Limited liability company „Lielais Dzintars” together with the Donorstate project partner from Norway – Julian Sæther and the Donorstate project partner from Iceland – Greta Clough from October 1, 2022 till February 29, 2024 realized the project „Performing Arts Laboratory „CirqueMusique””.
The project brought together young people, composers, musicians and contemporary circus artists from Latvia and Norway, as well as expert in audience development and engagement from Iceland and cultural professionals in four regions of Latvia. At the end of the project, a musical circus performance for young people “I can’t stand that they eat so loudly” and a guidebook to fostering youth engagement in arts and culture in rural and regional settings was created.
Photo: Dagnija Bernāne
In spring and autumn 2023, the largest part of the project took place – four workshops in the regional concert halls of Latvia in Rezekne, Cesis, Liepaja and Ventspils. In each workshop, musicians, composers and circus artists, under the guidance of project partner and artistic director Julian Saether, worked with young people studying music or movement arts to experiment with fusing elements of contemporary music and modern circus.
The artistic process of each workshop was supervised by one of four composers – Linda Leimane, Krists Auznieks, Platons Buravickis and Santa Ratniece, who introduced the young people to the creation of contemporary music and prepared musical material for the improvisation of movement artists. At the same time, the interaction with the young people, artists and composers served as an inspiration for the composition of a new work for the final performance.
Photo: OHM.LV, Liene Leonoviča, Dagnija Bernāne
Each workshop lasted three days and brought together more than 180 young people aged 12 to 18. The young professionals were introduced to the world of contemporary music and contemporary circus, developed their skills for the stage, participated in the creative process, broadened their artistic perception and gained experience in working with people from different artistic disciplines.
Video from the creative workshop in Liepaja (in Latvian and English, with subtitles in Latvian)
Video from the creative workshop in Rezekne and Cesis (in Latvian and English, with subtitles in Latvian)
Video from the creative workshop in Liepaja (in Latvian, with subtitles in Latvian)
The project culminated in an interdisciplinary performance that reflects issues relevant to young people through contemporary art forms.
During the workshops, young people were invited to share their reflections on how they see the world and how they relate to other people and to themselves. The answers ranged from hopes for the kind of world they would like to live in to what they currently see as unfair in their lives. The involvement of young people in the workshops allowed the composers and artists to get ideas for a performance on themes relevant to this age group and to create a vivid and memorable title for the performance.
Combining the reflections of the young people and the circus elements developed during the workshops, playwright Ance Muižniece created a dramaturgical concept for the performance, which tells the story of the developmental path of different individuals to acceptance of themselves and the world. The path starts with the narrowest circle (me – as part of the family), then turns to the middle circle (friends). Later it leads to the big circle (society), to finally return to the self (I) with a different understanding of the self and the world.
The musical circus performance “I Can’t Stand It That They Eat So Loud” consists of four pieces by composers Linda Leimane, Krists Auznieks, Platons Buravickis and Santa Ratniece. In four scenes, they are performed and reflected on stage by five circus performers and five musicians. The target audience: young people aged 12-18. Duration – 1h.
Photo: OHM.LV
The creative team of the show consists of bright composers of their generation – Krists Auznieks, Platons Buravickis, Linda Leimane and Santa Ratniece; Latvian musicians – violinist Agnese Kanniņa, clarinettist Kārlis Catlaks, bass guitarist Jānis Rubiks, percussionist Elīna Endzele and flutist Liene Dobičina – and circus artists – Norwegian juggler Julian Saether, acrobat Gabriel Skog, as well as representatives of the Riga Circus School – juggler Egils Zvejnieks, juggler Elīna Konrade and clown-juggler Mariano Gedwillo. Lighting and sound design by Jurģis Ozols and Jānis Straume.
Promotion video about the musical circus performance
A practical guide to fostering youth engagement in arts and culture in rural and regional settings, developed by Greta Clough, project partner from Iceland, was presented at the closing event of the project. It is aimed for cultural professionals in the regions who work with young audiences on a daily basis.
The content of the guidelines was developed during four workshops, which took place in parallel with the workshops, as well as through observing the interaction between young people and the project’s creative team and the process of creating the performance.
Photo: OHM.LV
The project also produced a documentary film about the workshops and the participants’ experiences. The film was made by Gregors Jānis Mažis.
Documentary in Latvian and English (with subtitles in English)
Project description: https://eeagrants.lv/en/2022/09/12/performing-arts-laboratory-cirquemusique/
Project homepage: https://lielaisdzintars.lv/en/cirque-musique
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