And now... Zita

Circus sessions is starting in less than two days. Here is what Zita Nyarady has to say;

https://www.facebook.com/events/825854817497384/

May 15 and 16

How long have you been doing circus arts and which circus arts do you do?

When I was little I would arrange my hula hoops, skipping ropes and bicycle and make a "circus" in my backyard in Fredericton NB. Little by little circus seeped into my life.... while I was studying contemporary dance in Ottawa my roommate was a stilt-walker and I learnt stilts. Stilts were my gateway into circus, shortly after that I learnt about physical theatre that led to clown that led to acrobatics that led to aerial that led to wire....

In my circus work I primarily do stilts and clown but often integrate aerial aspects too. In the past few years I have also worked as an outside eye and dramaturge for circus. I've had the chance to experience social circus through working with Talk to Youth Lately. I am also a cirque-ademic, I am in the last stages of a PhD in Performance Studies where my writing revolves around both contemporary and social circus.

Describe your work as a circus artist? Trad, Cirque, Contemporary?

If dance, theatre and circus make a triangle then my work is somewhere in the middle. I would classify my work as contemporary but with the note that contemporary circus can take so many different forms. Even in my own body of contemporary circus work my pieces have ranged from the whimsical to the strange to the grotesque to the gorgeous. What makes it contemporary for me (as opposed to traditional or cirque) is that I am experimenting, finding new ideas in the form and content and allowing curiosity to play.

What’s your most interesting/ weirdest gig?

Every circus gig is unique in their own weird and wonderful way.

What interests you about circus sessions ?

The experimentation and play. To work with colleagues I know very well and those I haven't met yet to create something new. The discoveries... I have a lot of questions right now about what this week will look like and I am excited to see how these questions will be answered.