Circus from Feisworld Fei Wu

Sabine van Rensburg (@circusbean) and Brin Schoellkopf (@brin_schoellkopf) are two circus artists currently working in the show Passagers from 7 Fingers.

We met these two talented young artists through the artistic director of Passagers from 7 Fingers, Shana Caroll, who appeared in an earlier episode of Feisworld. Passagers (or Passengers in English) is opening in Boston on September 25th, 2019 and leaving the city on October 13th, 2019. Make sure to check out the show with your friends and family! Learn more >> 

Sabine, originally from South Africa, is an aerial silk artist. Her parents founded a circus school where she learned to perform as a circus artist, the rest is history. Sabine embraced the opportunity before enrolling in the Montreal Circus School. Soon after graduation, she found herself busy working for 7 Fingers.

Brin was born and raised in Vermont, a jack of all trades type of Circus artist, he’s got a few impressive skills under his belt. He also works as a visual artist and videographer to promote other artists like himself.

What is “Passengers” about?

Departure vs. transit vs. arrival. Chance vs. choice vs. destiny. Stillness vs. acceleration. Reflection vs. transparency. Familiar vs. foreign. Private vs. public. Confinement vs. border-crossing. Bright headlights vs. tunnel-darkness. Past vs. Future…

Our fascination with trains is both a nostalgic one — dreams of another era, another land — and a symbolic one: life happens along this track of sorts, twisting and turning through valleys and plains. We speed through lands all the while staring out the window, at the reflection of our very own eyes superimposed upon the shifting landscape. Tearful goodbyes, anticipatory reunions. Fateful encounters inside the cabin. A community of strangers with one thing in common: we all have somewhere to go. Our reasons for leaving may differ but we are joined in a moment of suspended limbo between two lives, as we say goodbye to one and prepare for another.

Show Notes, Tools and Resources: https://www.feisworld.com/blog/sabine-van-rensburg-brin-schoellkopf

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Vladmir Lissouba (Instagram) and Connor Houlihan (Instagram) from the incredible circus show called “La Galerie” (The Gallery) from Machine de Cirque. Adam Leffert (Associate Producer of Feisworld Podcast) also joined us as a co-host after watching the show during the Montreal Circus Festival.

Vlad is a Montreal native and Connor is from the United States. They are currently performing in Edinburgh, Scotland (as of August 2019). To check out the show, go to: Calendar from the company Machine de Cirque. 

“No one ever told me this [about circus arts]. ‘If you have a passion, and that's what you want, there is a way to make a living out of it’.”

Connor knew circus arts was something he wanted to pursue since age 8. Vlad, on the other hand, was inspired while in college while studying computer science. Together, they shared their perspectives and work and life, and how they’ve been transformed by their experiences.

Circus arts aren’t just passion or passion projects for the two performers. To embrace the art form in the long run, they needed to learn how to make a living doing it as well.

What’s the show La Galerie (the Gallery) about? “White. A ploom of color suddenly appears. It is promptly cleaned up. The visitors at the exhibit are delighted to return to monochrome perfection. Little by little, something seems off, things go haywire. The visitors gradually penetrate another world: the set turns inside out. Color appears once again, but now it is indelible. Amused, intrigued, energized, will it absorb them? After the worldwide success of its namesake show, Cirque’s new production takes you to the boundaries of art. With enticing live music and breathtaking acrobatics, let yourself be drawn into this astounding and unusual exhibit.”

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Andrew, Kevin and Gasya Atherton are a family of circus artists working in the show PARAMOUR from Cirque du Soleil.

After witnessing Varekai in the summer of 2015, I immediately reached out to identical twin brothers, Andrew and Kevin to join me on Feisworld. Since then, we’ve completed two projects together including the buildout of their website AthertonTwins.com (launched in 2015), and their brand new workout series called 10 for 10 (launched in 2018), the first gymnastics and circus-inspired workout series for busy professionals on the go. All you need is your own body weight, no partner, no equipment.

Andrew and Kevin Atherton were professional gymnasts in Britain before joining Cirque du Soleil at the age of 24. 18 years later, they have performed in major Cirque shows (Varekai, Zarkana, IRIS, Paramour) around the world, often as headliners with their one of a kind aerial strap performance.

Gasya Atherton is a Cirque hand-balancer, who has become an overnight internet sensation when she shared her workout videos with her children, Kamali and Kaysen, in early 2017. Since then Gasya has built a tribe of 200,000+ engaging fans, including many inspired parents, on her Instagram page.

Show notes, tools and resources: https://www.feisworld.com/blog/atherton-family

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One of the most requested episodes is here with Cirque du Soleil hand balancer, Instagram sensation, Gasya Akhmetova-Atherton (@Gasya on Instagram).

This is not only one of the very few long-form content with Gasya, it is also a rare podcast interview with her.

Joining Cirque at the tender age of 17, Gasya is now mother to two beautiful and adorable children - Kamali and Kaysen. Over the past 2.5 years, I’ve grown much closer to the entire family and watch the kids grow up. In between that time, something magical happened.

One day when Gasya was just practicing her handbalancing movements at home, Kamali, her 3-year old daughter, bravely jumped on her mom’s back and a short video was captured. Together they were having so much fun, not knowing that they would soon become an overnight Instagram sensation.

Show notes, tools and resources: https://www.feisworld.com/blog/gasya-atherton

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Shana Carroll is a Founding Director at the 7 Fingers from Montreal, Quebec. She was a trapeze artist before becoming an acrobatic designer and choreographer at Cirque du Soleil.

After interviewing a number of acrobats from Cirque, my listeners requested to learn more about people behind the scenes. Therefore I started researching directors, creators, storytellers from various shows. Shana jumped out at me, not only because she's been an integral part of many major Cirque shows, but also her daring nature in taking on new projects that have never been done before.

She was an Artistic Director for Paramour in New York City. Paramour was the first-ever Cirque du Soleil and Broadway collaboration. There were plenty of very positive but also negative reviews about the show. I absolutely loved it and watched it four times with families and friends. Not to mention that my two friends, Andrew and Kevin Atherton, were headliners in Paramour.

In 2018, Shana was asked to create the first-ever, on-ice experience for Cirque called CRYSTAL.

Then in 2019, Shana created and directed a new show called PASSAGER from 7 Fingers, premiering in Boston, MA on September 25th, 2019 Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/yytevecx

Show notes, tools and resources: https://www.feisworld.com/blog/shana-carroll

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Gypsy Snider is one of the Founders at 7 Fingers, a contemporary circus collective, where she works as a writer and choreographer.

Gypsy has a unique childhood. Both of her parents are not only circus actors, but had their own circus as a family business, where Gyspy performed since the age of five.

The show, Reversible, is an interactive experience "inspired by the soaring spirit and simple spark of human nature".

Reversible represents the best of contemporary circus by shining a spotlight on the poetry of the human form and linking every ending to a new beginning. Through an electrifying mix of theatre, illusion, dance, music and acrobatics, Reversible is dedicated to past generations whose stories might hold the key to a better tomorrow.

Show notes, tools and resources: https://www.feisworld.com/blog/gypsy-snide

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Learn more about our original podcast and stories from independent creators from many walks of life: https://www.feisworld.com/podcast

Sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch and get a FREE guide on how I make a living as podcaster WITHOUT counting the downloads: https://www.feisworld.com/newsletter

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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/circus/message