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Hideaway Circus Podcast

Hosted by creative producers Josh & Lyndsay Aviner, the Hideaway Circus Podcast features industry analysis and interviews with creators in circus, theater, and dance.
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Now displaying: 2016
Dec 15, 2016

On this week's episode Josh and Lyndsay sit down with actor, clown, and acrobat Lorenzo Pisoni. Lorenzo's had an incredible performing career starting at age two with the Pickle Family Circus and which includes starring roles in Cirque Du Soleil, on Broadway, and everything in between. Josh and Lyndsay also talk about dramaturgical writing in circus, their new 360 VR circus video with Adam Kuchler, and their Kickstarter campaign. If you enjoy the episode please rate us on iTunes and share it with your mom!

  • [12:15] Growing up with Pickle Family Circus
  • [22:00] Lorenzo goes to college
  • [26:13] Joining the cast of Cirque Du Soleil's Mystere
  • [36:01] Lorezno on taking up acting
  • [43:33] Creating physical comedy for the play "The Explorers' Club"
  • [48:35 ] Differences performing in plays versus circuses
  • [1:03:01] Lorenzo's documentary Circus Kid
Dec 4, 2016

On this week's episode, Josh and Lyndsay talk about their crowd-funding campaign for Hideaway Circus's new virtual reality experience. They discuss virtual reality technology and the different ways that it can enhance circus and dance. Josh and Lyndsay also chat about the week's circus news including Cirque Du Soleil's Paramour, a new project by the Sleep No More producers, and Hamilton's new record. If you enjoy the episode, please share it with your friends and family. Have a great week!

Nov 17, 2016

On this week's episode, Josh and Lyndsay sit down with Ryan Shinji Murray, an acrobat currently on tour with Cirque Du Soleil's production Kurios. They spoke with Ryan about his journey to becoming a circus performer, what its what like to create an act on new apparatus built by CDS, and his perspective on learning new tricks and technique. Josh and Lyndsay also talk about Lorenzo Pisoni's new documentary Circus Kid and what they got in the mail this week. If you enjoy the show, please rate us on iTunes and share it with your friends.

Nov 8, 2016

On Episode 28, Josh and Lyndsay recount the closing SLUMBER in Brooklyn, what's next for the show, and interview circus artist and director, Bret Pfister. We talk with Bret about his career as an aerialist and comedian, experience directing, and some surprising and unusual things about the circus industry. If you enjoy the episode, please rate us on iTunes and have a great week!

  • [08:28] Bret's introduction to the Vermont circus scene
  • [16:00] Studying at the National Circus School in Montreal
  • [23:45] Moving to Europe
  • [30:03] Joining the cast of La Soirree
  • [37:37] Bret starts talking on stage
  • [46:30] On directing circus shows at Codarts
  • [52:43] Gender norms in circus
  • [59:10] Bret on tattoos
Oct 29, 2016


On this week’s episode Josh and Lyndsay talk about the final weeks of SLUMBER in Brooklyn and interview Olga Karmanksy, contortionist, actress, and US national champion of rhythmic gymnastics. Olga is a cast member of SLUMBER and they chat about her career, the creation of various theatrical and circus shows, and and the value of determination. There are only seven more performances of SLUMBER in New York City, so get your tickets here. If you enjoy the episode, please rate us on iTunes and have a great week!

  • [15:05] Olga arrives in Coney Island from Soviet Union
  • [19:20] Olga's rhythmic gymnastics career
  • [29:58] Starting a performing career
  • [37:20] Deciding between the Broadway run of Pippin and going to NYU
  • [42:02] Creating a contortion act for SLUMBER ​
Oct 20, 2016

On this week’s episode Josh and Lyndsay break the news about the upcoming international tour of SLUMBER starting in Adelaide, Australia. They also chat with Joren Dawson, aerialist, acrobat, and sole male cast member of SLUMBER about his career and life as a touring circus performer. There is only three weeks left to see SLUMBER in New York City, so get your tickets here. If you enjoy the episode, please rate us on iTunes and have a great week!

  • [13:02] Joren on growing up in the San Francisco circus scene
  • [19:20] Going to a circus college in Montreal
  • [21:13] Joren's first touring circus show
  • [30:02] Managing life and gigs as a circus performer
  • [31:34] Joren's introduction to the Australian circus scene
  • [38:38] How Joren creates circus acts and the balance between creativity and technique
  • [43:14] Getting bloody in SLUMBER
  • [45:36] Feminism and circus

 

Sep 18, 2016
On this week’s episode, Josh and Lyndsay talk about their new jingle, the costumes from SLUMBER, and interview Amy Cohen, the executive director of the American Youth Circus Organization. Amy had some fascinating insights into the world of social circus and the rise of circus schools in the US. If you enjoy the episode, please rate us on iTunes and have a great week!
 
•[07:55] How Amy got involved in circus
•[14:45] Fulbright Scholarship and Amy's Experience in London
•[27:00] Social Circus
•[41:05] Amy's New Organization "Circus Culture"
•[45:55] Rise of Circus Schools in America
Sep 12, 2016

On this week’s episode, Josh and Lyndsay talk about the rehearsal process for their new circus/dance show SLUMBER, and interview circus performer and director, Joe Pinzon. Joe’s performed with numerous companies including Cirque Du Soleil, 7 Doigts, and Cirque Eloise and has now recently directed his own show, Filament. If you enjoy episode, please rate the show on iTunes and share the podcast with your friends. Have a great week!

• [12:11] On growing up in Los Angeles
• [17:01] Joe goes to circus school
• [22:40] Beginning a performing career
• [28:35] Joe’s latest creation, Filament
• [45:40] A mutual love of RuPaul

Sep 5, 2016

On this week’s episode, Josh and Lyndsay. If you enjoy episode, please rate the show on iTunes and share the podcast with your friends. Have a great week!

• [09:49] Jessica’s introduction to circus
• [18:56] Raising a circus family
• [21:00] Early days of performing with tented shows
• [29:04] Moving to St. Louis
• [33:01] Jessica on Circus Harmony
• [43:44] Social circus crosses international boarders

People Mentioned:
Circus Kingdom
Karen Gersh
Circus Flora
Big Apple Circus
David Spalding

 

Aug 29, 2016

On this week’s episode, Josh and Lyndsay talk about the casting process for their new show SLUMBER and their trip to Coney Island this weekend. They also sat down with the one and only Keith Nelson. Keith was one of the founders of the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, a non-profit circus organization in NYC, and is talented juggler, emcee, and sideshow performer. If you enjoy episode, please rate the show on iTunes and share the podcast with your friends. Have a great week!

• [12:22] Keith’s early influences
• [16:07] Starting the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus
• [20:15] Challenges of circus in NYC
• [22:44] The Cardboard and Duck Tape Spectacular
• [27:23] Offering a stage for performers to grow
• [30:16] NYC Unicycle Festival

People Mentioned:
Hovey Burgress
Chashama
David Hunt
Circus Smirkus
NYC Unicycle Festival

Aug 22, 2016

On this week’s episode, Josh and Lyndsay talk about mini golf, Cirque Du Soleil’s Paramour and it’s plans to go dark for four days, and the music from HIDEAWAY’s upcoming production of SLUMBER. If you enjoy the podcast please share it with your friends on Facebook, rate us on iTunes, and follow us on Instagram. Have a great week!

Aug 15, 2016

On this week’s episode, Josh and Lyndsay spoke with the extraordinarily talented Robin Slonina. Many people will know Robin by her appearance as a judge on Skin Wars on GSN, and also from her Las Vegas based body painting and event planning business Skin City. In addition to her marriage to clown, Jimmy Slonina, Robin has some surprising ties to the circus world. If you enjoy episode, please rate the show on iTunes and share the podcast with your friends. Have a great week!

• [08:39] Robin’s start as a mural painter in Chicago
• [15:29] A multi-state dress interactive art project
• [17:34] Learning to paint bodies
• [22:30] Challenges of body painting
• [25:30] Robin’s genetic circus obsession
• [30:41] The arrest community in Las Vegas

People Mentioned:
Circus Fans of America
Skin City Body Painting


Recommendations:
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Mystere
Absinthe

Aug 6, 2016

On this week’s episode, Josh and Lyndsay sit down with the hilarious Jimmy Slonina. It would be hard not to envy Jimmy’s career as clown and actor, he’s worked on four different Cirque Du Soleil shows, toured the world with the rockstar P!NK, and originated clown characters for the Las Vegas water show, Le Reve. If you enjoyed this week’s episode with Jimmy, please rate us on iTunes and share the podcast with your friends! Have a great week!

Show Notes:

• [04:22] Jimmy’s falls in love with theatre
• [12:00] Jimmy on studying acting in high school and college
• [17:15] Becoming a clown in Chicago
• [22:02] The Le Reve Creation
• [33:49] Kooza and different styles of clowning
• [38:42] The story behind Jimmy’s Lip-sync Videos
• [42:30] Clowning in a rock show with P!NK
• [51:16] Whats next for Jimmy?
• [53:46] Advice for aspiring clowns and actors


People Mentioned:
Robin McFarquhar
Jeff & Julie Jenkins
Voki Kalfayan
Franco Dragone

Aug 1, 2016

Show Notes: HIDEAWAY Podcast Show Notes

Episode 16- Josh & Lyndsay on Slumber, Smirkus, and why they hate their computer

People Mentioned:
Richard Kennison
Circus Smirkus
Laurie Hagen
House of Yes

Jul 23, 2016

Show Notes: HIDEAWAY Podcast Show Notes

Episode 15- Mari Madrid, choreographer, dancer, and artist

Mari Madrid is one half of an unbelievable choreography team with her husband Keone. She’s choreographed and danced all over the world including for Justin Bieber, Ellen Degeneres, So You Think You Can Dance, and now HIDEAWAY’s upcoming production Slumber. If you enjoy today's episode, please rate us on iTunes and share the podcast with your friends. Have a great week!

Show Notes:

• [07:47] - Mari starts dancing in her parents house
• [11:02] - Mari the trouble making cheerleader!
• [15:11] - How Mari’s love of literature informs her choreography
• [23:00] - The culture of dance teams
• [25:07] - Keone and Mari meet for the first time
• [30:40] - Powerful feminine dancing
• [37:01] - How Youtube effected Mari’s career
• [46:46] - Keone and Mari’s 15 video series, Preface
• [49:10] - Keone and Mari’s new eBook!

Mari’s Recommendations:
An American In Paris
Wildwood

Jul 17, 2016

Episode 14- Christian Stoinev, fifth generation circus performer

Christian Stoinev is a fifth generation circus artist who performs an unbelievable handstand act with his chihuahua, Scooby! You may have seen him as a finalist on last season’s America’s Got Talent. Josh & Lyndsay called up Christian to talk about his career, training your pets to learn circus tricks, and life growing up in the circus. If you enjoy the show, please share it with your friends and rate us on iTunes. Have a great week!

• [05:41] - Life growing up in the circus
• [13:45] - How Scooby (the chihuahua) became a circus dog
• [18:15] - Training Percy to replace Scooby
• [23:08] - Christian does America’s Got Talent
• [36:34] - The impact of a traditional university on a circus kid
• [39:10] - Why Christian is heading to Los Angeles

Christian’s act on America’s Got Talent: https://youtu.be/TwNTJsCvT2c

Christian’s Recommendations:
Cirque Du Soleil
Le Reve

Jul 11, 2016

 

Josh and Lyndsay phone up Katherine Kavanagh, circus critic and journalist at the Circus Diaries. Based primarily in the UK, Katherine has spent the last few weeks in the US researching American circus companies and culture. We talk about contemporary circus, how to write about it, and trends in the industry. If you enjoy the episode please rate us on iTunes and share it with your friends and community. Have a great week!

Show Notes:

• [06:42] - Kathrine gets a UK government grant to visit the US
• [08:35] - What’s the Circus Diaries?
• [10:30] - The challenges of writing about circus
• [15:46] - Why do we need circus criticism to exist


Katherine’s Recommendations:

Book: Semiotics of the Circus
Show: Circumfrence’s Shelter Me
Show: Crash Mat Collective’s Facade

Jun 22, 2016

Jack Marsh, the artistic director of Circus Flora, joins Josh & Lyndsay by phone. We had a great a time talking with Jack about Circus’s Flora’s current season and what it’s like to collaborate with your parents. If you enjoy the show, please share it with your friends and rate us on iTunes. You can send your questions and guest suggestions to hello@hideawaycircus.com. Thanks!

Show Notes:

• [02:55] - The history of Circus Flora
• [06:35] - Jack joins the circus at age one
• [09:03] - Running away from the circus to become a lawyer
• [12:56] - Circus Flora plays baseball
• [19:54] - Writing a circus show with your parent
• [23:41] - Communicating your NFP Circus needs public support
• [25:21] - Jack’s artistic influences

People mentioned for further reference:
Circus Flora, St. Louis Arches, Circus Harmony, Big Apple Circus, Circus Vargas, Circus Sarasota, Shayna Swanson, Aloft


Jack’s Recommendations:

Book: The Sell Out
TV Show: Broad City
Show: Universal Circus

Jun 22, 2016

Episode 11- Uuve Jansson, award-winning swinging trapeze artist

On today’s episode Josh and Lyndsay called up Swedish circus artist Uuve Jansson. Uuve is a world renowned trapeze artist who won a Gold Medal at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain and previously starred in Cirque Du Soleil’s IRIS, Dralion, and Alegria. If you enjoy our conversation with Uuve, please share the podcast with your friends on Facebook and please rate us on iTunes. Have a great week!

Show Notes:

• [11:59] - Uuve starts her circus career with her parents
• [14:15] - The difference between swing trapeze and other kinds
• [16:50] - Are there a lot of opportunities to do trapeze?
• [19:56] - Uuve conquers a fear of heights
• [22:45] - Uuve goes to circus school
• [27:00] - A day in the life of an artist at Cirque Du Soleil
• [29:29] - Eating like a circus artist
• [31:54] - Overcoming injuries
• [36:31] - Uuve goes to the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain
• [42:05] - How Uuve composes circus acts
• [44:42] - Uuve falls in love with her rigger

Uuve’s act from the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdrjBwNQpAM

People mentioned for further reference:
Cirkus Cirkor, Hampus Jansson, Ecole Nationale De Cirque, Cirque Du Soleil, Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain, Danny Elfman


Uuve’s Recommendations:

TV Show: Narcos
Show: Cirkus Cirkor’s LIMITS

Jun 17, 2016

Paul Binder, the founder of the Big Apple Circus, joins Josh and Lyndsay to talk about his career, the state of Big Apple’s fundraising efforts, and what makes a good circus act. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Paul, if you do please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or over email. You can send us your comments and guest suggestions to hello@hideawaycircus.com.

    •    [05:39] - Did you know Paul Binder can sing?
    •    [06:26] - Paul discovers the show business bug
    •    [09:23] - Paul works on Broadway
    •    [10:18] - Paul heads to Europe and starts street performing
    •    [17:10] - Pauls returns to the US to start a circus
    •    [18:45] - Why Big Apple Circus is a not-for-profit organization
    •    [25:02] - Big Apple Circus’s current fundraising effort    
    •    [39:25] - Keeping the Big Apple Circus productions fresh
    •    [45:55] - Paul on collaborative process
    •    [49:04] - Paul on judging circus acts in festivals

Paul’s Recommendations:

Book: Never Quote the Weather to a Sea Lion
Movie: Finding Dory

Jun 11, 2016

Show Notes: HIDEAWAY Podcast Show Notes

Episode 9- Chris Lueck & Amanda Pekoe, circus and theatre marketing gurus

Josh and Lyndsay sit down with power couple Chris Lueck and Amanda Pekoe to talk about the Tonys, their careers in show business, and how to market and promote circus and theatre shows. We had a great a time chatting with these two and we think you’ll enjoy it too. If you do, please share the podcast with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and email. You can send your questions and guest suggestions to hello@hideawaycircus.com. Thanks!

• [05:28] - The Tony Awards and Shuffle Along
• [08:40] - How to do a Tony campaign
• [14:16] - How the Pekoe Group got started
• [16:51] - Old school social media marketing
• [19:40] - Chris & Amanda fall in love
• [23:38] - Chris & Amanda join the circus
• [30:01] - The Downtown Clown Revue
• [39:40] - Chris’s Clown Side Businesses
• [41:20] - Transitioning out of a performing career
• [45:02] - Chris & Amanda’s rituals
• [47:26] - Practical advice for marketing circus shows
• [52:47] - Chris and Amanda’s Recommendations

People mentioned for further reference:
Shuffle Along, Scott Rudin, Savion Glover, George C. Wolf, Eclipsed, The Pekoe Group, Shot Gun Players, Rock of Ages, Dave Malloy, Joel Jeske, Slava Snow Show, Downtown Clown Revue, Golden Nose Awards


Chris & Amanda’s Recommendations:

Book: Walking Through Walls
Movie: Slapstick Dojo / Game of Thrones
Show: The Color Purple

Jun 5, 2016

Show Notes: HIDEAWAY Podcast Show Notes

Episode 8- Rob Mermin, founder of Circus Smirkus

On this episode we call up the extraordinary Rob Mermin. Rob trained in classical mime with Etienne Decroux and Marcel Marceau, performed as a clown in various European before founding the award-winning international company Circus Smirkus. If you enjoy the episode please share it with your friends! You can also email us comments and questions to hello@hideawaycircus.com.

Show Notes:

• [06:02] - Rob’s first interaction with circus
• [08:05] - A hitchhiking trip leads to Rob’s first job
• [16:29] - Rob sets a 20 year goal
• [18:43] - Marcel Marceau and learning how to mime
• [24:10] - Rob on creating circus acts
• [29:54] - Instilling a culture of circus
• [32:02] - Rob’s parent’s react to his starting a circus
• [37:49] - Why start a circus in Vermont?
• [42:36] - Rob questions his dream of starting a circus
• [44:37] - Rob’s stint as the dean of Ringling’s clown college
• [56:34] - Rob recommendations

People mentioned for further reference:
Circus Hoffman, Marcel Marceau, Francesco Caroli, Joe Jackson Jr, George Carl, Oleg Popov, Circus Benneweis, Circus Smirkus, Etienne Decroux


Rob’s Recommendations:

Book: Circus Smirkus a True Story of High Adventure & Low Comedy
Movie: The Circus (Charlie Chaplin)
Show: Circus Smirkus

Jun 1, 2016

Episode 7- Gypsy Snider, co-founder of Les Sept Doigts De La Main (Part 2)

Josh and Lyndsay sit down with co-founder of Les Sept Doigts De La Main for part 2 of their interview with Gypsy Snider. In this episode, we talk about casting, act creation, circus school, and Gypsy’s upcoming production of Reversible. If you enjoy the show, please consider liking us and sharing it on Facebook or rating the podcast on iTunes. Enjoy!

Show Notes:

• [04:53] - Gypsy on casting circus performers
• [08:00] - The difference for female circus performers
• [09:53] - Creating in Canada vs United States
• [16:15] - Gypsy on being a mom
• [25:40] - The challenge with circus education
• [29:05] - Circus act composition
• [36:03] - Gypsy’s new show Reversible
• [40:47] - Gypsy’s recommendations

People mentioned for further reference:

Les Sept Doigts, Ecole Nationale de Cirque, Queen of the Night, Olga Kosova, The Cruz Brothers, Lu Yi, Paramour, Pippin.

Gypsy’s Recommendations:

Book: The Artist’s Way - Julia Cameron
Movie: Singing in The Rain
Show: L’Immediat

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