Circus Technique + Creative Praxis
Artist Statement
My work seeks the fantastic in the mundane, because wonder, spectacle, and fantasy are our choices to make. Elevate habits to rituals, and we can make anything extraordinary - even and especially a human body in space. And still, by necessity, as we practice and perform circus we are constantly fighting gravity and entropy, a fact which must be acknowledged by the artist and the audience in order to have authentic and relevant conversations in contemporary circus. The term “metamodern circus” describes how we theoretically, narratively, and finally physically approach bridging the gap between the spectacle and the struggle - and the ever present fear involved. This approach brings together the traditions and classical framework of circus and the narrative approach to dance or theatre. The artist employs a process of inquiry that results in a story, but respects and acknowledges the unavoidable possibility of catastrophic failure that both the audience and the artist are aware of.
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Liza has been performing dance, aerial, and acrobatics since 1999.
Notable companies Liza has worked with include Quixotic Fusion and the Acrobatic Conundrum. She was the founder and artistic director of PNW metamodern circus company ticktock (2010). A verstatile and evocative performer, she has worked in European Spiegeltent cabarets, Las Vegas arena shows, French Quarter bars, and everything in between. She has enjoyed collaborations with several incredible musicians including avant cellist Zoe Keating, neo violinist Lindsey Stirling, and bounce artist Vockah Redu. Liza lives for collaboration, choreography, and the creation process. Contact her to inquire about booking her as an aerialist or choreographer.