Silver Star at the International Young Stage Festival 2024
© Pablo Wünsch Blanco
Find out more about Cyrrealism HERE
About
Hey there, this is Fenja. I asked ChatGPT (I know it’s scary…) to rewrite my introduction in a cool, funny and appealing mannor. That’s what happened. Enjoy! (At least I had fun with it;)
„Meet Fenja Barteldres, the German dynamo of the circus world, born in ’98 and spinning her way through life on a Cyr wheel! Forget the mundane world of gymnastics; Fenja stumbled upon her true calling in the circus ring at the ripe age of 13, where the blend of dance, theater, music, and acrobatics stole her heart faster than you can say „Cyr wheel.“
This gal isn’t just about competition; she’s all about collaboration and camaraderie. While she may fly solo in the spotlight, her trusty Cyr wheel is more than just an apparatus—it’s her partner-in-crime, her confidante, her ride-or-die. Together, they’re a dynamic duo, breaking boundaries and defying gravity with a bond tighter than a clown’s pants.
Fenja’s journey began in the vibrant world of Zirkus Ragazzi, where she honed her skills before falling head over heels (quite literally) for the Cyr wheel at 14. High school? Check. But instead of hitting the books, she hit the circus scene hard, soaking up knowledge at Circus Waldoni’s prestigious „Masterclass“ in Darmstadt.
But wait, there’s more! This circus maven took her talents across the pond to Canada, eh? There, she polished her craft at the École de Cirque de Québec, proving that her passion knows no borders. And just when you thought she couldn’t get any cooler, she topped it all off with a Bachelor’s degree in Circus Arts from Codarts in Rotterdam.
Fenja Barteldres isn’t just a circus artist; she’s a force of nature, spinning her way into hearts around the globe with her jaw-dropping performances and infectious spirit. Step right up, folks, and witness the magic of Fenja and her trusty Cyr wheel—because in their world, the only thing higher than their flips is the level of fun! 🎪✨“
Upcoming Performances
Cyrrealism
24. August 2024 | Open Circles, Venlo (NL) | Cyrrealism#7 | More
25. August 2024 | Cirque Gitan, Diest (BE) | Cyrrealism#30 | 19h
31. August 2024 | De Clinch, Clinge (NL) | Cyrrealism#40 | More
02. October 2024 | Gala für Alle | Lörrach (DE) | Cyrrealism#7 | More
04.-06. October 2024 | Firco | Madrid (ES) | Cyrrealism#7 | More
18. October 2024 | ZIRKUSFEST, Bühne im Hof (AUT) | Cyrrealism#40 | More
17. November 2024 | Zeit für Zirkus | Cyrrealism#30 | Bremen (DE) | More
28.11. – 01.12. 2024 | This is not a circus | Amsterdam (NL) | Cyrrealism#40 | More
URBANATIX
07/08. June 2024 | „Essence“ | Flottmanhallen Herne (DE) | More
24. August 2024 | Urban Summer Jam | Maasport Venlo (NL) | More
27/28/29. September 2024 | „Essence“ | Düsseldorf Festival (DE) | More
23/24. May 2025 | „Essence“ | Schauspielhaus Bochum (DE) | More to come
Ripple with TeaTime Company
20.7.2024
Mira Miro, Gent (BE)
Outdoor
21.7.2024
Mira Miro, Gent (BE)
Outdoor
26.7.2024
Cirque Plus, Brugge (BE)
Outdoor
Dreaming Act
19. October 2024 | ZIRKUSFEST, Bühne im Hof (AUT) | More TBA
Cyrrealism Show Premiere
27.01.2024 | Soiree Perplx | Kortrijk, Belgium | More
20/21 July 2024 | Gentse Feesten | Ghent (BE) | Cyrrealism#30
26 July | Cirque Plus | Brugge (BE) | Cyrrealism#30
13. August 2024 | Tour de France Femmes, Rotterdam (NL) | Cyrrealism#20 | More
URBANATIX Essence
09/10/11 May 2024 | Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen (DE) | More
07 Premiere/08 February 2024 | Schauspielhaus Bochum, Germany | More
Handmade
Ab 08.10.2023 | GOP. Varieté-Theater | Bad Oyenhausen, Germany | More
Cyrrealism Act
13. April 2024 | Back to Base, Amsterdam (NL) | More
02/03/04/05/06 May 2024 | Young Stage, Basel (CH) | More
29.07.2023 | Wheel Jam | Antwerp, Netherlands | More
Try-out performance „Cyrrealism“ Show + Feedbacksession
22.04.2023
Place: Circusstudio Rotterdam
Address: Schiemond 20-22, 3024 EE Rotterdam
Reserve your free ticket by emailing: jordis@circusstad.nl Uitnodiging Feedbacksessie Cyrrealism!
Work in Progress showing „Cyrrealism“ Show
04.05.2023 & 05.05.2023
Circusstad Festival
GOP. Varieté-Theater Bonn
September 7th 2022 – October 28th 2022
„Dreaming“
Tickets
Festival Circolo, BNG Bank Circus Award
October 30th 2022 | 17:00
Spoorpark Fontys Arena, Tilburg (NL)
„Cyrrealism“ – Graduation Act
Tickets
Rode Hond Festival
November 3rd 2022 | 15:00, 18:00
City Theatre, Leuven (BE)
„Cyrrealism“ – sneak peek longer version
GOP. Varieté-Theater München
October 10th 2022 – January 15th 2023
Tickets
Cyrrealism
Cyrrealism#40 Show
Life is not always what we want or imagine.
However, what may seem like an unfortunate situation ends up offering new and beautiful paths. The solo show “Cyrrealism” speaks of how these paths get discovered and new doors can be opened.
The Cyr wheel is a metal ring consisting of separate pieces usually tightly screwed together and used in its solid and round form. Fenja uses her apparatus without the screws, which makes it wobbly and unstable, questioning perfection. Thus, her wheel becomes a totally different device: Sometimes strangely curved, sometimes agile like a snake, and sometimes disintegrated into its individual pieces. The wheel stands as a metaphor to highlight life’s imperfections, proposing new perspectives that result in beauty.
In Cyrrealism, a whole world will grow out of a single metal wheel. The simplicity and perfection of a single round ring will be questioned and deformed into complex, imperfect chaos.
One becomes many, round becomes buckled, clean becomes dirty and confined becomes free.
There will be mesmerizing calm moments, satisfying rhythms in movement, beautiful stunning technique and a poetic relationship between the object(s) and the performer.
Trailer / Teaser / Dossier / Podcast
Outside eye: Kim-Jomi Alstadsæter
Music Production: Maria Di Pace
Costume: Loek Cruchten and Nastasja Jagodić
Light Design: Edwin van Steenbergen
Live Music and Composition: Flavia Escartin
Flavia Escartin, born in Gent and raised in a small village near Barcelona, began playing the cello at the age four. While her foundation lies in classical cello, she eagerly explores other styles: Scottish, Irish, American, Spanish folk music, and traditional jazz. Graduating from Codarts Conservatory in June 2022 under Jeroen Den Herder and Joachim Eijlander, she now studies Jazz Cello at the Amsterdam Conservatory. She collaborates with diverse bands spanning Contemporary Jazz, Free Improvisation, Classical Ensembles, Turkish traditional music, and interdisciplinary circus projects. Flavia is part of the Escarteen Sisters, Ayal, Hartwin Trio, Frida Trio, Java Collectief, and The Talking Hands. Since the summer of 2023, Fenja and Flavia collaborate for Cyrrealism.
“It’s a dance with risk for both sides. We know our choreography but we don’t know the variations, we will encounter in the moment of the performance. On stage we create a symbiotic relationship: The sound I make comes from what I see. It makes me experience Fenja’s physicality and serves her as a reflection and amplification in return. She opens her wheel, I breathe: Inhale. Silence.“
Cyrrealism exists in different lenghts and versions:
Cyrrealism#7 (indoors, 7 minutes) | Cyrrealism#10 (out- and indoors, 10 min) | Cyrrealism#20 (outdoors, 20 minutes) | Cyrrealism#30 (outdoors, 30 minutes) | Cyrrealism#40 (indoors, 40, minutes, live music)
For special wishes, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Contact
fenjacircus@gmail.com
+49 1575 5543260