The National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) will present the third-year student ensemble show, titled PROTEUS, co-directed by international artists Sage Bachtler Cushman (2010 NICA alumna) and Hugo Oliveira from 18-28 June at NICA National Circus Centre in Prahran.
With a postmodern deconstructionist point of departure, a peculiar world sets in. Voyaging through the city’s architectural spaces, micro and macro spaces unfold into an expanse of connective pathways, seclusive rooms and celebratory lairs.
Audiences will be offered microcosmic glimpses into an engrossing civilization inhabited by a collection of modern oddballs. Within these intimate settings, Proteus builds momentum while meandering through life circumstances.
The fragmentation of shapes and reconfiguration of form transpires through set, costume and design, rendered through circus, movement and theatre. In this dimension, mutable and ever-changing forces drive perpetual transformation.
NICA’s third-year ensemble present their strongest character work yet, while showcasing innovative skills across double Chinese pole, hula hoops, aerial rope, teeterboard, roue cyr, and more.
A distinguished 2010 alumna, NICA proudly welcomes Sage back on home soil to co-create with the next generation of global circus artists, paving the way for a bold reimagining of the industry.
With a shared repertoire of accolades, awards, and professional recognitions, Sage and Hugo bring a directive approach grounded in the observation of human nature, revived through physical language. Their nuanced integration of circus, theatre, and movement creates a distinctive artistic dialect that evokes a visceral, intuitive response.
