About
The Beginning
What started as a break from Kiljan’s full-time job became a turning point. During his travels, he met Katrijn, and they began performing and teaching together. Over time, Katrijn joined the journey more fully, eventually leaving her own full-time job to follow the shared path.
Living on the road, they explored the world through van life, encountered acro communities across Europe, and discovered new ways of working, creating, and living. During several years of travel, a long-existing dream began to grow stronger: creating a dedicated space for training, workshops, and artistic exchange — and eventually finding a new home as well.
After years of searching and countless ups and downs, they discovered something they never imagined — a former church. What began as an unexpected encounter soon became a turning point in their lives, opening the door to a bold new chapter.
The Vision
Since 2019 we traveled across Europe, immersing ourselves in the world of acrobatics — learning from different practices, places, and people along the way. These experiences shaped our understanding of acro not only as a physical discipline, but also as a cultural and creative language.
We believe that acrobatics, by its very nature, is a deeply social practice. The constant exchange between partners — relying on spotting, listening, trust, and mutual respect — fosters growth that goes far beyond physical skill. From this understanding, our vision emerged: to found a non-profit organization and create the first Acro Church — a place dedicated to acrobatics, artistic research, and exchange.
Through performances, workshops, residencies, and gatherings, we aim to offer space for exploration, inspiration, and long-term growth.
The Space
Most of our activities, events, and workshops take place in a historic church and rectory in Hettstedt, Saxony-Anhalt, a small town located near the larger cities of Halle, Magdeburg, and Erfurt. Built in 1892, the buildings stood unused for many years, slowly becoming a forgotten place.
Today, the space has been reimagined as a living environment for movement and creation. It offers indoor and outdoor training areas as well as simple sleeping facilities, allowing artists and practitioners to stay on site and fully engage with the work, the place, and each other.
meet the founders
Kat
Katrijn is a Belgian acrobat with a love for handstands, Icarian, standing acro, and whip-pops. She began her movement journey at the age of six at the small-town gymnastics club De Greves in Hamme (Belgium), where she first discovered the joy of movement and what her body is capable of.
Driven by her fascination with movement and human performance, she earned a Master’s degree in Sports and Movement Sciences and a teaching degree from the University of Leuven in 2016. Soon after, she stepped into the circus world, traveling across Europe to teach, perform, and work with people of all levels and abilities.
Katrijn likes to observe how each person approaches challenges differently and helping them find strategies that suit their unique strengths. For her, acrobatics is not only about mastering skills, but also about understanding the body, building confidence, and growing through movement in a way that is personal and empowering.
Kiljan
With a background in athletics, mountain biking, and rock climbing, Kiljan has spent many years deeply immersed in partner acrobatics. His work spans teaching, performing, and research across different countries and contexts, always driven by curiosity and hands-on experience.
He is particularly interested in creating environments where people feel supported and safe enough to take risks, refine their skills, and discover new physical possibilities. What motivates him most is witnessing moments when people surprise themselves — achieving things they once believed were out of reach, only to realize that with the right surroundings, patience, and time, these limits can shift.
Being part of this process and watching people grow — not only sportively, but especially on a social and personal level — was the turning point that led him to leave his former profession and create a new one. He found something he believes in, something he considers special, and something that simply makes him happy.
Alongside his teaching and artistic work, he developed a specialized Icarian pillow — driven not only by the vision to improve specific aspects of the practice, but also by his love for crafting things by hand, where ideas and thoughts take physical form.
Some of our Formats
Acro, handstand, and flexibility workshops
Weekend retreats with guest teachers
Acro Building Weekends (including construction activities, exchange, and acro jam)
Shows, cultural, and community events
Duo KaKi – our partner acrobatic show acts for festivals & stages
Coworking – Cotraining weeks
If you have questions, please contact us at info@acrochurch.com