The skill, joy, creativity and colors, characterizing the most legendary of the performing arts: the circus, are elements in keeping with the nature-the way of being and acting, of Cubans. Perhaps this is the main reason of the prestige and esteem of circus art in Cuba, a result supported in the international arena, as Cuba was recognized as one of the major Latin American countries with longest tradition and professionalism in the practice of this cultural expression.
Hence the summer in Cuba is also synonymous of Circus, a time when the cultural institution ¨Cuba’s National Circus¨ (CNC by its Spanish acronym) focuses on offering a varied program of shows, considered among the top choices for Cuban families to enjoy during the summer months.
As a main course, this year, from July 16 to 21, Havana, and from July 24 to 28, the central province of Ciego de Avila will become circus world capitals, when hosting the 12th International Festival “Circuba 2013” – the most prestigious of its kind in the Americas, considered the circus bridge of the continent.
During the twelfth edition of the Cuban circus party, about 80 artists from 14 countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America will display their art, opportunity that according to what announced at a press conference Marlene Nunez Gutierrez, president of the Festival, “will allow to appreciate high-level performances and great artistry”.
As part of the official competition of the event, among the most attractive proposals of the festival are the shows “Poll-dance” and the flying trapeze, popularly known as “Bird Flight” by Havana Company, belonging to CNC. Other artists have also generated great expectations such as the Japanese Arata Urawa, specialist in diabolos, in addition to the trapezists from the Great Canadian Circus and Chinese acrobatic group Fuyong Acrobatic Art Troupe, winner of the Grand Prix in the editions of 2011 and 2012 of this competition.
In parallel the 6th “Edwin Fernandez in memoriam” International Clown Contest, inserted into the agenda of “Circuba 2013” will present 24 Cuban and 12 foreign artists. According to Cuban actress Nilda Collado, president of the jury of this competition, “this is the only event that allows Cuban clowns to contrast their potential and share their art with foreign artists.”
The main activities of the event include an International Workshop on Clowning to be taught by Mr. Yves Sheriff, casting director of the prestigious company Cirque Du Soleil. Likewise there will be inaugurated the exhibitions “Pinturas de actos circense” by students of San Alejandro Plastic Arts Academy and “Detrás del coreto” by photographer Yailín Alfaro Guillén.
Circuba began its sessions as Festival in 1981 and was resumed with greatest boom in 2007 after recovering from the ravages of the so-called Special Period of the 1990 ‘. This twelfth edition is dedicated to the 45 anniversary of the institutionalization of Cuban circus. The venues of the festival are the Karl Marx Theatre, the Trompoloco big top and Lázaro Peña Theatre in Havana, as well as the Main Theater and the “Giraldo Cordova Cardin” Multipurpose Room in Ciego de Avila.
Currently some Cuban circus artists offer their art for several countries in Europe and North America, as in the famed “Ringling Brothers” in the United States and the Pinder & Jean Richard, Les Etoiles, Metropole and Arlette Gruss, all in France. Other Cuban artists have been also hired by the famed Blackpool Tower Circus Coliseum in the UK, as well as Dutch Circus “Herman Renz”.
