held each year in February-March, to enable the advanced training team to meet the candidates and assess their physical (flexibility, stability, coordination, agility, precision of execution, etc.) and artistic (originality of numbers, acting, stage presence) conditions and skills, as well as their background and competence in their targeted circus disciplines.
HOW TO REGISTER FOR AUDITIONS:
1. Register on the Qidigo school registration platform before February 3, 2025
Registration link: https://www.qidigo.com/u/cirque-quebec/activity/1456/group/278098
- Create your profile and fill in all the required information
- Add a photo to your profile (high quality, face clearly visible)
- Pay registration fees CA$80 (by credit card via the Qidigo platform)
- Fill in the registration form (previous training, your discipline, injuries, motivations, etc.)
*Please note that your Qidigo profile only allows you to select a Canadian address when creating your profile. You can use the address of the École de cirque de Québec to complete your profile. However, it is important that your complete permanent address be entered in the audition application form.
*Please check your emails often and don’t forget to check your junk mail.
1b. DEC candidates only*: also register with SRACQ before March 1, 2025**
*The DEC arts du cirque higher education program is offered to Québec and french students only in partnership with Cégep Limoilou, and registration with SRACQ is required to join the program.
**ATTENTION: February 1 deadline for international applicants without a study permit and not currently in Canada.
2. Receive confirmation e-mail from the school
3. See the Audition Process section for details
4. Keep an eye on your inbox for details
L’École de cirque de Québec provides specific circus training, including theoretical courses on training and the profession of circus artist.
Applicants must be in excellent physical condition, have regular training experience and have developed a skill in a circus discipline. Students applying for this program must understand that they will be attending 2 different schools within a 10-minute walk of each other.
All applicants must pass auditions before being accepted into one of École de cirque de Québec’s training programs.
Qidigo registration deadline (École de cirque de Québec): February 3rd, 2025
SRACQ* registration deadline for international students for the DEC: February 1st, 2025
SRACQ application deadline for Québec and french students with study permit for the DEC: March 1st, 2025
*SRACQ registration is mandatory for admission and enrolment at Cégep Limoilou for the DEC. Contact Lea-Maude Pepin, Aide pédagogique individuelle at Cégep Limoilou, for more information at [email protected].
**Contact the International Office team at Cégep Limoilou for your SRACQ registration: https://www.international.cegeplimoilou.com/nous-joindre/contactez-nous/
IN-PERSON AUDITION DATES
1st session: February 17th and 18th, 2025* (outside québec candidates)
2nd session: March 6th and 7th, 2025* (Québec residents candidates)
*The School will assign your audition date when you register.
AUDITIONS IN VIDEO*
Video submission deadline: February 10th, 2025
*For candidates who cannot come to the school for face-to-face auditions
You must first choose and audition for one of the two profiles offered, the regular profile and the acrobat profile.
- Regular profile: you must have a main discipline* that you wish to work on throughout your studies at l’École de cirque de Québec. The discipline chosen for the technical evaluation and for the short number presented at the audition must be your main discipline.
- Acrobatic profile: for the technical evaluation, you will be evaluated in trampoline and advanced acrobatics. The short number presented at the audition will be in the circus discipline of your choice.
Compulsory disciplines taught in the acrobat profile at the ECQ :
1st year: Trampoline and acrobatics
Exploration of trampo-wall, Chinese rings, Korean plank, teeterboard, Russian bar, banquine.
2nd year: Choice of a group discipline for the main discipline.
During the auditions (face-to-face and video) you will be evaluated on your knowledge, skills and physical qualities in the chosen discipline, the basic techniques and in the following artistic techniques:
- Technical evaluation in the main discipline chosen for the regular profile or evaluation of trampoline and advanced acrobatics for the acrobat profile
- Physical fitness
- Acrobatics
- Hand Balancing
- Flexibility (passive and active)
- Dance
- Theatrical acting
- Presentation of the number*
Main disciplines taught at the ECQ :
Aerials and duo aerials (trapeze, dance trapeze, aerial hoop, rope, fabric, straps), Chinese rings, Russian bar, Aerial cradle, Korean cradle, Slack rope, Handstand, Tight wire, Hula hoop, icarian, Juggling – object manipulation, Hand to hand, Chinese pole, Unicycle, Board (Korean, Hungarian), German wheel, Cyr wheel, Tramp-wall, Acrobatic bike.
*It is important to respect the time allotted for your number, i.e. 2 to 3 minutes maximum in your main discipline.
*Duo/trio disciplines: Any person wishing to perform a duet discipline (e.g. hand to hand) must be accompanied by his or her partner in the number presented and both persons must register with the ÉCQ. Each member of the group must submit an individual application.
*For the music of your number, please make sure to have it with you during the auditions in MP3 format on a USB key.
If you have any questions, please contactus at: [email protected]
Please note that even if you audition by video, you must complete your online registration and pay the audition fees before the February 3rd, 2025 deadline.
Once you’ve registered with Qidigo, you’ll receive a confirmation e-mail containing the explanatory files for the video and for your main discipline technical evaluation.
The Internet link to your video must be sent by e-mail, and your video must be submitted via the YouTube* platform before February 10th, 2025. In addition, your video must include all the elements mentioned in the document you will receive by e-mail.
Email your video link to: [email protected]
General instructions for video auditioning:
- The introduction to your video recording must include a short (30-second) verbal presentation of yourself (first name, last name, discipline, etc.)
*If you have copyright problems with the music you’ve used in your video, please send us your video via Wetransfer.
Crédit photo | Emmanuel Burriel