GREENSBORO – The New England Center for Circus Arts from Brattleboro spent all of last week in a residency at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro, giving a sample of circus skills for local children on Wednesday and a full performance on Friday afternoon.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
This was the first stop on their Circus Springboard Tour that will take them to six other towns in Vermont and Massachusetts. “Broken Open,” its theme, was how we can work together to rebuild a better world from the one that seems to be self-destructing.
Divided into eleven sections in this program, the eight young circus artists demonstrated their amazing talents on trapeze, tightrope wire, Chinese pole, hanging ring and ropes.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
The show began with some introductory antics with a picture frame, several blue boxes, a large inflated ball, juggling hoops and some acrobatic climbing on top of one another’s shoulders. Next a trapeze was lowered and Cal Wicker was featured in “Child’s Play,” going through some amazing feats with that piece of equipment. Joined by Savanaha Boots in “I Can Help,” together they twirled around and went upside down in daring swings.
In “Come Alive” Francesca BonFiglio and Elliot McGary-Walters exhibited admirable coordination and balance upon the tightrope wire, sitting down and then standing up as well as reversing direction with graceful movements.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
“All Mine” highlighted Syd Wes on the Chinese pole, a tall metal pipe secured vertically with cables. Climbing up the pole at considerable strength, climaxing by sliding down the pole at considerable velocity yet stopping right below the floor.
In “Versus,” Wes was accompanied by Edie Pryll with further displays of athletic virtuosity on the Chinese pole. Savanaha Boots returned in “Rebel”, showing proficiency on the trapeze, with spectacular wings high up in the space of the theatre.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
Following intermission, Edie Pryll performed a dance based on contortions with an unusual degree of spinal flexibility, assuming positions such as legs over their head while lying on their stomach, which only much younger circus artists can achieve.
Elliot McGary-Walters used a hanging rope wrapped in various ways and then released it dramatically. Alejandro Alcantara interacted with a hanging ring imaginatively in “Paper,” after sending some letters, while multiple strands of rope were the vehicle for Elenda Meyer Reimer in “Web,” an act that required both playfulness and muscular strength to pull off. The final presentation was named “Renaissance,” highlighting Francesca BonFiglio on the hanging ring, twirling and using arms and legs effectively in an aerial dance. As a finale, the whole cast combined in an amusing celebration of this performance.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
Marisol Rosa-Shapiro was the creative director of the show and all the circus artists were or soon will be graduates of the three year intensive Pro Track program at the New England Center for Circus Arts in Brattleboro. For information, go online at NECCAcircus.org or [email protected].
David K. Rodgers
David K. Rodgers is a writer, mason and card carrying dilettante, who dabbles and babbles in art. He has lived in East Craftsbury for the past 40 years.
