The simplicity and inventiveness that spring from this experience aimed not only at children gives news of the expanded field of contemporary circus and dance. And not just physically but through the audience’s imagination. The arena space, a territory of diversity par excellence, is reconfigured here with the praise of the void to be filled.

Delimited on the floor by a luminous ribbon, this arena is mainly inhabited by Quim Girón, an artist from the Catalan company Animal Religion, committed to interpretation and movement as resources to subtly interact with the young audience sitting on the floor of the multipurpose room.

Its evolution recalls pantomime resources in ten frames or scenes, the art of representing emotions, acts, and various human situations only through body movements, gestures, and steps. It is also possible to identify nuances of physical theater by building forms through the collective journey, invariably without speech.

While the legs in the air awaken playfulness – doing handstands –the performer goes through different positions and states throughout the session, giving scope for the choreographic act. Both the non-verbal skill and the corporeality are allied to music, light, and the respective sound and light spaces. The work of Joan Cot Ros and Joana Serra, respectively, is the foundation of a work that adopts the sensory path to entangle the audience.

A story is not told. People are invited to let it go, unconfiguring the look and thought dominated by screens in hyperconnected life. Freedom is something else, even for parents and guardians who allow themselves to value their presence to enjoy the encounter.

Like the title, “…i les idees volen “, the imagination is also encouraged to go farther to explore other palpitations.

Emerging potentially matched ways to play. A microphone at the end of a rod, reminiscent of a fishing rod, records the interjections in the circle, then sampled in the live-operated soundtrack. The stars of Girón, jumping back and forth, doing the capoeira or gymnastic movement that alternates feet and hands in support on the ground. And the clapping of hands and feet matches the changes of light colors in the environment.

Who are they
Animal Religion is a company interested in contemporary circus and interdisciplinarity research. It was founded by Quim Giron (1985) in 2012. In that decade, eight shows were performed in different formats. The troupe has collaborated with the works of more than 30 artists from Europe and America.

Datasheet
Authorship Quim Girón, Joana Serra e Joan Cot
Music and sound space Joan Cot Ros
Design and lighting space Joana Serra
Interpretation and movement Quim Girón
Administrative production El Climamola
Touring production Jaume Nieto
Production in Brazil Adryela Rodrigues – Sendero Cultural
Coproduced by elPetit/laSala e Mercat de Les Flors
With the support of Departament de Cultura – Generalitat de Catalunya
Recommended show Cuaderno de Espectáculos de Danza Recomendados de La Red 2020
Selected at the Circuito Danza a Escena 2021