FREEPORT – Students at L’E?cole Franc?aise du Maine in South Freeport will travel to Lewiston March 13 to put on a show in French for about 250 patrons of the Franco Center’s monthly French luncheon, known as “La Rencontre.”

According to the school, this year the students are participating in a circus production from France known as Cie Tour du Cirque, a traveling husband-and-wife team who visit accredited French schools throughout America to teach students about the circus and to incorporate the children into the show itself. The children will sing, dance, juggle, do acrobatics and magic tricks in a show entitled “Derrie?re la Porte,” which translates as “Behind the Door.”

“In the francophone world the circus is a deep part of our culture, so it’s very culturally relevant to what we do here,” said Willy LeBihan, director of L’E?cole Francaise du Maine, in a press release.

The K-6 elementary school is one of 40 French-language schools in America that enjoy full accreditation by the French national government.

The couple who created this circus, Farid Abed and Marion Achard, come from the Dijon region in the eastern part of France. They arrived in Maine on March 9 for the final stop of their current East Coast tour and will spend four days at L’E?cole Franc?aise du Maine before “La Rencontre,” preparing the children for their roles. The circus has also appeared at schools in New Orleans, North Carolina, New York and Boston.

LeBihan said in the release that one of the school’s faculty, Ce?line Fournier, has long had a fascination with the circus and has spent considerable time during the school year sharing her knowledge with her students.

“On top of being a certified teacher, she is someone who has practiced acrobatics and studied contemporary dance, and she has been training the children in these disciplines,” LeBihan said of Fournier. “Our students are excited to have the chance to perform with Cie Tour du Cirque,” he said in the release.