The performing arts have had a tough year in most countries, with virus locks canceling shows and closing venues.
MARSEILLE, France – The performing arts have had a tough year in most countries, with virus locks canceling shows and closing venues.
But the world’s premier circus festival has found a way to thrive between the cracks in the rules – even without the huge crowds that would normally be present.
Concluding on Saturday in the Mediterranean port of Marseille, the fourth edition of the Circus Biennale (BIAC), to be held every two years in the south of France, celebrating the art of reducing injuries and stretching a spine that fuels the stormy scene.
The last BIAC was attended by over 110,000 people, in 2019. This year it had up to 2,000 visitors, all of whom work in the circus or are looking to buy shows. .
Even that is a testament to the grit and determination of the organizers, who skillfully adapted their festival in accordance with the rules and regulations of the French authorities.
“We started with plan A, then plan B, then plan C, then plan D, and finally we decided to make plan E which was the Biennale for professionals. That was possible, we were allowed to do it, ”said BIAC organizer Raquel Rache de Andrade.
Dozens of demonstrations featured upside-down tutus, acrobatic bikes, multicolored parachutes and enough contortionism to shock a chiropractor.
Virus safety signs posted at the center of the clown port showed a red nose, bow tie and mask, and the accompanying text: “A big nose won’t free you from wearing one.”
In France, theaters, concert halls and other venues have been closed since October 30 due to COVID-19. Prior to that, they were closed from mid-March to the end of June.
No one knows when the performing arts will get started again.
But it’s important to show that culture is essential, according to Yoann Bourgeois, a dancer and dance designer who trained in the circus arts and is this year’s main artist at BIAC.
“The management of this crisis has had a devastating effect on poets, artists, people who give their lives to culture in general,” said Bourgeois. . We are convinced that poetry is essential for survival. ”
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Adamson reported from Leeds, England
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