By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Canadian circus troupe Cirque Eloize's brand new show, ID, will premiere at the Global Fair & Festival 2009 in Incheon from Aug. 7 to Oct. 25.
Known for its trademark art circuses Rain (2006) and Nebbia (2007), Cirque Eloize is one of the most popular circus troupes, along with Cirque du Soleil.
The new work will be themed as ``Speed, Spectacle, Special,'' which will be different from the previous works marked by romantic and artistic elements rather than dynamic spectacles.
Diving into the rock culture, exploring classical music and contemporary dance and incorporating theatrical elements, the Canadian troupe is now trying its hand at urban dance.
Centered on identity and city living, ID mixes up hip hop and break dancing with circus arts and video in a decidedly Eloize show.
The 15 multi-talented performers aged 20-24 who make up the ID troupe are from seven different nationalities such as Germany, Canada, Laos and the United States, which gives the show an energy all its own.
The upcoming show is expected to draw much attention from the public as it will be directed by Cirque Eloize Founder and co-director Jeannot Painchaud.
The accomplished artist and winner of a medal in the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris in 1992, he left the stage in 1998 to focus on running the company with his associates. Since then, he has been involved in the creation of every show either as the artistic director or director of creation.
Created for a wide audience, the show will help Cirque Eloize develop new markets in Asia and the Middle East.
With an expected four million visitors, the Global Fair & Festival offers an unparalleled showcase for all of the participants from 500 cities from 100 countries, 1 500 private companies and 213 associations and institutions.
Cirque Eloize has been selected to present its one-of-a-kind creation, the only show that will be performed throughout the entire festival.
Cirque Eloize has been widely recognized for its poetic style and is often described as an artistic circus. The degree of perfection involved in executing the complex elements of each show is a testament to the unique skills and creativity of this Montreal-based contemporary art and performance group.
The circus has evolved from its earlier traditional form using animals and clowns to stage spectacular performances. Now a style of circus known as cirque nouveau, or contemporary circus, combines many different art forms such as trapeze, juggling and acting, to convey a story or theme.
The circus will be staged at the Big Top Theater in Incheon from Aug. 7 to Oct. 25. Tickets cost from 30,000 to 100,000 won. For more information, call (032) 471-8600.