„Diaries in Motion“ – the path to the premiere and beyond...

Four artists from three countries - that's the cast of "Diaries in Motion" (c) Werner Hassepass

On September 13th, at the Lurupina Circus Festival in Hamburg, the moment finally arrived: Scenic Circus' new show production, "Diaries in Motion," was performed publicly for the first time. Thereby a cire closes, as festival director Andree Wenzel was involved early on in the show's development phase. When the project was on the verge of cancellation, it was he who, through his trust and his commitment to the goal of this premiere, tipped the balance to continue. But that wasn't enough: A residency at the "Wiese" production center in Hamburg the week before the festival enabled valuable rehearsal time under ideal conditions.

The Pfefferberg Theater in Berlin also offered ideal conditions, not only serving as the show's second performance venue but also supporting a significant portion of the creative phase with rehearsal time on the theater stage. Artistic director Christine Ritter thereby also played a key role in the realization of this production.

Daniela Levina with handstands on a free rotating disc (c) Werner Hassepass

In no more than four weeks of collaborative creation, following a preparation phase lasting a few months, including numerous online meetings and individual rehearsal time for the participating artists, a one-hour show was created. The production received no public funding, and the artists came together from three locations: the circus schools in Montpellier, Kyiv, and Berlin. This meant that the group phase had to be quite condensed. At the same time, it is a good example of how important support from courageous and trustworthy organizers can be in times of a lack of funding.

The four artists of the international cast had previously presented a 25-minute work-in-progress showing in August – as part of the "Circus Sessions" in the tent of Circus Probst in Gelsenkirchen. Here, the artists received their first valuable feedback – and a touch of the classic circus atmosphere, including waking up in the caravan next to the horse stable.

After the first Work-in-Progress showing in Gelsenkirchen (c) Joachim Karp

The cast consists of Daniela Levina and Dasha Ilnytska from Ukraine, Lera Kutsenko from Russia, and Alina Scharbl from Austria. The participants' personal backgrounds are as diverse as their approaches to the show's theme. The starting point was the question of how freedom and its limitations can be expressed through circus arts, based on the artists' own life experiences. With the support of Canadian circus expert Stacy Clark, who accompanied the production as a coach and outside eye, the individual ideas and acts were formed into a coherent whole (see blog article on Stacy's work).

"Have you ever..." – these are the beginnings of the questions that initially served to explore the themes important to the four young women and would later find their way directly into the show. They are also directed at the audience, creating a connection between public and performer.

Transitions and group scenes have been created together with coach Stacy Clark (c) Werner Hassepass

The artists' diverse backgrounds certainly played a role in the creative process – but more so in terms of their different working methods than in their thematic focus. Ultimately, the themes weren't primarily Ukrainian, Russian, or Western European. They were universal themes that concern young people – pressure, fears, but also the strength that arises from community. Circus art is about setting yourself seemingly insurmountable hurdles and then overcoming them with seemingly superhuman abilities. What genre could be more suitable for telling the story of overcoming crises?

The artists not only contribute their circus disciplines but also their stories. Daniela Levina, with her handstand performance on the rotating disc, tells of how loneliness can plunge you into mental chaos. Her second act on the Cyr Wheel is about not allowing yourself to be controlled, but rather, step by step, taking control. She created both acts in her hometown of Kyiv specifically for the show.

Dasha Ilnytska performing on the aerial straps (c) Werner Hassepass

Alina Scharbl performing on the aerial silks (c) Werner Hassepass

Dasha Ilnytska, with her act on the straps, portrayed overcoming social anxiety – by transcending herself as a circus artist. While watching Daniela train on the Cyr Wheel, Dasha had a new idea: Wouldn't a Cyr Wheel also be suitable as an aerial hoop? Initially performed as a duo and later expanded into a group performance, a completely new act emerged within a creation time of two weeks. With its playful lightness, it became a release moment in the show.

For Alina Scharbl, it's dealing with external expectations that turns her act on the straps into an act of rebellion. And Lera Kutsenko, in a highly theatrical act on a doorframe specially made for the show, explores growing up without a father in a conservative community of women.

Lera Kutsenko with her creation in the symbolic door frame (c) Werner Hassepass

The door became an important element of the show beyond Lera's act – passing through it became a kind of rite of passage, symbolizing the overcoming. The technique Lera uses in her act is borrowed from trapeze work. Thus, trapeze bars form the ends of the door frame. This special prop was created according to Lera's idea, with the technical assistance of Pierre Maatz from the Maatz circus family (Circus Proscho), among others. Only shortly before the start of the group phase of the creation did Lera move from the trapeze, where she had previously developed the physical language and trick sequence, to her final prop.

The door received the finishing touches while rehearsing during the final week of the residency in Hamburg. The inside of the door leaf was artistically decorated with inscriptions, including a special message in Cyrillic script. The work was only completed shortly before the premiere – thanks in part to the energetic assistance of the young people from the Hamburg youth circus Zartinka.

The door opens - in the final of the show (c) Werner Hassepass

After four performances in Hamburg, in Berlin, and in Potsdam at the Montelino Youth Circus, the final stop of the short "Diaries in Motion" tour is now ahead. At the Cyrkulacje Festival in Lublin, Poland, we will be presenting the show outside of Germany for the first time. However, this is only the conclusion of the first episode. In the coming year, the show is intended to be further developed, with the dramaturgy being refined based on feedback from the first performances. We are currently searching for venues. Because one thing is certain: this diary still has many pages to offer. To be continued...