On Wednesday, Cirque Eloize will present "iD," a show that mixes elements of circus acts and urban dancing, at 7:30 p.m. Community Arts Center, 220 W. Fourth St.
This upbeat show was created in 2010 by Jeannot Painchaud who was inspired when he was in Korea. Painchaud said it took an entire year of casting, rehearsals, writing the music and putting the staging together and then another six months of training before his idea became a reality.
"I wanted to focus on this spectacular movement," Pinchaud said of the "new circus" performance that has been rising in popularity.
"I wanted to reinvent the circus," Painchaud said. "When I was in Korea, I was very inspired by the landscape of the buildings."
Painchaud said the show's title, "iD," came from "being yourself."
"It's like, what's your identification, show me your iD, show me who you are," he said. "It's about the fight to be yourself."
In the show, there are different "gangs," which are symbolized by the artists performing in their groups, fighting to show who they are.
Painchaud held open auditions all over the country to find performers for "iD," casting people from Spain, Korea, England and France.
"I always like to work with people from different cultures. It gives a richness for the creative process," Painchaud said. "We looked for personality and uniqueness in terms of the skills."
As for a favorite act in the show, Painchaud said, "It's like your kid, it's hard to choose." He remarked at the amazing finale, calling it a "masterpiece," describing a scene where the entire cast is on a trampoline and climbing on walls.
The combination of circus and street is a juxtaposition that Painchaud was aiming for when he created "iD." He used the act of a contortionist and a b-boy dancing as an example.
"It's very high energy. A very upeat show. The audience will definitely be impressed. They will be on the edge of their seats," Painchaud said. "It's something new, it's something different."
"iD" features a cast of 13 performers, three of them professional dancers. The show incorporates roller blading, bicycle stunts and jump ropes into the show as well, playing into the street element of the show.
Cirque Eloize has been in existence since 1993 and has created nine original productions, including the Broadway show, "Rain," which is performing its final show at the end of December. The company includes more than 100 performers
Although Cirque Eloize has performed all over the world, including Israel, Scotland, and all over Europe, the company's home base is in Canada.
For tickets, visit www.caclive.com or call the Community Arts Center box office at 326-2424.
For more information about Cirque Eloize, visit www.cirqueeloize.com.
