| Spectacular circus collides with the Sale of the Century in Hard Sell, the 2019 showcase from the National Institute of Circus Arts’ 2019 graduates.
Set in a high-class auction room under the unpredictable gavel of subversive MC Mitch Jones(Australia’s Got Talent 2019, Autocannibal), Hard Sell sees 17 artists transform the stage into a bidding war for Australia’s newest elite talent. Life imitates art from the comedic to the dramatic with a variety line-up including trapeze, Roue Cyr, Tightwire, handstands, acrobatics to name a few.
A kaleidoscope of circus talent takes centre stage with Easa Min-Swe‘s butoh-inspired movements, Troy Griffiths‘ contortion abilities, Aleshanee Kelso‘s acrobatic aerial wheel tricks,Stephanie Benson‘s blend of gymnastics and performance art, in addition to 10 other exhilarating acts.
Circus industry scouts regularly attend NICA’s yearly showcase searching for new talent to take on national and international tours, so the stakes are high and sales may be made!
Hard Sell is curated by NICA’s Creative Team consisting of James Brown (Head of Circus), Zeb Hunter (Head of Performance), Meredith Kitchen (Movement Coordinator) and Martine Howard(3rd Year Coordinator).
Acclaimed Melbourne Choreographer, Stephanie Lake, The Anchor Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Katie Cawthorne and Dance Animator’s Director/Choreographer Alice Lee Hollandworked with this year’s students as part of NICA’s Artistic Consultation series. This annual initiative sees students paired with industry professionals to strengthen their performance practice.
James Brown, says this process is the student’s final finessing before they enter the world stage.
“This Artistic Consultancy process is the last step in amalgamating everything students have learnt, to blend the technical and artistic into a world-class piece,” says Brown.
Hard Sell promises to be sophisticated, creative, and dazzling – snag your tickets before you can say “going, going, gone”!
NICA is Australia’s Centre of Excellence for training in contemporary circus arts. It is one of eight national arts training institutes and offers Australia’s only Bachelor of Circus Arts. Graduates of NICA have gone on to pursue exciting careers both locally and internationally and have contributed to the development of Melbourne’s vibrant circus arts industry. |
