DanceHouse and The Cultch bring Australia’s mighty Circa to Vancouver, January 17 to 21
Sacre’s acrobats display the raw strength of circus
Circa’s Sacre. Photo by Justin Ma
Circus arts are meant to enthrall and terrify, but Circa’s artistic director Yaron Lifschitz delivers more than just spectacle. In Sacre, he investigates the nature of human experience, asking “What does it mean to bear the weight of another body?”
Those familiar with Igor Stravinsky’s 1913 composition The Rite of Spring (Le sacre du printemps) know that his music, and Vaslav Nijinsky’s choreography, were so transgressive that patrons rioted in the theatre, nearly setting it aflame.
Using this story of ritualistic ceremony and sacrifice, plus a new composition by Phillipe Bachman and piercing light design from Veronique Benett, Sacre presents a ferocious yet beautiful picture of humanity’s inter-connectivity, inherent sexual desire, and relationship with the divine.
Ten of Circa’s acrobats will bring poetic tenderness, raw emotion, and physical strength to the stage from January 17 to 21 at the Vancouver Playhouse. These exceptional performers use dark humour and astounding physical ability to both thrill and connect with the audience.
LA Dance Chronicle described the tense, pulsating Sacre as “a performance of its generation, defying new techniques and new approaches to a traditional circus performance.”
Founded in Brisbane, Australia, in 2004, Circa pushes the boundaries of contemporary circus, demonstrating how extreme physicality can create moving performances. The award-winning company redraws the limits of circus by blending it with movement, theatre, and dance, discovering new possibilities.
Lifschitz was the youngest director ever accepted into the National Institute of Dramatic Arts graduate director’s course. Since graduating, he has directed over 60 productions, and his work has been seen in over 40 countries, on every continent but Antarctica.
DanceHouse and The Cultch are copresenting Circa as part of a commitment to work together to bring more contemporary circus arts to Vancouver audiences.
Find tickets and more information here.
Post sponsored by DanceHouse.