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Silver Star at the International Young Stage Festival 2024

© Pablo Wünsch Blanco

 

 

Find out more about Cyrrealism HERE

About

© Manon Verplancke

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

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

Ripple with TeaTime Company

8.8.2024
Theater Op de Markt (BE) Tickets & info
Outdoor
 
9.8.2024
Theater Op de Markt (BE) Tickets & info
Outdoor
 
14.9.2024
De Schuur, Haarlem (NL) Tickets & info
Indoor
19.9.2024
Double Bill with Panama Pictures, Verkade Fabriek (NL)
Indoor
 
20.9.2024
Double Bill with Panama Pictures, Verkade Fabriek (NL)
Indoor
 
21.9.2024
Double Bill with Panama Pictures, Verkade Fabriek (NL)
Indoor
 
24.10.2024
Ripple
Circolo | Tilburg (NL) | More
 
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.