SCHOOL LIFE
OUR TEAM
OUR TEACHERS
Our teachers are working professionals in the performing arts and/or creative industries - actors, directors, writers, choreographers, and coaches. They are encouraged to pursue their careers alongside their teaching, to keep in touch with the world of theatre, cinema and alternative media.
As part of our structured teaching program, each teacher brings unique experiences and techniques. Students study with different teachers during their training, to benefit from various inputs and artistic perspectives on their work.
In addition to the teachers in charge of performance technique, we work with experts in their respective disciplines: specialists in voice work, singing, movement, improvisation, clowning, stand-up comedy, screen-writing and so on.
OUR ACADEMIC SUPERVISORS
Each of the school's departments is guided by an academic supervisor, who is responsible for ensuring that classes run smoothly, and that communication between students and administration is facilitated. They help curate the educational experience at Cours Florent to provide a supportive, fair, and challenging atmosphere. As heads of yhe class-year group in their respective departments, they closely monitor every student’s progress. The academic supervisors are an important point of contact for our students, providing feedback on motivation, progress and creative projects in individual meetings. This role provides a level of support and academic oversight, in addition to that offered by the student’s principal class teacher.
Alongside the director of the school, the academic supervisors and heads of the teaching staff conduct regular review of pedagogical assessment, to ensure that academic standards are being maintained.
The programs, artistic support resources and curated activities are frequently revised to meet the requirements of the creative industries of today and tomorrow.
EQUALITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
It is essential for us to create a climate of trust and sharing. We work hard to ensure the school is a safe place where everyone feels respected and validated at all times. It is our duty to uphold these values, which apply to the entire school community. Teachers, permanent staff and students all commit to a charter of mutual respect. Every staff member receives training, covering consent, non-discrimination and the right procedures to follow in cases of harassment.
Intimacy coordinators provide training in best practices to follow during rehearsals, performances and filming.
We are extremely vigilant, on a daily basis, to confront and deal with any harmful behaviour. Our Ecoute, Respect, Egalité (Listening, Respect, Equality) policy provides protection and offers practical advice to anyone in need of a confidential conversation.
To be a confident and capable performers, students need to be physically and mentally fit. To this end, the school provides a counselling service (Hucare), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to guarantee immediate psychological care and counseling in case of need.
We value open dialogue between every member of the school community, as a way of shaping school life. Each class elects class representatives who are charged daily with communicating important student issues. Information is readily shared at regular meetings organised with the school management over the course of the year.
DISABILITY POLICY AND SUPPORT
Cours Florent is committed to identifying and removing the barriers which students with disabilities might face in their training, as well as providing appropriate support.
Students have the right to choose whether or not to share details about their condition or impairment, and can also decide to disclose this information to specific staff members while requesting that it remains confidential. However, students should be aware that choosing not to disclose certain information might limit the opportunity for implementing reasonable adjustments, though the school will maintain its obligation to making anticipatory adjustments.
Our disability service provides advice, support, and guidance to help disabled students thrive on their learning journey.
CAREER TRAINING
To prepare your international career in the creative industries
MASTERCLASSES AND SEMINARS
Throughout the year, professionals from the performing arts and film industries regularly visit the school to meet with our students at seminars and masterclasses. These exchanges are extremely valuable for students, as they offer practical insights and advice for forging their artistic futures and artistic paths. Recent guests include: Vanessa Guide, Quentin Dupieux, Michel Hazanavicius, Sandrine Kiberlain, Cédric Klapisch, Vincent Lindon, Raphael Quenard, Jeanine Tesori and Benjamin Voisin.
Opportunities to network with a broad and varied base of industry experts is a vital part of professional and artistic development. Our hope is that these creative exchanges with guest artists - many of whom are former students - may offer some inspiration to discover the many different fields and opportunities in the industry, including, but not limited to, playwriting, directing, and technical design.
Professionalization modules serve to equip students with the necessary tools to navigate the competitive arts and entertainment industries, preparing for a seamless transition from the classroom to the professional stage. These modules provide students with a comprehensive and contemporary understanding of the industry, as well as foster vital networking skills.
Extra-curricular seminars, organised on specific themes, are provided once a week as additional content to the practical classes. Previous classes have covered topics such as: warm-up techniques, history of theatre and cinema, women creators in the performing arts, law and economics of the performing arts.
Additionally, French-speaking students are welcome to attend all events organised in the school’s French department.
ACTING IN ENGLISH WEEKENDS
Every year, we organize numerous additional Actor Training weekends. For example, we partner with Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts on an intensive acting weekend. Over the course of three days, visiting specialists from this London-based school, alongside instructors from Cours Florent, provide students with an in-depth workshop focused on the works of a celebrated British dramatists. We also organise specific audition training weekends for our third year students.
THE CASTING OFFICE
The Casting Office at Cours Florent is a unique resource afforded to our student actors. Thanks to the school’s reputation and celebrated alumni, the office regularly receives numerous requests from casting directors, production companies, artistic agents, stage and film directors and directors. The Casting Office is a unique contact that facilitates this first step into the professional world.
The Casting Office frequently publishes casting announcements and works to match the needs of professionals - in advertising, theatre, television, film and alternative/digital media - who are in search of actors. The school can suggest student actors who correspond to the casting criteria.
Any student can sign up to the office’s casting list at the beginning of their time at Cours Florent. This file, which includes photos, videos and CVs, can be consulted by professionals and serves as a first opportunity for student actors to market themselves.
Additionally, the Casting Office organises auditions for artistic agencies, together with masterclasses with casting directors. Performing arts and film professionals are invited to take part in the school's annual events, such as the end-of-year shows, and the Prix Olga Horstig.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH PRESTIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
Cours Florent enjoys numerous partnerships with other renowned organisations, as a means of creating enriching experiences for its students. Examples of artistic partnerships include: the Musée d’Orsay, which has created performance opportunities for students; a regular collaboration with the Théâtre Mogador, which offers events that Cours Florent students can attend; and Stage Entertainment, with which the school works to run the musical theatre Classe Libre.
COMMITMENT TO POSITIVE SOCIAL IMPACT
Cours Florent has established partnerships which encourage students' commitment to the role that the arts play in creating a positive social impact. Our students have for example the possibility to work with the Paris School of Medicine, providing role-playing services to medics in training and, in partnership with hospitals, offering creative workshops to patients and care-givers.
OUR STUDENT EVENTS
In parallel to actor training, Cours Florent creates a well-rounded school life of extra curricular events, as well opportunities to build lifelong friendships and artistic connections between students.
ARTISTIC EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
Cours Florent organises a variety of events throughout the year where students can meet, share ideas, work and lay the foundations of their future professional and artistic networks. These events are organised for the entire student body, as well as others which specifically cater to the international departments.
- Festival of Cours Florent’s Third Year student projects
Every Cours Florent student is welcome to attend the third-year project performances (known as Travail de Fin d’Études/TFE), which take place across the different departments. These performances offer a unique exposure to a diversity of artistic forms and works-in-progress. You can find out more about the Travail de Fin d’Études in our curriculum section.
- Automnales
The annual Automnales festival gathers the best plays, production and devised projects selected from the previous third-year projects. Over the course of ten days the school is taken over by these TFEs and performances take place around the clock.
- Events within the International Department
To celebrate the best of French culture, the international department organises events such as the traditional Galette des Rois. These cultural evenings, which are held throughout the academic year, are an ideal setting for cultural exchange between the diversity of nationalities and traditions represented in the school. Students are encouraged to contribute actively to the festivities by preparing performances which present an insight into their home countries and traditions.
- Cours Florent’s Night – Les Jacques
The biggest night of the year at Cours Florent, Les Jacques is our equivalent of the Oscars. Students and teachers are invited to this annual ceremony, which takes place in the iconic Théâtre Mogador, to celebrate the best work produced by our recent graduates. With performances and awards this is an unmissable night for everyone at the school.
- Eloquence contest
The annual eloquence competition is an important date in the Cours Florent calendar. It’s open to every student at Cours Florent and, with a category exclusively in English, non-French speakers have their own opportunity to perform.
- Prix Florent Image
The Prix Florent Image is a short film competition. Every member of the student body is eligible to submit a short film on the topic of their choice. A jury of industry professionals awards prizes for best film, best actor and best actress. The selected films are presented at a screening, attended by members of the film industry, at a Parisian cinema.
SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
We welcome students from all around the globe (over 40 nationalities!). Moving to a new country can seem daunting. Cours Florent is here to help make the organisation a bit easier so that you can settle into Paris life with ease. We can for example help our applicants with the visa procedure and subsequent annual renewals.
As busy metropolitan city, it can be difficult to find housing in Paris. As such, we have created several partnerships with organisations which specialise in sourcing accommodation, and which give preferential agreements to Cours Florent students.
To make your arrival in Paris as smooth as possible, the school organises an orientation week during which students receive organisational tips and advice on life in France, in Paris and at our school. Additionally, a number of student employment agencies present their activities to those students interested in supplementing their studies with part-time work.
A wide range of events are organised to establish a school community and encourage peer support and solidarity. It is our great wish that your stay in Paris becomes an unforgettable experience.
