Ewwww...

This is the moon.

The moon is made by having D, A, and myself lay down a on a giant mirror so that our projected reflection makes the above shape. It's always a bit of a gong show to try and get in place quickly and discretely, and in order to create the shape, we need to squish together/lay on top of each other.

You'd think that being in such close proximity would lead to some rather uncomfortable events. Amazingly, that has not been the case... until now.

It was a show like any other. We were almost done with the moon when A utters the unthinkable:

"Oh no... I have to sneeze..."

At this moment, A has his face buried in my hair. Before I can even get the horrified words out, it happens, and I feel the place of impact hot and humid on my head.

That's when we burst out laughing.

And they say that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades...

You Can Look, But With Your Eyes Shut: The Quebecois Circus

Not too long ago this article from Sideshow magazine started making the rounds on Facebook. It's a really interesting read, even if it does offer a rather harsh look at the Montreal circus scene. As a circus artist native to Montreal, there were definitely elements of this article that I found to be overly critical and even unfair. But at the same time, there are many points that the author raises that I not only agree with, but had always thought that I was the only one who felt that way or that perhaps it was just my bitterness talking.

All that aside, the article truly does delve deep into not only the Montreal scene, but the role of circus in Quebec in general. Covering the three major companies, the schools, Tohu and the festival, this article really does leave no stone unturned.

I highly recommend you give it a read.

And the Winners Are...

MEDAILLE D'OR

Héloïse Bourgeois and William Underwood
Les 7 Doigts de la Main
Chinese Pole
Canada
PRIX du PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE

Tatiana-Mosio Bongonga
Tightwire
Democratic Republic of Congo / France
PRIX FRANCO DRAGONE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Baskultoo
Teeterboard
Canada / France
PRIX RINGLING BROS. and BARNUM & BAILEY

Better Late Than Never! Cirque de Demain Edition

Hey there, fans of circus!

This weekend marked the 33rd annual Festival Cirque de Demain de Paris. I, however, am in London, Ontario and until today, have had no access to the internet. As I'm in full on family event mode, I've barely given the festival a second thought.

I'm not too sure what's been going on, though I do know a few of my friends and colleagues made it to the laureate show, so there's some good news on that front. But why read this information light post when you can watch the video online?

Enjoy!

Oops…

Hockern

Ladies and gentleman, it's time to start placing your bets.

What are we betting on, you ask?

We're betting on how long it will take for Cirque du Soleil to use Hockern in one of its shows.

Never heard of Hockern? Neither had I until just recently.

Hockern is a sport from Germany that combines dance, juggling, acrobatics and most importantly, sitting.

That's right, sitting.

You see, no sequence is complete until you sit down on the Sporthocker. So basically, its a lot of gymnastics at the end of which the gymnast sits down.

Strange as that sounds, it's really pretty cool to watch. If I were to look at it from an artistic point of view, I would have to say that sitting between each sequence kind of breaks the flow of an otherwise really beautiful and interesting series of movements. Technically, I can see how having to sit between each sequence means you need to maintain some serious control over what you're doing. Plus, if you do it right, sitting down on your prop after a cool series of movements can make you look like a boss.

Apparently, competitions are held regularly throughout German night clubs. You can compete solo, or as a synchronized team. The best players are currently known as the Hockstars, and the most prestigious event is, and I'm not making this up, Hocktoberfest.

Check it out:

Overheard Onstage, Throughout an Entire Act

“Fuck...”