As part of Circus City, Sydney Festival is delighted to be hosting a range of activities targeted specifically at circus professionals. A series of industry workshops and masterclasses led by the performers from iD, Krzysztof Soroczynski (Cirque Éloize, Cirque du Soleil) and Charlotte Mooney (Ockham’s Razor) will be exclusive to Sydney Festival.

Sydney Festival would like to acknowledge our Circus Advisory Group which has helped inform the thinking around the range of sector initiatives planned for January. Thanks to Jodie Farrugia, Darcy Grant, Josh Hoare, Gail Kelly, Bel Macedone, Chelsea McGuffin and Rob Tannion.

KRZYSZTOF SOROCZYNSKI CIRCUS EXCHANGE
A four day circus exchange led by Krzysztof Soroczynski pairing together performers, trainers and creatives with a focus on devising short acrobatic routines over several days of training. There will be discussion and practical exploration of training methodologies, the process of building an acrobatic routine and long term pathways to reach a high level of practice.Targeted at performers with specialist skill in hand-to-hand acrobatics, Chinese pole, cyr wheel and juggling.

Dates: 19-22 January
Venue: Lennox Theatre
Cost: $240

About Krzysztof Soroczynski
The circus arts have been an integral part of Krzysztof Soroczynski’s life for almost 50 years. He began his acrobatic career in Poland in 1965 completing a degree in circus arts at the famous Polish State Circus Academy in Julinek, after which time he worked in traditional circuses around the world.

In 1980, he won a silver medal at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris as part of the Budzyn Troupe performing a Russian Swing act.

After moving to Canada, he worked with Cirque du Soleil - first as a performer and then as an acrobatic consultant and head trainer on Saltimbanco, Mystère, and Alegria (all directed by Franco Dragone). In 1991, he was one of the founding members and the senior coach of the École de cirque de Verdun in Montréal.

He began work with Cirque Éloize in 1999 to develop acrobatic acts for the show Excentricus. His subsequent credits with the company as an acrobatic designer, head trainer and principal casting agent include Cirque Orchestra, the Daniele Finzi Pasca Sky Trilogy: Nomade, Rain and Nebbia and more recently, iD and Cirkopolis directed by Jeannot Painchaud.


THREE DAY AERIAL THEATRE WORKSHOP LED BY CHARLOTTE MOONEY (OCKHAM'S RAZOR)
A workshop for circus professionals led by Ockham’s Razor joint Artistic Director Charlotte Mooney. Participants will work on a range of aerial apparatus, learning how to create, stage and structure images. There will be a focus on devising and creation tools, that participants can bring to their own practice to, including ensemble and group creation techniques. The workshop will also look at performance practice and methods of drawing narrative and relationships from circus movement.

Dates: 18-20 January
Venue: Spaghetti Circus Big Top
Cost: $180


ONE DAY MASTERCLASS LED BY CHARLOTTE MOONEY (OCKHAM'S RAZOR)
A masterclass for professionals artists, directors, movement directors, dramaturgs and choreographers who have an interest in creating work using circus. The first part consists of a seminar and discussion about the processes and methods used by Ockham's Razor to create theatre from the movement and images of circus. In the second part participants work practically on a circus set to illustrate and play with some of the elements that have been discussed.

Date: 21 January
Venue: Spaghetti Circus Big Top
Cost: $90

About Ockham’s Razor
Ockham’s Razor is an aerial theatre company that combines circus and visual theatre to make work that is arresting and entertaining.It specialises in creating physical theatre on original pieces of aerial equipment and creates stories from the vulnerability, trust and reliance that exist between people in the air.

About Charlotte Mooney
Charlotte initially trained as a dancer. While at Sussex University studying English Literature, she discovered a passion for visual theatre and went to Circomedia to train in aerial and physical theatre. In 2004 she co-founded Ockham's Razor and since then has been devising, directing and performing their work. She has also performed with Improbable, Theatre Rites, Blue Eyed Soul, Roswitha Gerlitz, Amici Dance Theatre, Oily Cart, Company FZ, English National Opera and Metropolitan Opera, New York. She worked as a movement director for the Oily Cart shows Gorgeous and The Bounce and co-directed the London Youth Circus show wrap tear scrunch.


EMERGING CIRCUS PROFESSIONALS WORKSHOP
Members of CIRCA’s performing ensemble will lead a two-hour intensive workshop for young and emerging circus professionals. The masterclass will cover tumbling and ground based partner acrobatics and will expand on the current skill sets of the participants.

Date: 15 January
Time: 11.30am 
Venue: Spaghetti Circus Big Top
Cost: FREE with registration
Age: 16 years and over 

For more information about the above professional opportunities or to submit your application please email circus@sydneyfestival.org.au.

For a copy of the Circus City Program, click here.