Australian amongst the nominees for 1st international circus awards
1st International Circus Awards, Nominees Announced From 12 Countries
Hosted by Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center
Ceremony Broadcast Online Oct. 9
Nominees for the first International Circus Awards were announced today, with 15 nominated productions from 12 countries in consideration for 10 award categories.
The Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center, a nonprofit organization based in Troy, N.Y., will present awards to winning productions on Oct. 9 during an online video awards ceremony. The ICA was created to recognize professional circus companies, artists and producers from around the globe for their outstanding achievements.
This awards ceremony is a unique way to see what’s happening around the world in circus as an art form today. The productions in consideration span from emerging circus companies to a new circus opera featuring original music by renowned composer Philip Glass and writing by Pulitzer Prize finalist David Henry Hwang,” said Aaron Marquise, executive director of CCIAC. “We want to celebrate this exciting work, get it in front of more people and demonstrate the range of performance styles there are in the world of circus.
The Oct. 9 broadcast will begin with a choreographed opening number that explores the question: What is Circus? Viewers will then watch clips of each nominated production before presenters announce the winner in a format styled after the Academy Awards. Presenters will include Daniel Lamarre, the CEO of Cirque du Soleil, and Gypsy Snider, circus choreographer for the Tony award-winning revival of “Pippin.” The broadcast was prerecorded this month, with Marquise hosting from the historic Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, world famous for its acoustics, and presenters joining remotely.
Tickets to view the broadcast are $5 single streaming access, $10 for group viewing (5 to 10 people), $25 for viewing parties of more than 10.
What is Circus?
While many hear the word “circus” and think of animals, peanuts and “Big Top” large arenas, there is great variety in modern circus productions. “Contemporary Circus” companies, for example, don’t use animals, but focus instead on the incredible capabilities of the human body to tell stories, typically in smaller and more intimate settings.
The CCIAC chose not to define “circus” for submissions to the ICA.
The productions among our nominees may include certain elements—like acrobatics, juggling, clowning, dance and movement—that may or may not be present in traditional circus as many people know it,” Marquise said. “But if an artist or company calls their production ‘circus,’ who are we to say it’s not?
Enriching The International Circus Community
The CCIAC received 60 submissions from 21 countries. In adjudicated categories, 34 judges from 16 countries will judge nominees based on three criteria: impact, originality and excellence.
Marquise Said:
We established three ways to measure the work that felt fair to all communities regardless of financial and physical resources.
Marquise says it is important that this awards program is international in scope because many countries and regions around the world have their own distinctive circus culture.
Marquise Said:
We want the ICA to start conversations about the elements of these shows— the costumes, scenic designs, dramaturgy, etc.—to help circus evolve and move in new directions.
The Nominees
Outstanding Production
“The Pulse” – Gravity & Other Myths (Australia)
“Sweat & Ink” – Cirque Barcode (Canada)
“SIX” – FLIP Fabrique (Canada)
“Serge Fiori, Seul Ensemble” – Cirque Éloize (Canada)
“Passagers” – Les 7 doigts de la main (Canada)
“Out Of Order” – Les 7 doigts de la main (Canada)
“O’DD” – Race Horse Company (Finland)
“Moya” – Zip Zap Circus & Sabine Van Rensburg, Brin Schoellkopf, Samuel Renaud (South Africa, Canada, United States)
“La Galerie” – Machine de Cirque (Canada)
“Circus Days and Nights” – Cirkus Cirkör (Sweden)
Outstanding Digital Production
“Out Of Order” – Les 7 doigts de la main (Canada)
“Moya” – Zip Zap Circus & Sabine Van Rensburg, Brin Schoellkopf, Samuel Renaud (South Africa, Canada, U.S.A.)
“Circus Days and Nights” – Cirkus Cirkör (Sweden)
Outstanding Performance by an Artist
Barcode company – “Sweat & Ink,” by Cirque Barcode (Canada)
Sereno Aguilar, Sabine Van Rensburg + Cast – “Passagers,” by Les 7 doigts de la main (Canada)
Rauli Dahlberg – “O’DD,” by Race Horse Company (Finland)
Phelelani Ndakrokra – “Moya,” by Zip Zap Circus & Sabine Van Rensburg, Brin Schoellkopf, Samuel Renaud (South Africa, Canada, U.S.A.)
Pauline Bonanni – “La Galerie,” by Machine de Cirque (Canada)
Outstanding Achievement in Circography
“The Pulse” – Gravity & Other Myths (Australia)
“Sweat & Ink” – Cirque Barcode (Canada)
“Se prendre” – LION LION (Canada)
“Passagers “- Les 7 doigts de la main (Canada)
“La Galerie” – Machine de Cirque (Canada)
Outstanding Achievement in Dramaturgy
“The Pulse” – Gravity & Other Myths (Australia)
“Sweat & Ink” – Cirque Barcode (Canada)
“Se prendre” – LION LION (Canada)
“RAVEN” – still hungry (Germany)
“Passagers” – Les 7 doigts de la main (Canada)
“Circus Days and Nights” – Cirkus Cirkör (Sweden)
Outstanding Emerging Company
“Sweat & Ink” – Cirque Barcode (Canada)
“Se prendre” – LION LION (Canada)
“RAVEN” – still hungry (Germany)
“Piste, piste, piste” – Portmanteau (Brazil, Finland)
“La Vrille du Chat” – Back Pocket (Belgium)
Outstanding Achievement in Design
“A Deer in the Headlights” – Cirque Le Roux (France)
“Circus Days and Nights” – Cirkus Cirkör (Sweden)
“Moya” – Zip Zap Circus & Sabine Van Rensburg, Brin Schoellkopf, Samuel Renaud (South Africa, Canada, U.S.A.)
“Passagers” – 7 Fingers (Canada)
“The Pulse” – Gravity & Other Myths (Australia)
Other categories will include CircusTalk Critics Choice Award, Audience Choice Award and Community Impact Award.
About The CCIAC
The mission of the Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center (CCIAC),a nonprofit organization, is to promote, produce and present contemporary circus and other immersive arts; embracing the unique challenge of bridging the divide between this awe-inspiring art form and American audiences with generally less exposure to this world.
Founded in 2019 by Aaron Marquise, a graduate of Montréal’s École Nationale de Cirque, the vision of the CCIAC is to transform Troy, New York into a US hub for contemporary circus by producing and presenting quality performances locally, nationally, and internationally. Through indoor and outdoor programming, the CCIAC strives to educate the community on the impact that circus can have as an art form.
For more information click HERE
Photo Credit: Mats Backer
