Raquel Madrid at the 5th edition of Circus Sessions

Eclectic stage artist Raquel Madrid participates in the circus creation laboratory held by Femmes de Feu, and will perform at the showcase after the art residency.

Five years ago, Holly Treddenick, artistic director of Toronto contemporary circus company Femmes du Feu brought a group of international contemporary circus artists together for a week of exploration, collaboration, and creation, and the first Circus Sessions was brought to life. Since then, this annual residency has grown to explore ideas of inclusion, diversity, and accessibility in the contemporary circus world, and now it is expanding to include a new format in a new home.

Circus Sessions is a weeklong circus laboratory and think-tank that will offer a small group of contemporary circus artists the opportunity to work with internationally renowned circus artists, instructors or researchers. This year’s edition runs for two weeks (June 17–29) for the first time – one week dedicated to emerging artists and one week for professional artists.

During the second week, June 24 to 29, professional artists will participate in a collective research on circus staging. Spanish artist Raquel Madrid will be among the participants together with Stacie Dunlop, Tania Marin, Sara Torrie, Samantha Halas, Benjamin Domask, Jessie Fraser, Allara Gooliaff, Josa Koelbel, Coco Framboise, Jessica Joh and Kiki Belle. Michelle Man will be mentoring.

Showcase at Circus Sessions

• On June 28 at 8 pm. Buy tickets.
• On June 29 at 8 pm. Buy tickets.

Raquel Madrid is the director of the dance-theatre company 2proposiciones. She has worked as a dancer, actress, circus artist, singer, film and television. 2proposiciones was created in 2005 since then, and primarily with private financial support, they have joined the professional Andalusian Dance Community in creating, directing and producing scenic projects. The Company has been working at a local, national and international level. It has taken part in different national and international festival programmes and has been rewarded by the Professional Andalusian Dance Association (PAD).