Parkour Circle is a Chennai-based movement education organisation founded in 2015. We exist to make parkour accessible to people from diverse physical, educational, socioeconomic, and artistic backgrounds – with community at the centre of everything we do.
Our Approach
We believe parkour’s true value lies not just in physical training, but in its potential to connect with other disciplines. Our work pushes the boundaries of traditional parkour by collaborating with professionals from:
- Theatre and performing arts
- Dance and choreography
- Martial arts
- Film and media
- Education and special needs
This cross-disciplinary approach allows us to bring parkour’s essence – adaptability, creativity, and resilience – into spaces where movement can transform how people learn, perform, and express themselves.
What We’ve Done
Since 2015, Parkour Circle has been involved in projects spanning education, performance, and community building.
We’ve introduced parkour to educational institutions across Tamil Nadu, where students can now choose it as an elective subject. Our special needs education programmes bring movement training to communities often excluded from physical disciplines.
In 2016-2017, we partnered with UK-based theatre company Prodigal UPG on Indian Steam – a landmark project supported by Arts Council England and the British Council as part of the UK-India Year of Culture. The collaboration took us across Tamil Nadu and to the UK, performing to over 4,500 people and delivering workshops to 900+ participants. Through this project, we worked alongside pioneers of the global parkour movement, including Malik Diouf – one of the original Yamakasi who helped define parkour as a discipline.
Explore our projects and media coverage to see more of our work.
The Person Behind Parkour Circle
Prabu Mani has been practising parkour since 2007 and brings nearly two decades of movement experience to his teaching. His background spans theatre (including performing in Ponniyin Selvan, one of Tamil Nadu’s epic stage productions), dance, and martial arts. He also teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu through Four Pillar Fight Academy, which he co-founded.
Through his work with Prodigal UPG, Prabu has trained and performed alongside some of parkour’s founding figures, including Malik Diouf of the Yamakasi, and collaborated with international practitioners like Thomas Couetdic (France) and Andy Day (UK).
Prabu drives Parkour Circle’s vision: making parkour a tool for physical literacy, creative expression, and community connection.
Our Vision
Parkour Circle was founded with a simple belief – that movement belongs to everyone. We’re not building a gym or a brand. We’re building a community where people of all ages and abilities can discover what their bodies are capable of.
Whether through school programmes, performance projects, or free weekend sessions in Chennai’s parks, our goal remains the same: bring people together through movement.
Want to train with us or bring parkour to your organisation? Get in touch →