Choosing to be a circus artist means choosing a lifestyle, not a job. It ain’t all about business cards and bank accounts. Such a choice goes far beyond performing in front of an audience. Taking this path means taking charge of your schedule, body, training, and resting periods. Especially as a freelancer! Spending as much time looking for performance opportunities as you do performing onstage is an integral part of any performer’s life. In spite of the job hunt possibly leading to frustration and deceptions, this reality cannot be denied nor ignored.
Hey all, I hope you are safe, healthy, and doing the best you can during the ongoing coronavirus craziness. My thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted by the virus. Whether that be health-wise, personally, mentally, or financially, I wish you nothing but the best. Today I wanted to dive into a blog that was highly requested from the SHIFT community. It covers many of my current thoughts, and pieces of advice related to how to safety return to training gymnastics once this is all over.
‘O’ by Cirque du Soleil is one of the greatest entertainment marvels of our time. It is a water-themed (aquatic) stage production by Cirque du Soleil, created by Franco Dragone. ‘O’ was the first aquatic circus show in Las Vegas. It opened at the Bellagio in October 1998 and has been sold out ever since. Its 10’000th performance was on September 1, 2019.
Last year, an icon of the circus world celebrated its 100th birthday: The Swiss Zirkus Knie. Swiss TV SRF filmed a wonderful documentary in their honor. It aired last November. I’ve provided the links for you at the end of this article.
“They lived happily ever after and had lots of children…” That is how love stories end in books and on the big screen. We’ve all heard it, but few will agree that relationships are that simple for those who like to perform. Long distance relationships have always been a reality faced by artists, actors and acrobats and they tend to have far more experience than bookkeepers and botanists in this department!
It isn’t the big bad wolf, the wicked witch of the West, nor the monster under their bed, but the physical therapist telling them to rest that frightens stage performers. The reality of a break goes far beyond the financial consequences that it might have and being deprived of claps and cheers. Asking their body to stay still is like asking their heart to stop beating.
“I’m a physical actor and everything that I’ve lived so far is and has been a direct consequence of this artistic identity” answers Rénald Laurin when asked to summarize 45 years spent on stage. A twinkle appears in his eyes as he rests his chin in the palm of his right hand, one that seems to grow brighter whenever the topics of travel, art, human connections, or capturing all three with his camera lens come up.
I’ll just come right out and say it Gymnastics culture continues to have a serious problem with the intersection of nutrition, mental health, and proper training workloads for kids.
It somehow always starts like this. I’m venturing out of my theater bubble and into the real world. I’m attempting to have real-world conversations with real-world peoples at coffee shops, or waiting in line a the grocery store. It start’s off innocent, then at some point I happen to mention being abroad:
Since “Spread the magic!” was Anahareo Dölle’s motto for Saint John’s first international circus festival in 2018, the event’s co-producer affirms that “Recreate the magic!” was this years choice! Last year, with over 1000 visitors enjoying four days of circus performances, workshops, and discussion panels, the bar was set high for its subsequent event. Pinpointing audience’s favorites and other successful key-elements felt like the first logical step when planning this new edition.
The stage is a partner, a tool, a workplace, and an invitation, all at once. Each artist develops a unique relation to it, one that evolves through time, space, and shows. No place is as versatile as this one and no other blank canvas can appear as dark, bright, or colorful. Just like personal relationships, some appear healthier or messier when viewed the outside. 20 years into a non-monogamist relationship with the stage, Vancouver-born Anna Ward is far from wanting out of it.
I’ll never forget the first time I experienced Cirque du Soleil. It was 1992. I was in Zurich, studying photography at the time, and decided to dedicate part of my semester to a “Behind the Scenes” photo documentary of the Swiss National Circus – Circus Knie.
Nouveau Cirque du Vietnam performs À Ố Làng Phố at the Sydney Opera House June 12 to 15 and promises to be a mesmerising mix of circus, acrobatics, eclectic music, contemporary dance, and theatrical visual art. Reviews from around the world praise the circus. A dazzling array of aerial work, contortion and juggling; a spectacular blend of genres fusing physical theatre, dance and live music; a soundscape of traditional Vietnamese instruments mixed with hip-hop beats.
My name is Silea. I am a tightwire dancer and the wire is what I love most. But I have expanded my repertoire to other circus skills and other genres such as eating razor blades and ventriloquism. I also walk on bottles and have started a one woman show. My home base is Berlin/Germany and my second home is Sweden.
My name is Anne Weissbecker, I am an aerialist who grew up and discovered circus in France, graduated from the National Circus school of Montreal and since then perform on almost anything that can fly (as right now an aerial bicycle in Kurios from Cirque du Soleil)
Those first few years in the performing arts industry are seen as those to try anything and everything, to experiment it all, and get as many shows as you possibly can on your resume. At a time where most artists can’t get busy enough in between time zones, welcoming a child into the world and investing more energy in being a good father rather than a seasoned performer can be seen as putting the breaks on your career.
Give us your elevator pitch of who you are, what you do and what your skill set is. My name is Shenea Stiletto (Shenea Booth), and I am a former two-time World Champion in Acrobatic Gymnastics who evolved into a world class freelance Hand Balancer (meaning I balance my own body in a variety […]
It is with both a child’s fascination and the maturity of a woman that makes Elena Lev’s eyes sparkle as she talks of her craft. It is these two traits intertwining as Elena talks about bringing back her hula hoops act in Cirque du Soleil’s revival of Alegria. Every year brings its share of revivals of long gone music artists, musicals on Broadway stages and TV shows. Why is it that audiences and artists are thrilled to go back to what they’ve already experienced?
Doug Stewart, the founder of Cirque Us, took some time to answers questions for us at TheatreArtLife on how he got into this genre of entertainment and the drive behind creating a circus collective.
I am a circus performer, was born in a circus family. I started working very early from seven years with my father doing hand to hand and and up till I was 18 worked as an equilibrist with 18 jugglers. I now also perform an aerial act (vertical rope).
A strong, stable core is one of the absolute “must haves” in gymnastics. One reason is performance-based, as different events and the skills within those events require massive amounts of core strength. Creating “stiffness” in body shapes to absorb force allows good punching, lines, and handstand fundamentals.
Whether you believe that performing arts rhyme with movie, symphony or comedy, inspiring creators and moved spectators can always find a festival that unites craft and creation. At a time where artists keep re-inventing themselves, coming up with new styles and sub-categories that attract new crowds and creators, it feels like every city and every art form now has its gathering.
You must be accountable to learn about how to take care of yourself, and not depend on other people to do all the work for you. Read books, listen to podcasts, talk with professionals and build habits off of the best available scientific evidence and expert coaching opinion. Anything you can learn about nutrition, hydration, soft tissue care, mental health, and global recovery between training sessions.
It’s 5 am, you are eagerly awaiting the first trucks, contractors and crew to start arriving on a major outdoor event site for an arts festival that you have been working on for the past 12 months. The first few hours’ tick by as the buzz of the morning sun starts enveloping the grounds of which activity is thriving, then the emails start again, the phone starts ringing, and you are fast reminded of the another 150 shows and 4 event sites to execute with everyone reporting to you.
