Download the seminar publication - Nordic Circus Network

Presentation
From the needs identified by the circus sector during the Fresh Circus European seminar, and in partnership with
TEAM Network (Transdisciplinary European Arts Magazines Network), we organised the very first residency for critics,
cultural journalists and editors of arts magazines.
Our purpose was to introduce them to the aesthetics of the contemporary circus, allow them to attend a series
of performances, schedule encounters with artists, expose them to a series of thematic discussions on the circus
arts and provide the necessary conditions for a deep reflection on the creative and innovative aspects of the circus
within the realm of the performing arts and contemporary creation.
This event was held in Paris (France) in June 2009 in collaboration with two festivals: the third (and unfortunately
last) edition of Des auteurs, des cirques organised by the Parc de la Villette, dedicated to the most hybrid compositions
of contemporary circus; the programme focused on the exploration of limits: physical limits, limits of the artistic
discipline, aesthetic limits and compositional limits. The other partner event was the ninth edition of Solstice,
organised by the Théâtre Firmin-Gémier in Antony, dedicated to acrobatic, eccentric and burlesque feats under big
tops for the whole family.
12 participants from 10 countries were welcomed, most of them are theatre and dance writers: Isabelle Bats, Mary
Brennan, João Carneiro, Viktoria Dalborg, Emmanuelle Dreyfus, Eleonora Felisatti, Maria Giulia Guiducci, Bauke
Lievens, Christos Polymenakos, Katja Praznik, Ivana Slunjski and Tomi Purovaara. The debates were moderated by
Thomas Hahn.
Apart from the four-day exchanges, they attended several shows: Warm (company Rictus, text by Ronan Chéneau,
direction and scenography by David Bobee), Hop là! Fascinus (collective creation by Le Cheptel Aleïkoum, Les
Octavio and Les Possédés, based on an original idea by Pierre Guillois), Le Sort du dedans (Baro d'Evel CIRK Company,
conceived and directed by Camille Decourtye and Blaï Mateu Trias), P.P.P. (Philippe Ménart, Company Non Nova).
They also had the chance to visit the circus school Académie Fratellini and the company 14:20, which was rehearsing
its new performance. They also met Yveline Rapeau (Parc de la Villette), Marc Jeancourt (Théâtre Firmin-Gémier / La
Piscine) and Marc Fouilland (Circuits). We sincerely thank all the artists, programmers and staff that were met during
the residency for their warm welcome and their participation in our fruitful debates.
The arts writers invited were driven by the desire to get closer to the circus arts. All felt the need to confront the
various contexts in which the circus is evolving today, and to reflect on the specificity of an analytical and critical
discourse when writing about the circus. As part of this residency, some participants were commissioned to produce
one article so that they may deepen their reflection on the circus arts. We are very glad to publish these critical texts
in several languages and we are already looking forward to organising the next residency for arts writers, to be held
in 2010 in Helsinki in partnership with the Cirko festival…
Yohann Floch Stéphane Simonin
Head of International Relations [HorsLesMurs] Director [HorsLesMurs]
Coordinator [Circostrada Network]
3 / October 2009