Circus Luminous Says Yes, We Can - published in Albuquerque Journal North

Circus Luminous Says Yes, We Can
By Emily Van Cleve
For the Journal
      This year's production of Circus Luminous features a classic hero's journey told through the eyes of a clown who realizes at the end of the show that she can do what she thought was impossible. Sarah-Jane Moody plays the role of the clown, who is afraid of the real world and journeys through an imaginary one filled with shadows and giant puppets as well as stilt-walking characters.
      “I was putting the show together during the election and didn't know for sure how things would turn out,” Amy Christian, the show's director and Wise Fool's co-artistic director said. “It's an intense time in the world, but we've been given a huge glimmer of hope. The story line is about having hope and taking action on that hope.”
      While the clown embarks on her journey and watches all kinds of circus acts on stage, a screen behind her projects images portraying the times in which we're living.
      Among those performing in the show are seven girls who have been studying circus arts with Wise Fool co-artistic director Alessandra Ogren in Peñasco. They've been practicing long and hard on an apparatus that Ogren invented called the “hoop-a-loop,” which consists of a hoop, a trapeze and a device that connects them together.
      “They call themselves the 'hoop-a-loop girls,' ” Christian said. “They're really amazing. They've been working with Alessandra for years.”
      The opening act is the 3HC break dancers, a group of students and adults who dedicate themselves to the art of doing back flips and twists, standing on each other's shoulders and jumping over each other.
      “We go to competitions all over the country,” member José Lujan said. “We rehearse a lot, sometimes five days a week and sometimes seven days a week. Everybody teaches everybody else.”
      Eight members of 3HC put together a five-minute routine for Circus Luminous. Lujan says the performers collaborated on the choreography.
      A half-dozen Ortiz Middle School sixth-graders who participated in a Wise Fool New Mexico after-school stilt-walking program will don puppet costumes and strut around on stilts during the show's second half. Also appearing on stage is Two Women Dancing with Julie Brette Adams and Kate Eberle. They will present their piece “Raindance,” set to music by the Blue Man Group.
       A big change from previous performances, which featured both live and recorded music, is the addition of a band playing original music throughout the show. Jeremy Bleich, an adjunct professor of music at the College of Santa Fe, is the show's musical director and composer. His team of musicians includes saxophonist Joshua Smith, violinist Sitara Schauer, drummer Paul “Feathericci” Groetzinger, bass player Brian Mayhall, singer/mandolin player Sharon Gilchrist and clarinetist/singer Nicolle Jensen. “It's an all-star band,” said Christian. “We're so excited to be able to feature only live music this year.”
      Circus Luminous is an all-ages show that is co-presented and produced by the Lensic.