FORA is selected as circusnext Laureate 2023.
Standing on the shoulders of Houdini and the traditional contortionist techniques, FORA takes the genre to an entirely new place
In an ultra-contemporary language, Alice Rende allows distorted movement to come to the forefront as a desperate strategy against external dominance – a tribute to those who do not fit in.
Based on somatic research among the homeless in Rio de Janeiro, psychiatric hospitals, and historical archives of so-called hysterical patients, she develops a physical vocabulary that breaks the usual codes for contortion. Enclosed in a plexiglass box, reminiscent of displays in anatomical museums, and in a live soundscape where sounds from the amplified box transform into cello harmonies, she creates a truly unique performance – groundbreaking for the genre.
‘Fora’ means ‘outside’ in Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, and Sardinian.
BIOS:
Alice Rende studied at the National Circus School of Brazil, obtained a Masters in Performing Arts at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and is currently a doctoral student at the same university. Her artistic practise is closely connected to her academic work. She is, among other things, focused on our notion of abnormality, and the political potential that lies in bringing “unusual” bodies on stage. She shares her time between Brazil and France. She has followed several courses at Ecole Supérieure des Arts du Cirque de Toulouse Occitanie, Esacto’Lido, in France, and worked together with artist Julia Christ in her performance “Le Moindre Geste”. In 2018 Alice contributed to the creation of the performance ”Silenzio” by Roberto Magro Company. This became the kick-off to her unique plexiglass box research, which has been manifested – so far – in both the performance ”Passages”, 2019 and most recently in FORA, premiering in 2024. https://www.asso-mozaic.fr/portfolio_page/compagnie-ar/
ABOUT CIRCUSNEXT:
Circusnext offers a unique program of support to emerging creators of contemporary circus! It is carried out by a large European platform of 30 partners representing 17 countries. Read more: https://circusnext.eu/en/
ABOUT C!CAF
Copenhagen Circus Arts Festival is a biennale that presents international high-quality contemporary circus art. Performances that catch you where the borders between circus and art are erased. Where something new and unique is created!
Dancer, choreographer and artistic director of Kitt Johnson X-act, Kitt Johnson, is the curator of C!CAF.
Johnson has many years of experience with the festival format, a continuous collaboration with AFUK/AMOC and a longstanding affiliation with the Danish circus milieu as well as international network connections as jury member in circusnext and currently acting mentor in their lab program. Coming from this background, Kitt Johnson X-act hopes to be able to contribute to the development of contemporary circus as a genre on a national level.
