FRESH CIRCUS#4
Brussels, Belgium
March 13-15 2018

FRESH CIRCUS#4

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Presentation

FRESH CIRCUS is coming to Brussels in March 2018 !

Flagship event of the Circostrada network, the International Seminar for the Development of Circus Arts has come back in 2018 for its fourth edition! Co-organised by Espace Catastrophe and Wallonie-Bruxelles Théâtre/Danse, the 2018’s edition took up residence from March 13 to 15 in Brussels, at Théâtre National.

Located at the very centre of the capital of Europe, FRESH CIRCUS#4 was a not-to-be-missed professional event and a key time for collective reflexion, exchange and celebration of circus values!

During three days, FRESH CIRCUS#4 had been the occasion to explore circus arts from every angle and create links with artists and professionals coming from all over Europe and beyond. Entitled "MORE THAN CIRCUS!", this edition was the opportunity to delve into the circus iconography and its stereotypes, to highlight innovative initiatives and to show circus arts in all their diversity.

FRESH CIRCUS#4 took place at the heart of FESTIVAL UP! – International Circus Biennale [15th edition], offering a wide artistic programme presented in different cultural venues of the Belgian capital! 

© Jérôme Vila / Boris Gibé, projet "work"

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Seminar Programme

FRESH CIRCUS#4 "More Than Circus!" > DAY-BY-DAY programme

How to choose my programme?

FRESH CIRCUS#4 programme was designed based on 3 main themes: 3 threads which are broken down into a diverse set of activities throughout the seminar.

You can either choose to follow one of these three paths from end-to-end or browse through parts of one and explore another, depending on your wish and mood. These paths are built around the three following themes:

Innovation | Images & Audiences  | Artistic Paths & Creation Processes 

 

Each thematic path includes different meeting, exchange and reflective modules so as to explore a theme in depth and each of them is divided as such:

  • 1 introductory thematic plenary session, to get a sense of the stakes and draw inspiration | Tuesday 13 [16:00 > 17:30]  
  • 3 roundtables and 3 participative workshops that will enable you to further explore the selected theme from three different perspectives | Wednesday 14 [10:00 > 12:30[14:30 > 17:00]
  • 3 work groups to produce acts or practical instruments and to imagine what the future may look like | Thursday 15 [10:00 > 12:00

Each thematic path was designed in order to give the opportunity to participants, if they so wish, to explore different themes throughout the seminar. The different modules are punctuated by friendly moments to foster new encounters and discussions.

 

Monday 12th March | Opening Night

From 18:30

BOZAR, Rue Ravenstein 23 - 1000 Bruxelles

In 2018, special attention will be given to circus arts and to Brussels circus scene and as such, FESTIVAL UP! will be the first not to be missed meeting on the agenda! Celebrations will be launched on Monday 12th March with an artistic evening that promises to be both festive and friendly and which will be open to all!

Artistic Programme Free of charge, prior booking needed

 

DAY 1 | Tuesday 13th March @ Théâtre National

12:00 > 13:30 | Accreditations & Reception of Participants

Main Hall, Théâtre National  

Come and say hi to us at the FRESH CIRCUS welcome desk, you'll be provided with a welcome pack and all the necessary into to jump into the seminar! Visit the area dedicated to innovative projects, book your appointment slots, install your promotional material in the intended areas! At lunch time, you can choose among the dishes of the theatre restaurant or opt for specialties cooked on the go by a Food Trucks team settled in front of Théâtre National, on the boulevard Emile Jacqmain!

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13:30 > 15:30 | Opening Plenary Session of FRESH CIRCUS#4

Grande salle // Translation EN-FR

Official welcome speeches of FRESH CIRCUS#4 institutional partners.

  • Rachid Madrane, Minister for the Promotion of Brussels at the Federation Wallonia-Brussels (Belgium)
  • Frédéric Delcor, General Secretary, Ministry of the Federation Wallonia-Brussels (Belgium) 
  • Michel Magnier, Director for DG EAC.D - Culture and Creativity, European Commission
  • Fabrice Murgia, Executive and Artistic Director, Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles (Belgium)
  • Stéphane Segreto-Aguilar, Coordinator of Circostrada Network (France)
  • Séverine Latour, Project Manager at Wallonie-Bruxelles Théâtre/Danse
  • Catherine Magis & Benoît Litt, Co-Directors of L’Espace Catastrophe, Co-pilots of FRESH CIRCUS#4 (Belgium)
"MORE THAN CIRCUS!"

250 years after the invention of “Modern Circus” by Patty & Philip Astley in London in 1768, and 50 years after the social, political and cultural uprisings of May 1968 which resulted in a handful of pioneers inventing “Nouveau Cirque” in France, Europe and beyond, circus has never stopped questioning, seeking and reinventing itself. “Circus is now a plural medium”, explains Jérôme Thomas, researcher and master juggler. “It is no longer a donkey and cart, but an enormous bookcase with thousands of drawers.” That is what makes our practices so powerful. They are living and active forces, with innovative perspectives, progressive subject matter, in tune with society, genres and people. Between the two stereotypical extremes of the red noses of traditional circus and the sometimes abstract corporality of contemporary circus, what is the vision of circus today? This plenary session will take you on a unique journey of images, sound and words, navigating the clichés in order to better pinpoint the real, subtle and illusive nature of current circus scenes.

Keynote speaker: Ruth Mackenzie, Artistic Director, Théâtre du Châtelet / Holland Festival (UK)

Presenter: Thomas Prédour, Cultural Administrator (Belgium)

Artistic interventions : Denis Meyers, Artist specialized in typography (Belgium) & Théâtre d'Un Jour (Belgium)

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16:00 > 17:30 | Introductory Thematic Plenary Sessions  

The programme starts off with three thematic plenary sessions, taking place simultaneously in three different areas of Théâtre National. 

INNOVATION

 Grande salle // Simultaneous translation EN-FR

As observers of circus development across our respective territories and beneficiaries of its diversity, we are dreaming up a future of new projects, new developments and new practices. Circus never ceases to explore new territories, innovate and build different relationships with other art forms, institutions, public authorities and the territories where it develops. What are these relationships today? What sectors are opening up to our practices?

Keynote speakers: Patrick Bouchain, Architect (France) & Bernard Latarjet, President of ONDA (France)

Journalist: Lyn Gardner, Theatre Critic, The Guardian (UK) 

With the participation of:

  • Rachel Clare, Artistic Director, Crying Out Loud (UK)
  • Laura Olgiati, Production Manager, Festival Cirqu'Aarau (Switzerland)
  • Eleftérios Kechagioglou, Director, Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde (France)
  • Thomas Renaud, Director, Maison des Jonglages (France)
IMAGES & AUDIENCES

 Cafeteria // Simultaneous translation EN-FR

What image has circus given itself? And what is its true image? Why does the general public perceive the effect of tradition despite the fact that the sector is highly creative and constantly changing? For almost forty years, circus has been moving at breakneck speed, breaking away from, but not rejecting, the traditions acquired over the previous centuries. An artistic, educational and social revolution is underway. How can we “convert the try”, pursue this metamorphosis, continue to imagine the circus of the future and retain audiences?

Keynote speaker: John-Paul Zaccarini, Associate Professor in Circus, DOCH - School of Dance and Circus

Journalist: Laurent Ancion, Chief Editor, C!RQ en CAPITALE/Espace Catastrophe (Belgium)

With the participation of:

  • Ophélie Mercier, Development Manager, Caravan International Youth and Social Circus Network (France) 
  • Mara Pavula, Director of the Circus School, Re Riga! (Latvia)
  • Adolfo Rossomando, Director, Ass. Giocolieri e Dintorni/Juggling Magazine (Italy)
ARTISTIC PATHS & CREATION PROCESSES 

 Salle Jacques Huisman // Simultaneous translation EN-FR

Circus is an incredible crossroads of exchange, where ideas collide and come together. With its body language and universal codes, circus transcends all, including time, boundaries and inequalities. In a rapidly-changing Western society, the opportunities for circus are huge. Circus cannot reject its political dimension, whatever its practice or location. Let’s look for people who make circus a constant testing ground. Let’s try to map the future landscape together.

Keynote speaker: Ali Thabet, Artist (Belgium/Tunisia) 

Journalist: Filip Tielens, De Standaard (Belgium)

With the participation of:

  • Raffaella Benanti, Head of Circus Programmes La Villette (France) 
  • Fabrizio Gavosto, Artistic Director, Mirabilia (Italy)
  • Cláudia Berkeley, Director/Programmer, Teatro da Didascália (Portugal)

 

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17:30 > 18:30 | Chill Out, Drinks & Welcome Reception

FRESH CIRCUS#4 opening cocktail and artistic interventions.

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18:30 | Shuttle Departure from Théâtre National to the different show venues of Festival UP! (See the « Artistic Programme » tab) 

DAY 2 | Wednesday 14th March @ Théâtre National 

09:00 > 10:00 | Reception of Participants

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Day 2 includes 2 work sessions: one in the morning [10:00 > 12:30] and one in the afternoon [14:30 > 17:00].

The three paths introduced on Day 1 are divided into roundtables in the morning and participative workshops in the afternoon in order to explore in depth the three crosscutting themes of FRESH CIRCUS#4.

In total, 9 roundtables entitled "Stories Rooms" will take place simultaneously in the morning in order to cross circus professionals’ viewpoints and to listen to testimonies of people coming from different parts of the world.

Following the testimonies shared in the morning, 9 participative workshops entitled “Ideas Rooms” will take place simultaneously in the afternoon so as to reflect on, exchange and discuss our practices.

English is the working language.

Innovation

Images & Audiences

Artistic Paths & Creation Processes 

 

10:00 > 12:30 | Roundtables "Stories Rooms"

12:30 > 14:30 Lunch Break. A selection of the best Food Trucks of the capital will be waiting for you in front of the Théâtre National... 

14:30 > 17:00 | Participative workshops "Ideas Rooms"

#1 “Public-private partnerships: funding options for circus arts ?”

 Salle Huisman // English 

Curator: Eleftérios Kechagioglou, Director, Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde (France)

Moderator: Marc Eysink Smeets, Director, Festival Circolo (The Netherlands) 

With the participation of: 

  • Ouafa Belgacem, CEO, Culture Funding Watch (Tunisia)
  • Marjorie Bonnaire, Project Officer for the development of Pépinière Premier Pas, Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde (France) 
  • Benoît Roland, Administrator, La Coop ASBL (Belgium)

 

10:00 > 12:30 | "Stories Room#1": Roundtable

For a long time, contributions from private sectors to culture were seen in a negative light. Recently, innovative links with private sectors have demonstrated that these partnerships not only provide an additional source of funding, but also consolidate and ensure the long-term future of organizations and projects, boost audience numbers and create new forms of cooperation. Let’s explore some of the opportunities together.

14:30 > 17:00 | "Ideas Room#1": Participative workshop

Let's seek innovative solutions, explore the best existing practices and look for new ideas that may bring additional funding, new partnerships and new ways of cooperating with other sectors.

#2  "Transdisciplinary projects & cross-cutting practices"

 Grande salle // English 

Curator: Rachel Clare, Artistic Director, Crying Out Loud (UK) & Laura Olgiati, Production Manager, Festival Cirqu'Aarau (Switzerland)

Moderator: Kath Gorman, Head of Participation and Engagement, Cork Midsummer Festival (Ireland) 

With the participation of: 

  • Victoria Amedume, Artistic Director, Aerial Upswing (UK)
  • Chloé Béron, Co-Founder/Artistic Director, CIAM - Centre International des Arts en Mouvement (France)
  • Sean Gandini, Juggler Director, Gandini Juggling (UK)
  • Marisa König-Beatty, Cultural Entrepreneur/Producer, BEAM (Switzerland) 

 

10:00 > 12:30 | "Stories Room#2": Roundtable

Contemporary forms of circus have been evolving incorporating many forms, like a laboratory it tests where art forms blur and creativity sparkles. In recent times, artists even escape from the standardized artistic boundaries to find inspiration within other industries (technology, science, business). This transdisciplinarity questions traditional categories of thinking in ‘the arts’ and provide the industry with extremely diverse and innovative approaches to creation, production and touring. What artistic and social potential lies within these trans-disciplinary collaborations? What is the impact of transdisciplinarity on creative processes?

14:30 > 17:00 | "Ideas Room#2" : Participative workshop

Are artistic categories useful or do they hinder the creative process? What new creative methodologies arise when working above or in-between categories? What role do arts institutions play within a innovative trans-disciplinary process? Relevant examples of trans-disciplinary projects serve as a discussion ground to rethink circus as a category and to enlighten the practical opportunities arising from a trans-disciplinary approach to creation.

#3 Building Cities, Building Circus”

 Foyer 2è // English 

Curator: Thomas Renaud, Director, Maison des Jonglages (France) 

Moderator: Maaike van Langen, Artistic Director, Rotterdam Circusstad Festival (The Netherlands) 

With the participation of: ​

  • Jérôme Page, Urban Planner, Plaine Commune (France) 
  • Lauréline Saintemarie, Developement Manager, FAI-AR (France)
  • Felicity Simpson, Director/Creative Producer, Circolombia (UK/Colombia)
  • Johan Swartvagher, Collectif Protocol (France)

 

10:00 > 12:30 | "Stories Room#3": Roundtable

Circus and cities are constantly changing. How can circus support urban change? What is the role of circus in cities and public space? Is there a specific aesthetic for circus in public space? How does urban change impact circus and vice versa? How could current dynamics become a source of opportunities and innovations?

14:30 > 17:00 | "Ideas Room#3" : Participative workshop

How does circus contribute to the city and vice versa? We will look for opportunities and the latest innovations, questioning [best] practices for public policy and methods for organising work between local authorities, developers, cultural organizations and artists.

#4 “What image(s) for circus today?”

 Salle brazza, at KVS // English 

Curators / Moderators : Adolfo Rossomando, Director Ass. Giocolieri e Dintorni/Juggling Magazine (Italy) & Marteen Verhelst, Chief Editor of CircusMagazine, Communication Manager, Circuscentrum (Belgium)

With the participation of:

  • Annie Leclerc-Casavant, Communications and Marketing Manager, La Tohu (Canada) 
  • Raffaele Fabrizio de Ritis, Historian/Author (Italy) 
  • Maroussia Diaz Verbèke, Artistic Director, Le Troisième Cirque (France)
  • Corine Pencenat, Art Critic/Lecturer, University of Strasbourg (France)
  • Members of the INCAM Network - International network of Circus Arts Magazines

 

10:00 > 12:30 | "Stories Room#4": Roundtable

Circus iconography has always been shared through a variety of means, including pictures, photos, texts, performances and venues. Each of these aspects addresses different audiences, such as the general public, artists, programmers, institutions or the press. Through reflective and participatory workshops to compare the opinions of recognized experts in these different sectors, we hope to kick-start discussion around this topic.

14:30 > 17:00 | "Ideas Room#4": Participative workshop

Following up the points of view sprung from the morning session, and making room for more cases introduced by the workshop participants themselves, through reflective and participative workshop we will facilitate and kick-start discussion around this controversial, yet crucial, our topic.

#5 “Where to find new circus audiences today?”

 Salle de réunion 3è // English 

Curator: Mara Pavula, Director of the Circus School, Re Riga! (Latvia)

Moderator: Linda Beijer, Chair/President, Manegen (Sweden) 

With the participation of:

  • Patrick De Groote, Artistic Director,  Zomer van Antwerpen (Belgium)
  • Jacqueline Friend, Marketing and Audience Developement Manager, Crying Out Loud (UK)
  • Alexandra Henn, Project Manager/Assistant to the Managing Director, Chamäleon Productions (Germany) 
  • Duncan Wall,  Author, The Ordinary Acrobat, Co-founder, Circus Now (USA) 

 

10:00 > 12:30 | "Stories Room#5": Roundtable

Reaching new audiences is one of the biggest challenges in the circus sector today. Where should we look for them? Should we actually focus on seeking new audiences or should we engage more deeply with the existing ones? What is the role of local communities and in which ways techniques used in community building in other sectors could contribute to our work with audience development?

This workshop is built around sharing the experience (both successes and failures) of very different institutions and individuals around the world and searching to understand what could and could not work in diverse circumstances. During the session participants will be invited to participate in several simultaneous roundtables in small groups exploring different viewpoints and strategies presented by speakers.

14:30 > 17:00 | "Ideas Room#5": Participative workshop

There is not one way to look for new audiences, but techniques and strategies used in different countries and even different sectors can bring valuable additions to existing working models. Participants will be invited to work in groups on different scenarios proposed by moderator to use their common knowledge and create new working models. The content will be led by pool of knowledge owned by participants, their experience of successes and failures. Invited speakers will work as guides and advisors and helping participants to challenge themselves to seek for new methods.

#6 “The influence of socio-political contexts on creation/distribution processes”

 Foyer des comédiens // English 

Curator / Moderator: Ophélie Mercier, Developement Manager, Caravan International Youth and Social Circus Network (France) 

With the participation of: 

  • Jessika Devlieghere, Co-founder/Head Palestinian Circus School (Belgium/Palestine) 
  • Xavier Gobin, Producer, Phare (France/Cambodia) 
  • Noha Khattab, Artist, Outa Hamra Street Clown Collective (Egypt) 
  • Clara Norman, Deputy Manager Pedagogy and Training, Cirkus Cirkör (Sweden) 
  • Jose do Rego, Advisor/Zip Zap Ambassador, Zip Zap Circus (South Africa) 

 

10:00 > 12:30 | "Stories Room#6": Roundtable

And if we take a moment to pay attention to the reality of "different" projects in Egypt, Palestine, South Africa or in Sweden: projects that have developed innovative economic models, built on the basis of relations specific to their environment, listening to the social, economic and political challenges that surround them ... Three guests from Palestine, Sweden and South Africa will present the history and development of their organization, highlighting the role and importance their production model in the light of the contexts in which they work.

14:30 > 17:00 | "Ideas Room#6": Participative workshop

Inspired by the morning's testimonials, participants will discuss different aspects of circus production outside Europe, by examining socio-political issues in artistic productions and exploring innovative and sustainable economic models that take into account these realities.

#7 “New supports for creative processes”

 Cafetaria // English 

Curator: Fabrizio Gavosto, Artistic Director, Mirabilia (Italy)

Moderator: Jean-Michel Guy, Author-Stage Director/Research Engineer, Ministry of culture (France)

With the participation of: 

  • Marco Chevenier, Director and Choreographer, Cie TIDA Théatre Danse (Italie) 
  • Jérôme Planche, Production Manager, ASIN (France) 
  • Stefan Sing, Artist (Germany) 
  • Michiko Tanaka, Director, Setouchi Circus Factory (Japan) 
  • Alexander Vantournhout, Artist (Belgium) 

 

10:00 > 12:30 | "Stories Room#7": Roundtable

Two artists renowned for their innovative practices will explore modern-day experiments in creation and will seek to identify the most innovative mechanisms for supporting risk-taking and artistic excellence. How can we promote and support these objectives and mechanisms in countries where circus is only just emerging?

14:30 > 17:00 | "Ideas Room#7": Participative workshop

A leap into the unknown. Using the conclusions of this morning's workshop, participants will consider how to implement mechanisms for risk-taking and artistic excellence in their territory.

#8 “Artists’ trajectories: How does one become a circus artist?”

 Salle de réunion 6è // English 

Curators: Cláudia Berkeley, Director Programmer, Teatro da Didascália (Portugal) & Raffaella Benanti, Head of Circus Programmes, La Villette (France) 

Moderator: Marik Wagner, Project Manager, Atelier Lefeuvre & Andre/Clowns Sans frontières France - Clowns Without Borders International (France) 

Across the world, artists pave their own career paths. These are original, but also representative of the different geographical, cultural and social contexts in which they developed. Circus artists from a variety of backgrounds and all four corners of the globe will tell their story, explaining which paths they took to become circus artists.

 

10:00 > 12:30 | "Stories Room#8" : testimonies [Part 1]

With the participation of: 

  • Claire Aldaya, Artist, Akoreacro (France) 
  • Giorgia Giunta, Co-founder, FEKAT Circus (Ethiopia)
  • Danny Ronaldo, Artist, Circus Ronaldo (Belgium)
  • Alexandra Royer, Artist, Barcode Circus Company (Quebec)
  • Hisashi Watanabe, Artist/Performer, Atama to Kuchi Company (Japan) 

 

14:30 > 17:00 | "Stories Room#8": testimonies [Part 2]​

With the participation of: 

  • Aurélien Bory, Author-Stage Director/Artistic Director of Compagnie 111 (France) 
  • David Dimitri, Artist (Switzerland/USA) 
  • Sade Kamppila, Artist, Metsä : The Forest Project (Finland) 
  • Claudio Stellato, Artist (Belgium/Italy) 
Stories Room#9 "Circus Spaces"

 Studio // English 

Curator: Raffaella Benanti, Head of Circus Programmes, La Villette (France) 

Moderator: Koen Allary, Director, Circuscentruum (Belgium) 

With the participation of: 

  • Aurélien Bory, Author-Stage Director/Artistic Director of Compagnie 111 (France)
  • David Dimitri, Artist (Switzerland/USA)
  • Elodie Donaque, Artist (Belgium) 
  • Sade Kamppila, Artist, Metsä : The Forest Project (Finland) 
  • Danny Ronaldo, Artist, Circus Ronaldo (Belgium)
  • Claudio Stellato, Artist (Italy/Belgium) 

 

10:00 > 12:30 | "Stories Room#9": Roundtable "Artists’ viewpoints"

A number of venues inspire and are home to circus creation, including big tops, performance halls, the street and many other unusual venues. What makes circus artists choose between a big top or performance hall? What does it mean to create a street circus performance? What about a performance in an industrial wasteland? Or in a forest? Why choose circular or front-facing configurations? Circus artists with unique backgrounds will discuss the role of space in circus creation.

14:30 > 17:00 | "Ideas Room#9": Participative workshop "Production and distribution issues"

The diversity of venues for circus creation is reflected in the great variety of production and distribution models. The constraints, possibilities and challenges are very different when creating or hosting circus performances in big tops, performance halls, the street or in situ. Join us for an afternoon of work to consider, debate and discuss issues associated with the production and distribution of circus performances in relation to different venues and contexts.

 

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17:00 > 18:30 collective relaxing time (surprise!)

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18:30 | Shuttle Departure from Théâtre National to the different show venues of Festival UP! (See the "Artistic Programme" tab) 

 

Day 3 | Thursday 15th March @ Théâtre National

09:00 > 10:00 Reception of Participants

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10:00 > 12:00 | Work groups: "More than Circus: Time to act!"

​This is the third stage of these thematic paths: nine work groups get together in order to think, create and produce real instruments to be one step ahead and imagine how the future may look like!

What’s next? Together with a facilitator, discussions will move forward in order to work, produce and leave a lasting mark to design the future of circus arts.

Exploratory labs, future projects… The circus of tomorrow is being designed now and we shape it together!

Coordination : Isabelle Jans, Aires Libres, Concertation des Arts forains, des Arts du cirque et des Arts de la Rue, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (Belgium)

English is the working language.

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#1 “Public-private partnerships: funding options for circus arts ?”

Salle Huisman // English

Animation : Lina B. Franck, Coordinator, Baltic Nordic Circus Network (Sweden)

#2 Transdisciplinary projects & cross-cutting practices

Grande salle // English

Animation : Gaël Santisteva, Artist/Stage Director (Belgium / France)

#3 Building cities, building circus 

Foyer 2è // English

Animation : Veera Kaukoranta, Founder, Ab Joy Diffusion (Belgium)

#4 What image(s) for circus today ?

Salle brazza, au KVS // English

Animation : Kevin Brooking, Clown Artist, Zirk Théâtre (Belgium / US) ; Natacha Guilitte, Project Manager, Aires Libres (Belgium)

#5 Where to find new circus audiences today ?

Salle de réunion 3è // English

Animation : Philippe Grombeer, Former Director, Théâtre des Doms and Halles de Schaerbeek (Belgium)

#6 The influence of socio-political contexts on creation/distribution processes 

Foyer des comédiens // English

Animation : Cécile Imbernon, Co-director, La Chouette Diffusion (Belgium)

#7 New supports for creative processes

Cafétaria // English

Animation : Valentine Remels, Artist/Researcher (Belgium)

#8 Artist' trajectories: How does one become a circus artist ? 

Salle de réunion 6è // English

Animation : Isabel Joly, Coordinator, FEDEC – Fédération Européenne des Ecoles de Cirque Professionnelles (Belgium) ; Anna Nilsson, Co-Manager, Petri Dish (Belgium / Sweden)

#9 Circus spaces

Studio // English

Animation : Elena Kreusch, Researcher/Director, KreativKultur (Autria) ; Cécile Provôt, Director, Jeunes Talents Cirque Europe (France)

12:00 > 13:00 Closing Plenary Session of FRESH CIRCUS#4

Main Room // Simultaneous translation EN-FR

Synthesis of the three thematic workshops: What has been said? Discussed? Questioned? And above all… What’s left?

  • Laurent Ancion, chief editor, C!IRQ en CAPITALE (Belgium) 
  • Lyn Gardner, Theatre Critic, The Guardian (UK)
  • Filip Tielens, Journalist, De Standaard (Belgium) 

 

Final words!

  • Co-pilots FRESH CIRCUS#4: Séverine Latour, Wallonie-Bruxelles Théâtre/Danse, Catherine Magis & Benoît Litt, Espace Catastrophe, Co-pilots FRESH CIRCUS#4
  • Stéphane Segreto-Aguilar, Circostrada​ coordinator

 

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13:00 > 13:30 | Farewell drink 

Lunch Break.  A selection of the best Food Trucks of the capital will still be waiting for you in front of the Théâtre National...  

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And it goes on !

Two proposals for those who wish stay onboard on Thursday afternoon and to explore further the local circus taste!

 

15:00 > 18:00 | Optional Activities

Track# 1 | WARM KISSES

A presentation of ongoing Belgium circus creation projects, organised by Wallonie-Bruxelles Théâtre/Danse, in partnership with Espace Catastrophe & Circuscentrum.

Théâtre Marni (shuttle departure point: in front of Théâtre National)

Track# 2 | Building Brussels: Visit of circus spaces in the Belgian capital

Brussels is changing and new infrastructures dedicated to circus are emerging. Visit of ESAC - the Superior School of Circus Arts of Brussels + the construction site of CIRK - the new circus space for Espace Catastrophe at Koekelberg (Brussels). 

Shuttle departure point: in front of Théâtre National

 

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Festival UP! continues! 

18:30 | Shuttle Departure to the different show venues of Festival UP! (See the Artistic Programme" tab" to discover the selection

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Download the programme!

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Artistic Programme

In 2018, Brussels will be 100% Circus! 

And that’s perfect timing, Festival UP! will initiate the festivities and will offer to the FRESH CIRCUS participants the opportunity to discover the more recent circus creations carried out by Belgian companies and artists.

You will find below the DAY-BY-DAY list of shows you will be able to attend during your stay in Brussels!

 

How do I book tickets for the shows?

Booking is made directly via the online ticketing of Festival UP!

Once you have completed your registration, you will receive a link together with your confirmation email, providing you access to the FRESH CIRCUS PRO Form. 

Once you have received the link, you will be able to book your tickets for the shows and to benefit from the FRESH CIRCUS professional rate (*)! 

(*) 8 euros/show

Monday 12/03 (Opening Night of FESTIVAL UP!)

In 2018, special attention will be given to circus arts and to Brussels circus scene and as such, FESTIVAL UP! will be the first not to be missed meeting on the agenda! Celebrations will be launched on Monday 12th March with an artistic evening that promises to be both festive and friendly and which will be open to all!

Programme in progress | Times and Places to be confirmed | Free of charge, prior booking needed

Tuesday 13/03

  • Hyperlaxe / Cie Te Koop [Critic Prize 2017] @Théâtre Marni 19:00

Axel and Nicolas are different. One of them has Down’s Syndrome, the other doesn’t. One is tall and thin, the other not so much. Hyperlaxe choreographs their encounter gently, slowly, poetically. With pieces of wood, chairs, bouquets of flowers, they challenge each other, playing with gravity and balance in their partnership. In these moments out of time everything is possible, as if in a dream. They can imitate one another, resemble one another, measure each other up. The odd frown or tease is allowed too, because we all have our little foibles. 

  • Persona / Naga Collective [Creation] @Théâtre National  19:00

Four girlfriends are drinking tea, but something’s not quite right. Their gestures repeat themselves. You have to stand back and let their bodies talk. In this first group show, the women of Naga Collective confront their desires and their instincts. Persona is a story about their relationships, their weaknesses, their strengths and the masks they wear. A Chinese pole, ropes and bodies that bend and twist, seeking out their limits, that are attracted and repelled, between tenderness and brutality. In a minimalist setting, the four acrobats take on this challenge, spilling over with physical emotions.

  • [ Ma ] / Le Phare [Creation] @Maison des Cultures 19:00

Nilda Martinez and Christian Serein-Grosjean explore the relationship that they bring into play on the stage. This relationship, fed by moments of closeness and antagonism, is put to the test through the use of objects such as a fencing foil, a wooden Japanese sabre and maces, as well as by climbing and using a Chinese pole. The dynamics of evasion, en garde and lunging underline the emotional issues of a relationship under pressure and scrutiny. Between domination and submission, the two acrobats develop a physical language that draws on dance, juggling and martial arts.

  • Innocence / La Scie du Bourgeon [Creation] @Jacques Franck  21:00

There’s nothing to fear from old age, even though it can be merciless on the body. In the mirror of the bonds of acrobatic holds, a couple observes their strengths and weaknesses. Using the infinite variety of hand-to-hand work, Elsa Bouchez and Philippe Droz carry one another, support one another, push each other and repel each other. She fears ageing, he’s delaying, because the body always adapts to life’s realities. Accompanied by a symphony choreographed in six movements, acrobatic moves follow one another in a pared down stage set, limited to a white frame floating in thin air, or video images, projected on their bodies.

  • Mémoire(s) / Le Poivre Rose @Les Halles de Schaerbeek  21:00                                                                           

In the Alzheimer’s haze that envelops us, the five acrobats and actors of the Poivre Rose Company are generously committed to helping us get our memory back. On stage, accessories and clothes pile up, like the mismatched reminiscences of anonymous individuals. Their show is packed with genre-busting burlesque and poetic scenes without any downtime, subtly borrowing techniques from cinema and fine art. When the circus numbers start in earnest, they transport us thanks to their technique and accuracy, culminating in a powerful final aerobatic number on a Korean cradle.

 

Wednesday 14/03

  • [ Ma ] / Le Phare [Creation] @Maison des Cultures  17:00

Nilda Martinez and Christian Serein-Grosjean explore the relationship that they bring into play on the stage. This relationship, fed by moments of closeness and antagonism, is put to the test through the use of objects such as a fencing foil, a wooden Japanese sabre and maces, as well as by climbing and using a Chinese pole. The dynamics of evasion, en garde and lunging underline the emotional issues of a relationship under pressure and scrutiny. Between domination and submission, the two acrobats develop a physical language that draws on dance, juggling and martial arts. 

  • Strach – a fear song / Théâtre d’1 Jour [Creation] @Chapiteau / Parc Victoria  19:00

In Théâtre d’1 Jour’s little big top, circus is truly intimate. For this new show, Patrick Masset was guided by two desires: to bring together circus and opera, and to take circus back to its strange and wild origins. Two carriers, an acrobat and a lyric singer. Together, they control their breathing and defy the skies. From hold to hold, they overcome their fears and regain confidence. Bodies touch, voices are carried. Their fears are ours, and their confidence is ours too.

  • Persona / Naga Collective [Creation] @Théâtre National  19:00

Four girlfriends are drinking tea, but something’s not quite right. Their gestures repeat themselves. You have to stand back and let their bodies talk. In this first group show, the women of Naga Collective confront their desires and their instincts. Persona is a story about their relationships, their weaknesses, their strengths and the masks they wear. A Chinese pole, ropes and bodies that bend and twist, seeking out their limits, that are attracted and repelled, between tenderness and brutality. In a minimalist setting, the four acrobats take on this challenge, spilling over with physical emotions.

  • Innocence / La Scie du Bourgeon [Creation] @Centre Culturel Jacques Franck  19:00

There’s nothing to fear from old age, even though it can be merciless on the body. In the mirror of the bonds of acrobatic holds, a couple observes their strengths and weaknesses. Using the infinite variety of hand-to-hand work, Elsa Bouchez and Philippe Droz carry one another, support one another, push each other and repel each other. She fears ageing, he’s delaying, because the body always adapts to life’s realities. Accompanied by a symphony choreographed in six movements, acrobatic moves follow one another in a pared down stage set, limited to a white frame floating in thin air, or video images, projected on their bodies.

  • A nos fantômes / Les Menteuses [Re-Creation] @Théâtre Varia 21:00

A rock planted with a single sickly tree and a carpet of flowers. It’s a strange place to meet ghosts… With only a black rope falling from some hangers, flowing and twisting like a vine, Sarah and Célia draw us into a dreamlike circus world where time and space slide into each other. Scenes follow one another, shaped by bewitching sound and light work, with a very cinematic aesthetic. When dreams are possible, you can rollerskate, wear a tiara or croon a love song. So we pass through the looking glass. 

  • Mémoire(s) / Le Poivre Rose @Les Halles de Schaerbeek  21:00

In the Alzheimer’s haze that envelops us, the five acrobats and actors of the Poivre Rose Company are generously committed to helping us get our memory back. On stage, accessories and clothes pile up, like the mismatched reminiscences of anonymous individuals. Their show is packed with genre-busting burlesque and poetic scenes without any downtime, subtly borrowing techniques from cinema and fine art. When the circus numbers start in earnest, they transport us thanks to their technique and accuracy, culminating in a powerful final aerobatic number on a Korean cradle. 

Thursday 15/03

  • Lugar – Espace provisoire / Proyecto Precipicio [Belgian première] @BRONKS  19:00

On a wire, the tightrope walker is constantly searching for a point, a necessarily temporary place, to be present in his body and in space. Eleonora Gimenez uses a slack wire and Vanina Fadi a tight wire. To create a hybrid of their disciplines, they have developed a new type of rigging accommodating both styles of balance work, using the same wire, which changes nature and character. In partnership with the philosopher Diego Vernazza, they have created a show that also works with words, looking for answers to existential imbalances. 

  • Burning (Je ne mourus pas et pourtant nulle vie ne demeura) / Compagnie Habeas Corpus [Creation]  @La Vénerie / Espace Delvaux 19:00

On a set that aspires to verticality, it’s hard for a man to keep his balance and his anchor point. In a closed world littered with cardboard boxes he has to move, sort and pile up, he puts all his energy into preserving a shred of rationality. Cold and unstable, the set is a metaphor for the uncaring and alienating world of work. Personal accounts and poetic texts performed by Laurence Vielle act as a counterpoint to the visual world, where video and lights create a world where man has become a commodity.

  • Strach – a fear song / Théâtre d’1 Jour [Creation] @Chapiteau / Parc Victoria  21:00

In Théâtre d’1 Jour’s little big top, circus is truly intimate. For this new show, Patrick Masset was guided by two desires: to bring together circus and opera, and to take circus back to its strange and wild origins. Two carriers, an acrobat and a lyric singer. Together, they control their breathing and defy the skies. From hold to hold, they overcome their fears and regain confidence. Bodies touch, voices are carried. Their fears are ours, and their confidence is ours too. 

  • Spiegel im Spiegel / Side Show @Le 140  21:00

The six artists of the Side Show company pass from one side of the mirror to the other to create the illusion of reassembled bodies. This is shown by the emerging reflection of what is hidden. The gaze is an imaginary thread tracing a line between ourselves and others. The limits of the setting play with our perception. Deprived of references for space and bodies, the spectator invents new ones. In a crossover between circus, dance, theatre and fine art, the company pursues its exploration of the imaginary, the better to question reality.

 

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How to get there?

Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles will be the main venue of FRESH CIRCUS#4, located at the very heart of Brussels! 

  • Zoom on Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles:
  • Address and Website

Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles

Boulevard Emile Jacqmain 111-115,

1000 Brussels

Website

 

You will find below practical information to help you get to Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles at your arrival in Brussels:

From Brussels Airport (Zaventem)

Go to Brussels-City by train  (the train station is located at the -1 floor of the airport).

Take the train B and get out at GARE DU NORD station (11-13 minutes).

Two-ways ticket : 17,60 €

More info 

From Charleroi Airport - Brussels South

Flibco shuttle: direct to GARE DU MIDI (55 minutes).

More info

From Gare du Midi 

Take the tram 3 ou 4 to Gare du Nord and get out at DE BROUCKÈRE station.

More info

From the train station Gare du Nord

10 min walking via the Boulevard Roi Albert II.

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Accommodation

This section gives you an overview of the accommodation options available to you during your stay in Brussels, specifying each time the distance from/to main venue (Théâtre National de Bruxelles).

This list can be divided into 2 different categories: Partner Hotels & Non-Partner Hotels. Hotels are ranked by ascending price order.

All partner hotels listed below have agreed to apply special rates for the FRESH CIRCUS#4 participants. Please be aware of the limited time frame to benefit from these preferential rates!

The rates offered are per night and per person.

A [new] city tax of € 4.24 per night and per room is generally not included.

Partner Hotels

Meininger Hotel Brussels City Centre  (★★★)
  • Address:

Henegouwenkaai 33, 1080 Brussels [19min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants:

40€ - room with two single beds (price per person)

73€ - room with double bed

Breakfast is included.

  • Booking:

Via phone: 00 32 2 588 14 74 or email : welcome@meininger-hotels.com

  • Rates available until: 09.02.2018 (with the code: freshcircus2018)  

Website

Hotel Belvue (★★★) 
  • Address:

1, Rue Evariste Pierron, 1080 Brussels [21min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants: -9%
  • Booking:

Via phone: 00 32 2 832 32 32 or email: info@belvuehotel.com

Specify you come for the FRESH CIRCUS

Website

Danseart Hotel (★★★)
  • Address:

Rue A.Dansaert 11, 1000 Brussels [12min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants:

85€ - single room

105€ - double room

Breakfast is included.

  • Booking:

Via phone: 00 32 2 512 60 10 or email : reservations@dansaerthotel.com 

  • Rates available until: 15.02.2018 (with the code: Espace Catastrophe)

Website

Floris Hotel Arlequin (★★★)
  • ​Address:

Rue de la Fourche 17-19B, 1000 Brussels [10min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants:

95€ - Monday 12.03 & Thursday 15.03

110€ - Tuesday 13.03 & Wednesday 14.03 (Breakfast included in both cases)

  • Booking:

Via form to download:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pDv6WBWxg6gLKKtrXxmp4Iu2PDBV0iYe/view?usp=sharing

And to be sent to: christelle.dewinne@florishotels.com

  • Rates available until: 12.02.2018

Website

Hotel Queen Anne (★★★)
  • ​Address:

Bd. Emile Jacqmain 110, 1000 Brussels [1min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants: -10%
  • Booking: 

Via the website (see the link below)

  • Rates subject to availability (with the code : FESTIVALUP2018)

Website

Hotel Siru  (★★★)

​Address:

Rue des croisades 2, 1210 Brussels [5min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants: -10%
  • Booking:

Via the website (see the link below)

  • Rates available until: 19.02.2018 (with the code: FUP0318)

Website

Hotel le Dôme  (★★★★)
  • Address:

    Boulevard du Jardin Botanique 9-12-13, 1000 Brussels [4min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants: 

100€ - from 12.03 to 16.03

70€ - from 16.03 to 19.03

Breakfast is included.

  • Booking:

Via email: dome@skypro.be

  • Rates subject to availability (with the code FreshCircus2018)

Website

Hotel Progress (★★★★)
  • Address:

9 Rue du Progress, 1210 Brussels [5min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants: -10%
  • Booking:

Via the website (see the link below)

  • Rates available until: 19.02.2018 (with the code: FUP0318)

Website

 

Hotel Thon City Centre (★★★★)
  • Address:

Avenue du Boulevard 17, 1210 Brussels [4min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants: 

110€ - Monday 12.03

125€ - Tuesday 13.03 & Wednesday 14.03

100€ - Thursday 15.03

Breakfast is included.

  • Booking:

Via the link: https://www.thonhotels.com/event/espace-catastrophe-fresh-circus/

  • Rates available until: 12.02.2018

Website

Hotel Marivaux (★★★★)
  • Address:

Boulevard Adolphe Maxlaan 98 B, Brussels [4min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants: 

130€ - from 12.03 to 16.03

85€ - from 16.03 to 19.03

Breakfast is included.

  • Booking:

Via the form to download: Drive-Formulaire and to be sent to: reservation@hotelmarivaux.be

  • Rates available until: 05.02.2018

Website

Hotel Bloom (★★★★)
  • Address:

Rue Royale 250, Brussels [5min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants: 139€

Breakfast included.

  • Booking:

Via the link: https://reservations.travelclick.com/6500?groupID=2062265

  • Rates available until: 29.01.2018

Website
 

Crowne Plaza (★★★★)
  • Address:

Rue Gineste 3, 1210 Brussels [8min walking from main venue]

  • Price arranged for the FRESH CIRCUS participants: 

140€ - Monday 12.03 & Thursday 15.03

155€ - Tuesday 13.03 & Wednesday 14.03

Breakfast is included.

  • Booking: 

Via the link: https://aws.passkey.com/event/49545766/owner/7604429/home

  • Rates available until: 12.02.2018

Website

Non Partner Hotels

2go4
  • ​Address:

Boulevard Emile Jacqmain 99, 1000 Brussels [1min walking from main venue]

  • Type of facility: youth hostel

Website

FunKey Hotel (★★)
  • Address:

116 Rue Artan, 1030 Brussels [33min walking from main venue]

Website

Theater Hotel (★★)
  • Address:

Rue Van Gaver 23, 1000 Brussels [5min walking from main venue]

Website

 

Hotel Motel One Bruxelles
  • Address:

Rue Royale 120, 1000 Brussels  [17min walking from main venue]

  •  Type of facility: Motel

Website

IBIS Sainte Catherine (★★★)
  • Address:

Rue Joseph Plateau N°2, 1000 Brussels [9min walking from main venue]

Website

Yadoya  (★★★)
  • ​Address:

Boulevard d'Anvers 32-33, 1000 Brussels  [6min walking from main venue]

Website

Métropole (★★★★)
  • ​Address:

Place de Brouckère 31, 1000 Brussels [5min walking from main venue]

Website

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Side Events

Monday 12th March & Tuesday 13th March | Closed seminar intended for public policy makers

House of European History / Théâtre National - Upon invitation only

A seminar dedicated to public policy makers is organized prior to the start of FRESH CIRCUS#4.

In close collaboration with the French Ministry of Culture and its Belgian counterparts as well as with the support of an internal work group of Circostrada Network focused on advocacy issues, European policy makers and institutional officials gather for two days in order to exchange and reflect on today and tomorrow's schemes for public policies supporting circus arts.

Monday 12th March | Opening Night | 18:00 

Location still kept secret (for now!)

In 2018, special attention will be given to circus arts and to Brussels circus scene and as such, FESTIVAL UP! will be the first not to be missed meeting on the agenda! Celebrations will be launched on Monday 12th March with an artistic evening that promises to be both festive and friendly and which will be open to all!

Programme in progress | Times and Places to be confirmed | Free of charge, prior booking needed

Thursday 15th March | WARM KISSES | 15:00>18:00

Théâtre Marni (shuttle departure point: in front of Théâtre National) - Upon registration (online form FC#4)​

A presentation of ongoing Belgium circus creation projects, organised by Wallonie-Bruxelles Théâtre/Danse, in partnership with Espace Catastrophe & Circuscentrum.

Building Brussels: Visit of circus spaces in the Belgian capital | 15:00>18:00

Shuttle departure point: in front of Théâtre National - Upon registration (online form FC#4)​

Brussels is changing and new infrastructures dedicated to circus are emerging. Visit of ESAC - the Superior School of Circus Arts of Brussels + the construction site of CIRK - the new circus space for Espace Catastrophe at Koekelberg (Brussels). 

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Contact

A QUESTION?

If you have any questions regarding your registration or the booking of the shows in the frame of FESTIVAL UP!, please contact Mathilde Grosclaude (Espace Catastrophe): contact-pros@catastrophe.be

For any other questions or request, don't hesitate to contact us at: infocircostrada@artcena.fr

We'll do our best to answer you as soon as possible!

See you soon at FRESH CIRCUS#4...

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Gallery

Photo credits: 
© J. Van Belle – WBI
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AFTERMOVIE

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Publication

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