Circus Ensemble Performs in Weis Center

By Laura Crowley

Circa, a circus ensemble from Australia, performed in front of a full audience in the Weis Center on March 28. For those familiar with circus performances, it is clear that the Circa ensemble displayed a more contemporary style of acrobatic and tumbling sequences.   During their 65-minute performance, seven of the 22 dancers of the group wowed the audience with their light-speed hula hoop twirling, stacks of dancers 15-feet high and intimate slow dances.

The ensemble is led by Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz, whose  “work has been seen in 24 countries, across five continents by over 500,000 people,” according to the group’s website.

“Daredevil acrobatics, aerial dance, physical theatre and surprising contemporary dance combine to make Circa a unique phenomenon,” said Kathryn Maguet, executive director of the Weis Center for the Performing Arts.

Circa wowed the audience with its bold techniques, but unlike other circus performances, it incorporated humor and romance. In the more slow-paced dances, dancers would frequently begin the piece as if the dancers were simply hanging out together off-stage. Similarly, dancers would often pretend to fall and would openly express their exhaustion at times. Such antics helped make the dancers seem more approachable and relatable for the audience members, and while the dancers were certainly professionals, these acts made them seem more human.

Contemporary music and bold lights enhanced the physical beauty of the performance. When the music would turn off during the slower pieces, the cracking of the dancer’s joints could be heard as hundreds stared at their spine-twisting moves. The skill and beauty of the performers has been recognized by the New York Times, who called the group “stunning … exquisite … heart-stopping [and an] astonishing physical mastery.”

“Circa was an amazing experience … something unique and different that I have not seen on the stages of Bucknell before. It’s great to have a variety of art forms and professionals showcasing talents we don’t normally consider,” Kaitlin Marsh ’14 said.