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PS21’s Circa programmed by Elena Syanko

The Circa Ensemble from Australia presented What Will Have Been, in the Black Box Theater at PS21 on a bright Saturday afternoon this month. Acrobats Kimberley Rossi, Malte Gerhardt and Zachary Stephens with violinist Miranda Cuckson, a PS21 board member, were featured. Directed by Yaron Lifschitz, the company of 30 acrobats sends three or more groups concurrently across the globe. In a talkback after the performance, the performers explained that in the small works, such as What Will Have Been they concentrate on movement nuance and in the bigger shows the spectacle of acrobatic tricks is emphasized. Circa will return to PS21 later in the season. 

An opening solo for Rossi, costumed in black pants and white shirt, finds her hanging from two looped straps far above the stage floor with no net. Like a fish on a hook, she dangles from one leg, flipping and wriggling. Reaching up, she perches calmly on both straps. Then, she loops the straps on her ankles and extends her legs into a full split. Suddenly, her body divebombs, seized by the straps before her face crashes into the floor. 

Joined by fellow her acrobats, the hour-long show continues with tumbling passes and pratfalls: falls and catches and falls and nearly catches. The performers climb atop and climb down one another. They pile. They stand one-handed on apparatus. In contrast to the floor work, a trapeze hangs from the rafters and the young, bare-chested Gerhardt runs to grab the trapeze while the bearded Stephens, an Olympic weightlifter, follows. Running and jumping to clasp the bar, then flipping from it, precedes hanging on the trapeze from their necks, an arresting portrait. Later, in a final image, the two men swing Rossi from side to side like the game played by parents and children until she is lightly tossed onto her feet. Gerhardt climbs aloft Stephens to stand on his shoulders. Rossi vaults atop the two to stand on Gerhardt’s shoulders. She rises like a beautiful giant, her head nearly touching the 20’ ceiling. 

At the conclusion, one audience member remarked, “Where can you find this kind of entertainment in the middle of Columbia County in the middle of winter?” Indeed, there is nowhere else. For this we acknowledge the outgoing Artistic and Executive Director, Elena Siyanko who built PS21 from a traditional presenting organization into a hive of activity, supporting 24 thought-provoking contemporary performances per season. Of Russian and Ukrainian descent, Siyanko enjoyed training in many of the performing arts. Her delight in all approaches to circus, music, dance and theater has enriched the performance scene and with that, the New York area of Chatham. In fact, PS21 is one of few presenting organizations that robustly programs the full spectrum of contemporary transdisciplinary performing arts. Says The New York Times critic Jason Farago, PS2l under Siyanko’s direction is “a country theater that outclasses most of Manhattan." Thankfully, PS21 has ensured that the robust performance calendar will continue to grow under new leadership.

Catherine Tharin danced with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company touring nationally and internationally.  She teaches dance studies and technique, is an independent dance and performance curator, choreographs, writes about dance for Side of Culture and Interlocutor, and is a reviewer for The Dance Enthusiast. She also writes for The Boston Globe. Catherine lives in Pine Plains, New York and New York City. 

The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.

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