Fijian circus takes flight
Audiences can expect aerial feats, acrobatics, dance and drama when Fiji's only professional circus lands in the capital.
Fiji’s only professional circus is just days away from making its Aotearoa debut.
An offshoot of the renowned Fijian performing arts company VOU, the Fijian Flying Circus blends indigenous storytelling - rooted in myths, legends and folklore - with the spectacle of contemporary circus.
Aerial feats, acrobatics, dance and drama combine in what the company describes as a world-first fusion of culture and circus craft.
VOU — the Fijian word for “new” — was born from a gap in the arts sector, says artistic director Navi Fong. It emerged to represent a generation raised in urban spaces, often distanced from traditional village life, yet seeking connection to their cultural identity through performance.
“We couldn't see ourselves in those spaces. So that's where VOU came from and so throughout its 20 years of existence, we've sort of just continued to try to push the envelope,” Fong told Saturday Morning.
“And then it was actually by happenstance, this was not something we sought out. We happened to just cross paths with old friends that were circus trainers. They stayed over with us, and they were at first dancing with us and then we happened to have a circus tent as well.
“So it kind of like fell on our laps, really. The universe was like, here you go, figure it out. Puzzle pieces, put it together.”
The Roving Rovas
What started as creative development opportunity with the help of circus trainers from Cuba quickly turned to something more.
“It wasn't until we saw how well they were taking to it, like fish to water, they were just really developing quickly. And we were like, let's turn this into something.”
They went from the basics of just doing handstands in the studio and hanging from trees to having a shipping container full of circus equipment, Fong says.
Fong has had experience choreography and directing dance productions before, but this was a first to do a multidisciplinary production.
“You might be hanging up, doing your aerial act at one scene and then you come down and change and you're on the floor dancing in the next scene, and then you're like pulling someone up into the air on the next scene.
VOU — the Fijian word for “new” — was born from a gap in the arts sector, says Fijian Flying Circus artistic director Navi Fong,
The Roving Rovas
“So everyone's sort of wearing multiple hats throughout the show.”
But not once did troupe member Caroline Balenacagi consider taking up acrobatics, before joining three years ago.
“So the first training session we had and everyone's flying. It's like, ‘oh, my goodness, you can do a backflip’. And then we never wanted to stop training.”
Now coming to Aotearoa, is like a “seal of approval” that coming out of their comfort zone three years ago was a good move, Fong says.
The group is performing at Hannahs PlayHouse in Wellington from 17 to 22 February as part of this year's Fringe Festival. They're also headlining the Hamilton Arts Festival on 27 and 28 February.
