Circus Whispers

Voor circuskenners is het gesneden koek, maar bij het publiek leven nog veel vragen. Waar leer je het vak? Zijn circusartiesten nog steeds nomadisch? En wat is hedendaags circus eigenlijk, en hoe sterk leeft het in Nederland? In de aanloop naar de jubileumeditie van het Amsterdamse circusfestival This is not a circus zet onze host Maaike Muis feiten en fabels op een rij. Ze luistert naar hoe het publiek circus beleeft en geeft ruimte aan hun prangende vragen aan de makers. Ontdek in deze eerste aflevering van Circus Whispers de tranen, levenslessen en ervaringen van ons circuspubliek. Deze aflevering...

In this episode, host Maaike Muis invited circus maker and artist Benjamin Kuitenbrouwer and with Cahit Metin, director of TENT. They reflect on Benjamin's long, winding road as house maker of TENT. You hear voices, quotes and reflections from the circus field, people Ben has encountered along the way. If you are a maker yourself, you will recognise the leaps, stumbles, transformations and breakthroughs that the making process - from concept to execution - entails. Also for the dreamers, circus lovers and the curious among us, this episode of Circus Whispers offers a unique insight into the creative kitchen...

It started with a sentence: ‘what if you loaded the floor with mats’ and it resulted in the full-length acrobatic performance MAT, about the art of falling and the beauty of failure. Because acrobats prefer to land on their feet, yet many hours of falling precede a successful trick. For this episode, former circus director and podcast host Maaike Muis selected an excerpt from a conversation with one of MAT's performers, Jemma Sneddon. Unlike the previous one, this episode is again entirely in English.

Het begon met een zin: 'wat als je de vloer zou vullen met matt...

Het begon met een zin: 'wat als je de vloer zou vullen met matten' en het resulteerde in de avondvullende acrobatische voorstelling MAT, over de kunst van het vallen en de schoonheid van falen. Acrobaten landen tenslotte het liefst op hun voeten, maar aan een geslaagde truc gaan vele valuren vooraf. In deze podcast neemt voormalig circusdirecteur Maaike Muis je mee achter de schermen van MAT. Aan het woord komen onder andere regisseurs Zinzi Oegema en Hanneke Meijers, en je hoort enkele acrobaten vertellen over het gezwoeg in de dikke, zachte valmatten. Maar als iedereen kan vallen en niemand...

Anyone who stands on stage dancing and laughing in Chile or Mexico paves the way for an audience to laugh. But how do you transmit this piece of culture to a new audience Itzel and Micaela of Insurgentes Company wonder aloud? Mar & Shalom from Catalonia and Italy instead found a key in the stories and labour of their ancestors and connect with audiences while knitting. This episode is all about identity. Host Maaike Muis brings together the stories of two maker duos whose identities have great significance for the circus they make.

Wie in Chili of Mexico...

The do-it-yourself mentality in circus is strong. So is that of the Maker for a Week exploring what future circus could be. Host Maaike Muis sat down with Berkey and Jakob Jacobsson. What is usually in the shadows, is what they put in the spotlight, such as rope artist Jakob's light installation or Berkey's inventive Chinese pole structure. In this episode, there is much to say about the relationship between the performer and his apparatus, and about ingeniously stretching one's own limits. And all trends and waves aside, during this conversation Maaike discovers a quality of circus that is...

In this episode, you find out why there are no snacks to be found in the dressing room of Michael Zandl's crew. And you'll hear why you might be hanging in Cecilia Rosso's straps. In this first open-hearted conversation, host Maaike Muis takes us through trends and new waves in circus around the topic of audiences. And what connects these two very different makers is that their research not only goes beyond their main discipline, but also that they want to evoke a physical reaction from the audience.

In deze aflevering kom je erachter waarom er geen...

In Circus Whispers, host Maaike Muis gives the makers the floor, but what about the other side of the table? To make sure audiences and work come together, the programmer comes into play. He sometimes sees more than 100 performances a year. And then he might just discover certain trends. As a teaser for the fourth season, we start with the programmer's perspective. What trends and waves does he see in the circus field and how can we relate that to the Makers for a Week?

Host Maaike Muis sat down with Gwendolien Sabbe of De Spil in...

‘Sharing is Scary is a gift, a beautiful format, a concept of impact.’ Participating circus makers talk about it fondly. For the third time, makers came together to share their working practices and methodology straight from the rehearsal studio. In this multi-day gathering, there is time for reflection and discussion. The initiator is the Belgian There There Company. Together with host Maaike Muis, they developed this episode for anyone who wants to know more about the concept and possibly participate.

Sharing is Scary is een cadeau, een prachtig format, een concept met impact.’ Deelnemende circusmakers praten er liefde...

Over the course of one year, podcast maker Maaike Muis made recordings of the international collaborations between TENT in Amsterdam and London's Jacksons Lane as part of TENT's Fast Forward trajectory. In three episodes, you are taken through their job-shadowing, their joint R&D and to a showcase of the Dutch circus in London. In this episode, TENT observes the work of the team at Jacksons Lane and experiences every part, from marketing, artistic and business to social engagement and community building. What can TENT learn from running a home for contemporary circus in relation to their international ambitions...

The contrast between the directness of the Dutch and the politeness of the British was one of the many things TENT had to get used to. In three episodes, podcast maker Maaike Muis follows the international trajectory of TENT house for contemporary circus. In this second episode, she visits the R&D - research & development - of the performance MAT, a cross-cultural collaboration between TENT and UK-based producer Split Second. But how do you start a production that crosses not only national borders but also cultural differences. And what about funding and Fair Pay?

Het contrast tussen...

"It was really hypnotic, brilliant, entertaining from start to finish." In this episode, we hear how audiences, makers and programmers experienced TENT’s Dutch circus' showcase in London. And you will also hear more about the practical hurdles and some of the cultural clashes TENT faced in producing post-Brexit. This is the third episode of a series in which podcast maker Maaike Muis takes you through TENT's 1.5-year Fast Forward trajectory and their international ambitions and collaborations.

“Het was echt hypnotiserend, briljant, vermakelijk van begin tot eind.” In deze aflevering horen we hoe het publiek, de makers en de...

With her solo, Hanna presents something on stage that would not have been there without her. In this final episode of this Circus Whispers season, host Maaike Muis and trapeze artist Hanna de Vletter take us through the challenges, rewards, and deep insights into the creation process. Hanna doesn't go for the likes and puts aside her insecurities and then creating becomes real fun she discovers. One thing is clear: it takes a lot of courage to tell yourself and the world that you are going to create something.

Met haar solo presenteert Hanna iets op het...

For Fenja Barteldres too, the perfection and simplicity of the round Cyr Wheel was irresistible. But when she broke the wheel into pieces, the round shape turned out to be just one of 47 possibilities. In this fifth episode of Circus Whispers, host Maaike Muis takes us through the dreams and deeds of a rising star in the innovative circus landscape. Discover the role the tent plays in these dreams and what the travelling circus life looks like for newly graduated circus artist Fenja Barteldres.

Ook voor Fenja Barteldres was de perfectie en eenvoud van het ronde Cyr...

His desire was to create an acrobatic performance with a non-acrobatic partner. But when you replace the partner with an object, you enter the realm of object manipulation. In the studio, Maaike Muis meets Trebor, the new 'living' partner of Maker for a Week Samuel Rhyner. In this fourth episode of Circus Whispers, we hear all about the post-apocalyptic performance in the making, his attempts to reduce his climate footprint and all the pros and cons of working with a young tree as a dance partner.

Het was zijn wens om een acrobatische voorstelling te maken met...

Most of the time, chaos reigns in her head. Susanna tries to make coffee and spin around in the Cyr-wheel at the same time. Keeping your focus is already a challenge for many people, even more so for those with attention deficit disorder. In this third episode of Circus Whispers, we hear how circusartist Susanna Paavola translates this chaos to the stage. Armed with two cyr-wheels and anything else that might distract her, she enters a residency week at TENT. And host Maaike Muis will also be spinning, sincerely hoping to keep all her toenails.

Meestal heerst...

In this third season of the podcast series Circus Whispers, we speak to new makers moving into the circus discipline. We invited Maaike Muis to combine her circus love-and-knowledge and her podcast-making itch in a six-part series on the 'Makers for a Week'. Together, they discuss their makerhood: topics, themes and practical dilemmas that concern them. And small questions, obstacles,and surprises. We catch a glimpse of the maker's creative process and look behind the scenes at TENT. And every edition, house maker Benjamin Monki Kuitenbrouwer and TENT come up with surprising do's, don’ts, and tips to the ma...

Circus research, how do you do it? In this second episode of Circus Whispers, we hear how acrobat duo Lily&Janick kept falling out of their handstand. The mirrored floor they work on had everything to do with it. What does your brain do to you when you suddenly stand upright in a mirrored handstand? And how do you deal with the constant self-confrontation. In this episode, host Maaike Muis stands behind the glass like an Alice in Wonderland and TENT director Rosa Boon talks more about the circus marriage between body and object.

Circusonderzoek, hoe doe...

Until recently, the sky was their preferred playground; now, for aerial artists Saar Rombout and Sianna Bruce, the soft crash mat beckons. Pain is intertwined with circus. But since they are both injured, this 'sensation' took on a whole new connotation. In this first episode of Circus Whispers, our host Maaike Muis is suspended in the air. There she discovers not only how much muscular strength this requires but hearsall about a circus performer's greatest fear.

Tot voor kort was de lucht hun favoriete speelterrein; nu lonkt voor aerial artiestenSaar Rombout en Sianna Bruce de zachte valmat...

This special cabinet, in which Jorga Lok, acrobat and circus maker, fits just perfectly, has been with her for seven years. In Circus Whispers #6, we find out all about her special relationship with the cabinet, about the origins of her love for circus and about the different women's characters from her circus research. While Jorga explains why she likes to think 'out of the box', host Maaike Muis tries to squeeze into the box…

Dit bijzondere kastje, waar Jorga Lok, acrobate en circusmaker, gewoon perfect inpast, gaat al zeven jaar met haar mee. In Circus Whispers #6 komen we...

"To know someone, you have to walk a mile in their shoes." For this fifth Circus Whispers, Maria Madeira put on some very special shoes. Host Maaike Muis visited the young acrobat and tap dancer at the studio in Amsterdam. Because what do circus and tap dance have in common? With the questions "why not?" and "can we do it differently?", Maria explores different ways of breaking existing tap dance conventions.

"Om iemand te kennen, moet je een mijl in zijn schoenen lopen." Voor deze vijfde Circus Whispers trok Maria Madeira wel heel bijzondere schoenen aan. Host...

Anyone who is just once too untruthful on stage quickly loses credibility. Harvey Cobb is only too happy to lead his audience up a false path. Does the audience feel played? And what do they think of that? In this fourth episode, host Maaike van Langen takes us into the world of ideas of Harvey, Maker for a week at TENT, who calls himself "sort of a comedian, kind of a juggler". After all, are pink boots good for juggling? And is it even accepted in the circus world to go barefoot on stage?

Wie op het...

Juggling and playfulness are at the heart of their research. In this third episode of Circus Whispers, we are taken into the unconventional world of object manipulation by the remarkable juggling duo Jam Shenanigans. We learn all about the verb 'to jugglify', learn where Jam Shenanigans comes from and what the scandinavian sport floorball has to do with juggling. "I can juggle anything and juggling can be anything."

Jongleren en speelsheid vormen de kern van hun onderzoek. In deze derde aflevering van Circus Whispers worden we door het opmerkelijke jongleerduo Jam Shenanigans meegenomen in de onconventionele wereld...

"Only once you observe it, a quantum particle decides where it will be." In this second episode of Circus Whispers, host Maaike Muis takes us through the research process of a self-taught aerial acrobat. Arend de Jonge makes the virtual and physical worlds work together and works with the idea of superposition. A fascinating journey through the thoughts of a maker who discovered in circus how his love for mathematics, ropes and opera came together.

“Only once you observe it, a quantum particle decides where it will be.” In deze tweede aflevering van Circus Whispers neemt host Maai...

In this first episode of the second season of Circus Whispers, Maaike Muis visits partner acrobats Petra Steindl and Felix Zech. They are Maker for a week at TENT and known from the collective Familiar Faces. Now they are working together for the first time. Listen and discover their magical moments in which they practice partner acrobatics like two magnets, each on one side of a wall.

In deze eerste aflevering van het tweede seizoen van Circus Whispers gaat Maaike Muis op bezoek bij partneracrobaten Petra Steindl en Felix Zech. Zij zijn Maker voor een week bij...

If you've met René, you probably want to meet Cécile too. Not persons, but autonomous identities that Sinking Sideways bring to life with the titles of their dance acrobatics performance. On the eve of their Maker for a Week residency, Sinking Sideways sat down with Nadja van der Weide to talk about their encounter, the fivesome object that guides them through each creative process and the appropriation of each workplace. And about Cécile's juggling patterns. I don't think any of us are normal people is the quote by Wes Anderson that Liza Van Brakel shares with them. Duration: 00:39:30

"I should come up with a master plan. And a plan B, C and D." Soon, juggler and circus maker Liza van Brakel will enter the studio to work with a group of dancers for the first time. And that is "scary, but good scary, in a healthy way" she confides to the listeners. In this fifth Circus Whispers with host Nadja van der Weide, we learn all about the beauty of juggling, which is about so much more than just mastering a technique. And Liza whispers to us and Sinking Sideways the new quote of the week inspired...

They are sometimes annoyed with each other, but having a coffee together, away from the floor, always works. Marth is a trapeze artist and Jan De Kinder illustrates. And now they form a father-daughter duo. In this fourth Circus Whispers, they tell host Nadja van der Weide what they run into and how they make it work. "There are those moments when one has a great idea, but the other doesn't support it, that's challenging."

“Our two languages are so different, the challenge is, how to combine them. It will be a tricky one to make it wo...

In this third episode of Circus Whispers, Nadja van der Weiden welcomes a young circus maker who lives and creates from and through the lens of her subject: body morphology. Jessica Hellmuth specialises in the discipline of aerial rope and combines this with soundscape, poetry and much more. An open conversation about shame, circus and the pitfalls of being an artist.

"I am hoping to embrace the all of creation, to listen to it and follow."

In this second episode of Circus Whispers, we are introduced to the power, playfulness and fragility of the discipline Teeterboard through the eyes of creator and performer Luuk Brantjes. From House of Circus Luuk gets a good portion of food for thought. And we get a reality check behind the scenes when Luuk tells us more about the object that is indispensable in his practice.

"What happens when I am really alone with the teaterboard."

This week we sit down with House of Circus (Nick van der Heyden & Germain Charlat). They start this week with a residency at TENT house for contemporary circus and take us into the world of circus and drag. Our previous resident Paul van de Waterlaat gives them hints of inspiration and looks back on his past residency.

"We would like to avoid the 3 s’s: ‘shyness, shame and seriousness’, and embrace the 3 s’s: ‘sexy, spectacular, surprises’!"