Unlocking the Creative Potential of Emerging Circus Artists

Daniela Levina on the rotating disc (c) Werner Hassepass

A central goal of Scenic Circus productions is to unlock the creative potential of young circus artists. In our latest production "Diaries in Motion", we have tried out an experiment: making the creation phase a highly collaborative process without a strong external director role. Instead, resonating with the very peronal theme of the "diaries", the performers themselves should be given a maximum degree of freedom to bring in their ideas. This should become the key to make the show such an intimate and touching experience.

However, at the same time, it was a big risk. What is rarely seen even in circus ensembles working together closely over time - we attempted with a group of young artists, most of whom had never met before. The support of an experienced professional like Stacy Clark as an Outside Eye was one key success factor. Another was the combination of different personalities and talents within the highly motivated cast.

One of the four cast members is 16-year-old Daniela Levina, a student at the Kyiv Academy of Circus and Performing Arts. Together, we were invited by the academy to speak at a conference about the show’s creative process:

Expressing emotions trough movement (c) Werner Hassepass

How did the idea for “Diaries in Motion” first resonate with you personally, and what drew you to participate in this collective creation?

Daniela: I was really interested in that because I didn’t have any experience in what we usually call contemporary circus. I had never taken part in such a creation before. I wanted to try it out and explore how to express meaning through the body, choreography, and acting. It all sounded very interesting and challenging to me.

Each artist in the cast developed or adapted their acts around a specific theme. In your case — the handstand on a rotating disc and the Cyr wheel — how did these themes evolve? Did you choose them based on the physical vocabulary of the acts, or did the acts emerge from the themes?

Daniela: I started by thinking about our general theme — freedom and how we can be restricted from it. I took this idea and reflected on which parts of my act could best express it. I asked myself: what situation within this theme can I translate into the act?

Then I chose the props — the table and the Cyr wheel — based on the theme. I thought about how I could interpret it through each of them. Could it be clearly seen through the quality of movement on the Cyr wheel? Or could I interpret it better through my act on the rotating disc? Those were the questions I explored.

How did the act creation differ from how you would usually approach it?

Daniela: Usually, when I create an act, it is either for a show or based on a given theme. Before, three years ago, I used to have a coach and a choreographer developing the acts. I had the tricks, the music, the theme, and the general meaning of the act, and then, with the help of the choreographer and the coach, we translated it into a performance.

When I started creating acts on my own — if it’s for a show with a given theme, music, or style — I try to resonate with that style and think about which tricks and which quality of movement I can use to interpret the theme and the character better.

This project really changed the way I view acts — from the point of emotions and really making the audience feel the way I do. I want to focus more on the acting and emotional side now, without forgetting about the tricks. At this point, I feel I’m somewhere in the middle - between focusing on the technical side and on emotions. Before, as is usually the case in circus, I tended to pay much more attention to the technical part of the act than to emotion.

Daniela Levina on the Cyr Wheel (c) Werner Hassepass

This was your first time working in such a collaborative process of show creation. How did the dynamic between the four artists evolve over time? How would you describe the role of Stacy Clark as an outside eye?

Daniela: We had only four weeks of rehearsals, and from the start, we were more or less tense and a bit shy. But Stacy really helped all of us from the beginning to the end of the creation phase. She was our light in the dark, helping us gather all the messy bundle of thoughts and push us to make something cohesive out of them. I think Stacy played a major role in helping us develop such a great show, and we are really grateful for that.

After a couple of days, the group dynamics started to loosen up, and I really felt the connection with all the performers. We also created a group aerial Cyr act - which was very new for all of us. There was little time to rehearse it before the premiere. So we all took part in the creation of one big act, as well as in the group work for the transitions, the ending, and the beginning of the show. I really loved working in a group like that, where everyone had an equal say in the creation of the show and the group parts. It was very unusual; we had some rough patches, but I think that’s normal for a creation like this.

What did you learn about yourself as an artist from working in this collaborative format? And how did the project challenge you or allow you to apply talents in fields other than your main circus disciplines?

Daniela: About my artistic development, I learned that I really want to push more in the direction of storytelling and making the audience engaged, living the story with me.

About other non-artistic talents, I learned that I can work with music - how to edit, cut, and manipulate it. I also realized I’m not that bad as a prop constructor. We worked on a main element in the show, the door, and I discovered that I’m not that bad at construction work either.