CIKADA CIRCUS, an acrobatic hand to hand performance company, have been chosen as the first beneficiaries of a new month long residency programme in the Aras Eanna arts centre on Inis Oírr.
Cikada Circus - Henrik Gard, from Sweden, and Ali Stanger, from Britain - divide their time between Dublin and Belfast, and organised Ireland’s first acrobatic convention, Irish Acro.
The Irish Street Arts, Circus, and Spectacle Network recently issued a call out for street artists and performers to take time out on Inis Oirr in partnership with Aras Eanna and were "taken aback" by the huge response from across Ireland.
Cikada Circus, were selected for the first residency. It was due to take place this October, but had to be postponed due to the recent coronavirus restrictions and will be rescheduled at a later date. Nonetheless, the duo are excited to have bene chosen and are looking forward to the opportunity the residency will present.
“We’d like to use the Island’s landscape as a springboard for acrobatics; jumping off ledges, running up walls," said Henrik. "We have an idea of creating either a show or a walkabout that is entirely site specific, where we only use the surroundings to create and complete our acrobatic tricks."
Lucy Medlycott of ISACS has welcomed the use of Aras Eanna for arts residencies. "It is fantastic that Aras Eanna and ISACS were in a position to offer artists funding to take time out for a month on Inis Oírr," she said, "at a time when many artists are struggling."
