On 2018, September 8th and 9th UNCONVENTIONAL CIRCUS was staged in Orvieto in Piazza Della Pace by Marco Virgili’s Vertycal Loft. Out of all doubt, the atmosphere of the tent is warm but upon entering you forget to be in this quaint Umbrian town.
The arabesque marquee kindly granted by the Togni circus that hosts a dance essay totally twisted in every scheme and a circus that does not respect the conventional rules.
A stage that is a track, a foyer that is the red carpet of the circus and the ladder that is a single journey in two acts without a break. No distractions granted to the viewer. The gaze is fixed in the center.
Actually, many eyes were needed to fully appreciate the whole because the scene was always moving, so dynamic that it had to be seen from afar to steal every detail.
Although charged with artists such as dancers, aerial performers and artistic gymnastics, jugglers, fire demons, dancers with the wings of isis, skaters with an American flavor and masters of capoeira we always talk about a dance essay. And to introduce him there was him, the artistic director.
In the evening before the godmother was Carmen Ferreri (Amici 2017) but to do the honors for the closing night was Marco Virgili, the founder of Vertycal Loft and lions tamer fell naturally in the role of ferryman.
The interior of the tent brings back to the memory very old caravans and theaters of the early twentieth century where dance, circus and magic find their iconic space. Immediately the contrast element is revealed, which immediately makes everything very “unconventional circus”: the musical choices range from dubstep to strong bass and mighty cash.
A real swirl of sounds and lights. Without ever stopping the scene, you also enjoy a squishy track that leaves free access from all points.
An important positive note to Vertycal Loft is that I have personally selected some high-quality Japanese dancers as a guest of the two-days event in collaboration with Tokyo Broadway Dance Center.
VL e TBDC they are accomplices of a sweet amnesia from which one is heaped. Dragged into the dreamlike atmosphere of the circus, the protagonist is taken from the public by Giorgia Botticelli, the artist of the nails, allowing the same to live that magic with him.
One climbs on these roller coaster with bounce beats from the hip-hop to and a contemporary “to break the lines”. Electronic music is the master and the dynamism of the figures also. Interesting the choice of a choreography studied for two feet with two different shoes, a pointe and a half pointe.
The Japanese dancers are a certainty for what concerns synchronism and emotion. Even standing still, standing, they danced. They expressed their whole life through even a single pore of dilated skin. Prepared artists in physical and mind.
For what concerns the classes of Vertycal Loft, the preparation is one that suits a gym that is turning into a study center. With the first stones of international collaboration, Marco felt the best of good luck;
And to his family all because in closing we could see how union is strength and sacrifice, sometimes, really pays.
The show was curated by Vertycal Loft, dance studio center directed by Marco Virgili.
The photos are by Filiberto Mariani
Maddalena Terracina, know at the audience as Mad Cat, is a classical dancer, basic dance teacher and burlesque performer with ten years of training and non-academy studies like classic, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary and full contact. Member of the Golden Eggs Burlesque Revue, she is a vintage addicted and her burlesque character is a mix of the figure of pin up, wild spirit and funny routines. Versatile artist, she is a poetry writer, drama storyteller and theater lover. For this reason start the collaboration with Rome Central as editor and supervisor of the different show in the capital city. She is powerful and the love for life and artistic inspiration is her way of living.
Instagram: madcat_burlesque_performer