Thursday, April 12, 2007
Kurt Darren & DJ Sbu showdown!
The day before a major launch like we have planned for tomorrow night, things get pretty hectic in the office! Sponsors calling to try and get extra tickets, interviews being planned (Arno will be on Maties FM from 16h30 – 17h00 & on UCT Radio from 19h30 – 20h00) and juggled around last minute rehearsals and just a general pandemonium – which is exactly what you need for it all to fall into place on the day.I spent the morning yesterday filming many of our artists who were part of a circus show currently being hosted at Bayside Centre in Table View. Aerial acts, clowns that juggle, acrobats, an escape show, uni-cyclists, knife-throwing, etc – if your kids have nothing to do this Saturday, go and check it out – it is really cool.
I was standing high up on the staircase, to be able to film from above, and had a few teenagers standing near me; the ones that are still in a pretty geeky stage of their lives, when they aren’t sure is they are coming or going, and they don’t really find anything cool – these guys were hosing themselves at all the slapstick and subtle jokes that go over the kids heads… So I feel it was mission accomplished.Musically, we are all preparing ourselves for the South African Music Awards that are happening on Saturday. It is really the highlight of the year; when musicians get official recognition for all the hard slog that they have put into their creations…
And competition for the top-spot is getting tight! Song of the year… will it go to Bok van Blerk’s Afrikaaner heart-wrenching De la Rey? And what about the very mellow What he means from Just Jinjer? Or the ‘balle tussen jou bene’ Leeuloop by Robbie Wessels? I can’t answer. But I know that Kurt Darren (Lekker Lekker) and DJ Sbu (Remember when it rained) took things to the streets the other day in a bitch-slapping-testosterone-fueled challenge… check it out…
Hope your day is just great!
Labels: circus, SAMA, sng arno carstens peacebreaker
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Erika Lemay - beautiful Canadian Aerial Hoop
I was first introduced to Erika Lemay as part of the Azale Duo, with another crazily-talented acrobat, Julie Lavergne, and we have kept steady contact over the years.Both artists continue to develop new shows and new collaborations , and so Peak's database expands internationally, and we get all these cool videos with which to promote them - and now I can share!
These French speaking Canadian ladies are truly something special.
Erika is a multi-disciplined artist, having started with Circus training, she eventually focused her performing on styles such as the intense hand-balancing act of Azale Duo, where such power and graceful control are needed.She has a solo Aerial Scarf act where not only power, but the ability to dance in the air captures the audiences breath. The act I am featuring now, the Aerial Hoop, is dramatic, and intense, and breathtaking.
A choreographed show-piece of 5-minutes with Erika taking her audience on an emotional roller-coaster. Enjoy these snippets.
Labels: Aerial Scarf, Azale Duo, circus, Julie Lavergne
Friday, July 28, 2006
Hand-balance - Canada
We are so lucky to be in contact with not only some of the most beautiful artists in the world, but some of the strongest too! Take Genevieve Drolet from Canada - she is a product of the Quebec Circus School, and has taken Master Classes in Hand Balance, on canes and on the aerial cube.
Not only does she perform in the most graceful style, but without hesitation or the slightest effort it seems, she has complete control over her every move.
Genvieve is also a member of Peak's Aerial Cube Trio, as I mentioned in a previous post.
Style, beauty, strength makes for a pure class act!
Labels: aerial cube, circus, hand-balance
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Zenith Aerial Acrobats return!
Last week I have got an email from Chantal of the Zenith Aerial Acrobats (she appeared in South African film The Flyer) telling me that her god-mother would be popping over to drop off a new DVD showreel because she is coming back to Cape Town from November till about February - depending on how much work we can find her!The thing about Chantal is that Lenny and I met her just after we had settled back in Cape Town in 1995 - she was this young girl who used to come into the Log Cabin in Vredehoek with her mom - and because she knew that I was an active character, we used to talk about 'joining the circus'. She was very interested in performing, and had been training with Zip Zap Circus for 3 years already.
A few years later, while Len and I were on tour with the Engen Summer Series, we stopped off for a few nights at Pilannesberg Nature Reserve to visit our dance friend Bheki Ndlovu, who was dancing next door at Sun City. And there she was - a fully fledged Acrobatic Dancing Flying Trapese artist - dancing with Bheki and Julie, her Zenith partner now, in the Baletsatsi Show.
It had happened - she had run away and joined the circus! Not something that you hear happening too often, and especially not in the successful way that she has either.She and Julie have been 'hanging out' together as partners since 2003, and are just finishing their 5th season with MSC Cruises in the Med on the MSC Armonia. They have been performing a Bar, Scarf, Lyra and Rings act, as well as Acrobatic Characters.
I have added a small promo video to give you a taste of some of the performance styles that Chantal & Julie are doing- enjoy!
Labels: acrobats, Aerial Scarf, circus, Zip Zap
