By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Combining athletic ability, dexterity and strength with choreography and music, scores of performers of many ages will perform in a Sitka Cirque production this weekend.
The show theme is “Under the Big Top,” and will incorporate acts inspired by classic circuses, Sitka Cirque director Frances Donohoe said at a rehearsal this week.
Ranging from first- and second-grade kids performing as baby elephants and dancing bears to more advanced folks on silks, lyra aerial hoops and trapeze, the show will feature a full menagerie of circus content.
TIGER RING – Luke Olson rehearses with his acrobatic partner Ivy Pfeiffer in the Sitka Cirque studio at 207 Smith Street Wednesday. The Friends of Circus Arts will present “Under the Big Top” Saturdays April 22 and 29 and 5:30 p.m. Sundays, April 23 and 30. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the show. Aerialists from Sitka Cirque will perform pieces on silks, trapeze, lyra and more. Tickets are available at sitkacirque.com. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
“We have human cannon balls that are getting blasted out of a cannon – pretend blasted out of a cannon,” Donohoe said. “We have tigers and tiger tamers, we have clowns, we have fan dancers, we have fortune tellers – all those kinds of things.”
Sitka Cirque shows have delved into numerous styles. While the current production set features red-and-white striped cloth to mimic a classic circus tent , the remains of an earlier, “Alice in Wonderland” themed show, – a stone chapel facade with a faux stained glass window – are still present in the Sitka Cirque arena .
“Under the Big Top” opened last weekend, and will run again with different acts this weekend. Show times are 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Cirque’s 207 Smith Street facility. The door opens half an hour early for the two-hour shows. Tickets are for sale at the door and at sitkacirque.com. Tickets run $15 to $25, and children under 5 are free.
Inspired by traditional circus acts, Donohoe said the theme appeals to her because of the circus history as an inclusive place.
“Circus to me has always been this kind of incredible place where you have a whole bunch of people that come together and they’re very much outside of the normal rules of society, because they’re travelers,” she said. “In a lot of parts of the world, they’re also slightly shunned or people are suspicious of them because they’re outside of normal society’s rules.”
Some of the choreography was created by Sitka Cirque teachers, and other routines originate with the performers, she said.
In the circus, “everything is celebrated,” Donohoe said. “And in a lot of art forms, it can be easy to get kind of trapped in this idea of perfection or beauty, or one thing that’s right, and circus is about celebrating the weird and the wonderful and the different.”
Unlike some art forms, circus requires a lot of physical ability. As Donohoe spoke to the Sentinel, some of Sitka Cirque’s more advanced participants warmed up to practice their routines for the weekend.
“What I love about Cirque is this awesome blend of artistic and athletic,” said Jessica Christianson, board president of Sitka Circus Arts. Sitka Cirque is owned by Donohoe, and the non-profit friends organization produces shows and raises funds to keep the program running and provides educational opportunities for Sitkans.
Preparing for their fan dancing routine in the coming days, Hannah Blanke was stretching to warm up for the athletic demands of her act.
This part of the show “features some people on the fabrics and a partner piece on the lyra, which is the round hoop thing,” Blanke said. “And there’s four people on the fabrics… We’re doing comparable but different routines.”
Blanke enjoys the routines, and says the overall atmosphere is fun.
“Everyone is super nice and supportive… But mostly, it’s just a lot of fun. It’s kind of like a playground as an adult.”
Last weekend’s show featured some younger talent, and Cirque artist Sara Tomczuk looks forward to seeing older Sitkans under the big top this weekend.
“What I’m looking forward to this coming weekend is seeing a lot of the different soloists,” Tomczuk said. “This past weekend, we saw a lot of the younger teenagers, but I’m looking forward to seeing some of my adult friends performing.”
Tomczuk, who performs on the lyra, told the Sentinel she particularly appreciates the coordination and cooperation required to make such a challenging act click.
“What was so fun about performing this past weekend was performing with all of my classmates… including my husband,” she said. “The two of us were on one lyra... it was really, really fun to work on that together, and then have it come all together for the performance.”
Tomczuk has been involved in cirque for about two years, and like her fellow enthusiasts appreciates the unique mix of art and exercise.
“It’s a great mix of artistry and physical workout,” she said. “It’s really demanding, and I’m building a lot of muscles that I never had before, even now in my 30s… It’s absolutely a full body workout. It’s just fun to get stronger and pick up a new hobby.”
Sitka Cirque is also a good fit for Sitkans, as a physical activity to be enjoyed in the colder, darker times of the year.
“In the winter time, having this set time to come together and, no matter what the weather’s like outside, we’re inside and listening to loud music and having fun together,” Tomczuk said.
Jonte Louis, who is also a fan dancer in the show, said there is spectacle in every element of the “Under the Big Top” program.
“There’s a lot to look at; there are a lot of levels, which is cool. Don’t blink! Or you’ll definitely miss something,” Louis said.
The upcoming show will be a repeat for her, and she’s eager for the chance to see fresh faces in the cast.
“I’m excited,” Louis said. “I think there’s some different solos this weekend than last weekend. So seeing different performers will be fun. I always like to see the teachers perform.”
Overall there is the atmosphere of personal achievement and mutual support.
“I like how strong I feel when I do it,” Louis said. “I like getting to cheer on my friends, especially close to show time. We’re all kind of in the same boat getting ready, which is fun.”
