Smells Like Circus is a five-day focus on circus arts, presented in January on different locations in Ghent, and is organized by Circuscentrum and Arts Centre Vooruit. Together we explore the boundaries between circus, dance, performance and theater.
SMELLS LIKE CIRCUS is returning for Vooruit’s ‘19-’20 season! For this edition, Circuscentrum and Vooruit will be injecting the world of circus with a hefty dose of innovation and excitement. We’ll explore the boundaries of circus itself, but also those of the performers’ bodies and the objects they work with. Going to extremes, getting older, creating new worlds from everyday materials: these are just a few of the themes that will feature in this year’s SMELLS LIKE CIRCUS and the accompanying symposium. Expect performances that are as captivating as they are challenging.
SMELLS LIKE CIRCUS =
>> Shows by Wes Peden, Mardulier & Deprez, Mohamed Toukabri, Phia Ménard, Alexander Vantournhout, Gaël Santisteva, Claudio Stellato, Miet Warlop, fABULEUS/Hanna Mampuys, Naïf Production, Galactik Ensemble. Get your tickets for the shows here.
>> Works in progress (WIPs) of upcoming shows. Only accessible for circus and culture professionals. Register here.
Vincent & Vejde – H O M A N: Tue 14.01 – 16:00
Cie Pol & Freddy – De Cuyper vs. De Cuyper: Tue 14.01 – 17:00
There There Company – Carrying my father: Fri 17.01 – 16:00
Nicanor de Elia – Juventud: Fri 17.01 – 17:00
>> Two seminars: the first CARP seminar tackling the sense and non-sense of circus costumes (Tue 14.01) and Smells Like Dialogue (15-17.01), a three-day symposium for circus people.
>> Several meetings, of which two in English and accessible for international circus professionals: Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast with Phia Ménard and Alexander Vantournhout (Tue 14.01 – 8:30) and an artists’ pitch of upcoming circus projects, register here (Tue 14.01 – 15:00-15:45).
>> An afterparty (Sat 18.01 – 22:00)
For more information, please contact Julie Descamps via julie[at]circuscentrum.be or Maarten Verhelst via maarten[at]circuscentrum.be.
>> 16-20 January 2018, 8 locations in Ghent
>> Shows by Svalbard Company, Grensgeval, Janni Van Goor, Louis Vanhaverbeke, Collectif Porte27, Circus Katoen, Cirque déjà vu, Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger, Cirque Composé and Mardulier & Deprez
>> Works in progress by Familiar Faces, Collectif Galapiat Cirque, Stoptoï and Alexander Vantournhout
>> Meetings: Onda (Office national de diffusion artistique, France), programmers of the Flemish cultural centers, circus artists’ meeting
>> Extras: Smells Like Cinema, Afterparty
>> 17-21 January 2017, 4 locations in Ghent
>> Shows by Iéto, Plastic Boom, Cie Non Nova, Michiel Deprez, Henrik & Louise, Rode Boom/Kurt Demey, Cie Ea Eo, Piquet and Fieldworks
>> Works in progress by Side-Show, La Ruspa and Janni Van Goor
>> Meetings: CircusNext, programmers of the Flemish cultural centers, CASA-workshop
>> Extras: the Big CircusMagazine Debate, Expo Prince Naymuzzaman, CirkTattoo, Afterparty
>> 13-17 January 2016
>> Shows by Bert & Fred, Benjamin Vandewalle, Alexander Vantournhout & Bauke Lievens, Cie Defracto, Rachid Ouramdane / L’A, Claudio Stellato, Sébastien Wojdan and Cirque Mélangé
>> Works in progress by Les Frères Troubouch, Luis & Pedro
>> Meetings: Circostrada, programmers of the Flemish cultural centers, youth circuses
>> Extras: Workshop contact improvisation, Artistic Laboratory between Finnish and Flemish circus artists
>> First edition of Smells Like Circus
>> 14-18 January 2015, 2 locations in Ghent
>> Shows by Post uit Hessdalen, Cirque Composé, Chloé Moglia, Alessandro Sciarroni, Cie Nuua and Rode Boom/Kurt Demey
>> Works in progress by Cie Ea Eo, Bert & Fred, Deux Sans Trois, Alexander Vantournhout & Harald Austbo
>> Meetings: FACE (Fresh Arts Coalition Europe), CircusNext, programmers of the Flemish cultural centers
>> Extras: Workshop mentalism
>> Before Smells Like Circus, Arts Centre Vooruit and Circuscentrum already collaborated quite intensely. From 2010 on circus arts received a place in the programmation of Vooruit.
>> Shows by Etienne Saglio (2014), Cirque Composé (2013, 2012 and 2011), Cie Circoncentrique (2013), Claudio Stellato (2012), Cie XY (2012), Iéto (2011), Cie Ea Eo (2011), Jeunes Talents Cirque Europe (2010)
>> Coordination: Julie Descamps – julie[at]circuscentrum.be
>> Press: Maarten Verhelst – maarten[at]circuscentrum.be