CIRKAFRIKA - Brochure

ON TOUR
Alain M. Pacherie presents
What the
Press say
Paris Capitale
Fascinating
Télé Z
Bewitching
BFM
Extraordinary show
Télé Loisirs
Dazzling
M6
Adrenaline packed show
Télé 7 Jours
Fabulous
FR2 TV News
Explosive
Télé Poche
A journey into the African
continent
Télé 2 Semaines
A wonder
Figaro
Exciting!
A breaker of feats
and joyful mood
Les Echos
A brilliant success...
A divine surprise
Journal Du Dimanche
Magic
Télé Star
Enthralling
A Paris
A must see
TV Grandes Chaînes
Amazing discovery
Jeune Afrique
Celebrate the continent
France Info
Never seen before
Figaro Madame
We wish we could dance
with them
Aujourd’hui en France
Historical show
Le Parisien
Awesome
La Revue
A jubilant energie
Version Fémina
Breathtaking... A continent
with talents
Avantages
Exceptional
Marie-Claire
Amazing
Saga
A new picture of Africa
Prima
Outstanding
20 Minutes
Spectacular
Figaroscope
Compelling
Version Fémina
Far away from clichés
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Cradle of Mankind and Land of the Heirs, Africa has
fuelled my imagination for some twenty-five years
now. In 2000, I set up the Cirque Phénix to stage
original, innovative shows. I was constantly thinking
about new adventures as well as new and spectacular
areas to explore, which is why I wanted to provide
maximum exposure for this upcoming African circus. It
was during the course of my numerous meetings and
encounters that the Cirkafrika project gradually began
to take a grip of me. Enriched by my travels as well as
my deep feelings and passionate love for Africa, I was
completely carried away by Cirkafrika, which is my
most personal creation.
Alain M.Pacherie
3
The
African circus today
Things are changing quickly in Africa, and the circus is far from being the loser as regards these ongoing
structural changes. Until recently, the role and values of the circus were not sufficiently recognised. Unlike
theatre, dance and music, which are considered highly reputed arts, the circus in Africa remained a discipline
associated with mass entertainment. Success stories linked to the circus are few and far between, and the circus
is often unjustly associated with begging. Indeed, this is the case for street artists worldwide, which shows that
it is not only circus artists who suffer from this cliché reputation. In the same way, we can find circus artists who
are exploited and used to present banal events. According to popular opinion, circus is a spectacular form
of entertainment which, in general, offers opportunities to skilful amateur athletes trying to seek out a living.
Towards a
Africa’s cultural patrimony is extremely impressive,
with its rhythms, dance steps, chants and tales.
Africa is well placed to convey messages and is
particularly rich in crafts. It is imperative to draw on
all these natural sources of inspiration and to think
about how the circus can be used to strengthen
these assets. This is the premise on which to define
and structure the contemporary African circus of
tomorrow. The aim should no longer be to present
the show as a series of spectacular acts, but to
provide an overview linking all the acts together.
contemporary
African circus
In Europe, what is known as the “contemporary“circus
is completely different from the traditional circus.
Seen as a simple form of entertainment up until
just a few years ago, the circus is now recognized
worldwide as an art form it its own right thanks
to the success of the big European and American
names.
In Africa, this transition did not take place.Out there,
circus is a medium of popular entertainment whose
aim is to impress people and make them laugh. We
are, however, beginning to see signs that this circus
is moving towards a more contemporary form,
while retaining African traditional culture. In this
respect, the overall aim will be to present ancestral
Africa in the circus in a completely contemporary
way. To achieve this, the African circus will have to
evolve in the same way as the European circus, with
the advent of the contemporary movement.
4
Music
and
dance
Dance is integrated in the African circus, with
choreographies and techniques taken from the traditional
and modern African repertoire. It creates a link between
the technical performances that, via the dance, can be
integrated into a story, a theme or a subject. Musicians
are vital part of this new African circus as well. They
have to think about the music as a link ensuring a smooth
transition between the acts. In its contemporary form, the
African circus should not, under any circumstances, give
the impression of being a series of acts. In Cirkafrika,
music plays a major role, especially to convey emotions.
It accompanies the spectator on the adventure that we
have created for them.
The Gumboot Dance
Recycling
everyday objects
The Gumboot Dance is an African dance performed
by dancers wearing rubber boots. They follow a
choreography, in time to chants and a percussive beat.
In these performances, the boots can be trimmed with
small bells that ring when the foot touches the ground.
Corks may be attached around the ankles to add a
different tone to the sound of the dance steps. Apart
from adding to the aesthetic appearance, the bells and
corks have a very deep meaning in that they symbolise
the clank of the chains worn by the slaves who worked
in the mines of South Africa.
The basins
While jugglers in the West use balls and clubs, in Africa,
they juggle with fabulous coloured basins.The basin is a
basic utensil in Africa, just as it is in the Caribbean. This
is an example of an everyday object used for another
purpose. Basin jugglers are high-level sportsmen. We
realize the number of hours they must have spent training
when we look at each of the muscles proudly showing
from beneath their skin, and the incredible speed
with which they juggle the basins, while performing
dangerous icarian games.
The circus benefits from the African speciality of salvaging
objects, reprocessed by very talented craftsmen. The
equipment used in Cirkafrika includes ebeyday objects
such as bowls, basins and poles. The processes used to
produce the equipment are particularly up-to-date since
they are based on recycling. The wild animals that we
discover are made in rubber. The balls and devil sticks
are made from tubes, the clubs from wicker and the
structures for balancing acts made from truck tires. A
skate-board fitted under the belly of a fake crocodile
allows the creature to move just like a real one.
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14 stunning acts
50 brilliant artists
«A new picture of Africa»
Saga
an energetic live orchestra
6
300 fabulous costumes
7
PHOTOGRAPHS: YAN FORHAN
©SSE/Cirque Phénix
dazzling and joyful choreographies
also touring
ON TOUR
ON TOUR
PRODUCTION
CIRQUE PHéNIX / SSE
CREATION
Alain M. PACHERIE
MARKETING
David DICKENS
[email protected]
+33 1 45 72 62 09
ON TOUR
international booking
Philippe DUTHEIL
+ 33 6 13 43 87 38
[email protected]
CIRQUEPHENIX.COM
CIRCUS LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN it BEFORE!
Société de Spectacles et d’événements I Cirque Phénix
37, avenue des Ternes 75017 Paris