This Week — 11 February 2022

We’re excited to be plotting our course for the new year. 2022 brings familiar challenges, but we also hope it brings you some inspiration to try something new and engage with the vibrant artists and communities that make the DMV a beautiful and enriching place to live. As usual, keep us informed by emailing circusdistrict@gmail.com with your local circus intel! And keep the content flowing by sponsoring us on Patreon.

LIVE SHOWS

***Be sure to check out each venue’s Covid safety regulations prior to attending in-person events.

February 12

The Library Tavern will host The Adult Section: A Burlesque and Variety Dinner Show, with a dinner of Persian dishes at 6 p.m. followed by an 8 p.m. show. Excellent for a date night or a friends’ excursion, the line-up includes ‘Token Block Guy’ Saymo Saymo, burlesque superstar Ginger Jameson, ex-Ringling clown Jim Dandy and the endlessly charming Delilah Dentata. Get tickets at this link.

February 25-27

Witness a triumphant reimagining of the mythological tale of Eurydice at Songs From the UnderWorld, created by Baltimore artist ellen cherry. This show opens with a Jim Henson Foundation-sponsored work of puppetry by Anna Fitzgerald, and follows with multimedia storytelling inspired by ellen cherry’s recovery from a car wreck a few years ago. Show times are 8 p.m. (2/25 & 2/26) and 3 p.m. (2/27). Get tickets at this link.

February 26

Omnium Circus presents their long-awaited performance of I’mPossible at Capital One Hall in Tysons at 2 p.m. This electrifying show features artists of many backgrounds in an environment accessible to all audiences. Visit their website for tickets.

April 3

Look forward to the spring arrival of ¡Porque Si! a collaborative show by Yolit Flamenco and Gwynne Flanagan. This exciting new work combines aerial choreography with flamenco, accompanied by live music. Visit this link to get tickets for the 7 p.m. performance in Rockville.

FILM

Hiko in Tonga has been listed as a ‘Best of the Fest’ pick for the Golden Gate International Film Festival this year. This film by Paprika Leaverton chronicles the vanishing culture of Polynesian women jugglers in the Kingdom of Tonga. Visit this link and click on ‘Buy Tickets’ at the top of the page to receive a barcode to screen the film. The virtual screening is available through February 14, and a portion of tickets sales will go toward Tongan tsunami relief.

APPLICATIONS

Circus artists who identify as persons of color living in the U.S. can now apply for CSAW‘s March $1,000 microgrant. The deadline is Feb. 15. Find more information at this link.

GATHERINGS – VIRTUAL & IN-PERSON

February 11 & 16

The UMD Juggling Club will meet on Mckeldin Mall (or in the Art/Sociology building if it’s cold/rainy) from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. All are welcome to attend. Join the club’s Facebook group for updates and follow them on Instagram for fun content.

February 17

The Fairfax Jugglers will meet on Thursdays from 7:30-10 p.m. in the Key Middle School cafeteria. Visitors must wear masks and sign a liability waiver.

February 23

The District Rope Group will hold a Virtual Rope Jam via Zoom from 8-10 p.m. This is a great place to share your skills, ask questions, and suggest topics for discussion/education. You are welcome to join this gathering however you feel comfortable (camera/audio on or off), but recording of any kind is not permitted. RSVP by joining the group and responding to the Facebook event page.

EDUCATION

Urban Evolution in Alexandria will host an Aerials Routine Workshop from 10 a.m. to Noon. This workshop will help you build a silks routine around a piece of music of your choosing. Sign up at this link.

NYC HAPPENINGS

Take a road trip (or snag an Amtrak ticket) to visit our ‘upstairs neighbor’ and enjoy these excellent shows!

Through February 19

Delve into 4,000 years of juggling history through the innovative and playful mind of Jay Gilligan in his show REFLEX, presented by Hideaway Circus. This intimate show uses unique props, inventions and robots to reveal a mesmerizing world of object manipulation. Appearing at Theater Mitu580, with tickets at this link.

Through March 6

We are over the moon to report that Happenstance Theater is debuting their show BAROCOCO at 59E59 Theaters in Manhattan. This production transports you to the late Baroque era and its lavishly adorned characters whose lifestyles are on the brink of extinction, told through exquisite physical comedy and seamless ensemble work. Get tickets at this link.