ZARKANA

Hi! This week I would like to write about a new show of Cirque du Soleil named “ZARKANA”. This is a theatre show. “Zarkana” is going to perform in three different cities for three months at a time. Cirque du Soleil has exclusive contract with theatres in New York, Moscow, and Madrid. A creation process of this show has started in Montreal about five months ago in a circus studio in Montreal, the resident place of Cirque du Soleil. Because of the large stage “Zarkana” uses an old Amway Arena in Orlando. This arena was rented to finish the creation process of this show. The artists of “Zarkana” are going to stay in Orlando for about five weeks. During this time they will visit our show “La Nouba”. In exchange, if they are ready, we might come and see the first “Leons Dan” which also means dress rehearsal.

     “Zarkana” is an explosive world where mysterious creatures, clownish characters, fabulous acrobats and a magician who has lost his powers all come together. This world is the stage for a fantastically bizarre story. This creative idea was inspired by an old photograph taken during a congress of clowns in the 1930s.

     A story of this show will bring an audience to the 1930s. Clowns from all over the world were invited to a congress by two of their counterparts, Hokus and Pokus. When they finally arrived at the theatre, they discover that it has been abandoned and left in ruins. Seeing the audience in the theatre, the clowns decide to call their friend Zark, a magician, to help them tidy up the mess and put on a good show. Unfortunately, Zark lost his powers when he lost the love of his life. He therefore sets out to find his beloved and along the way meets mutant women who attempt to dissuade him from his quest. Throughout the show, the theatre undergoes a progressive metamorphosis until it finally regains its former shape.

    The show is going to have an acrobatic skeleton consisting of a flying trapeze act, tight wire, Russian bars, and a wheel of death. Also “Zarkana” has a group of fifteen individuals; they call the movers. These clownish characters will allow an audience to offset the theatre’s immenseness. When there is a solo act, for example, they will take over the stage and play up the performance currently underway.

   I am so excited and cannot wait to see the show!

The Acting Workshop.

Hi! Today I would like to tell about artistic workshop that we had at the circus a few weeks ago. It was a big challenge for us but also an unforgettable and useful experience.  We had a four workshop classes with a professional acting teacher and a comedian from Los Angeles. His name is Stefan Haves. We did a lot of interesting acting tasks. Even warm up was unusual than the workshops that I have done previously. He taught us the basic of comedian school. We had to the four main tools in acting. They are body, voice, speech, and imagination. I and my coworkers did different tasks such as acting in a group, in pairs, and alone. I had to show different characters like being angry, in love, or happy. We also did an exercise where the person had to express different surroundings such as being cold or hot. In one of the exercises, we had to imagine ourselves being in the forest, looking for a gift. Once we found the gift, we had to show emotions that described what was inside the gift. The workshop lasted two hours for four days. After that I was very exhausted physically and emotionally. On top of that we had to do two shows every day.  I learned a lot. If circus would ever Stefan Haves again I would gladly participate in his workshop. I like that he is very professional in his field and he finds the best strengths in one person’s skills.

The Earthquake In Japan.

Hi. Today I would like to share my feelings about earthquake in Japan. I am very sad about and very sorry. It is just terrible what can happen on our planet. I feel miserable even from only the thought about earthquake.  I really know what the earthquake means. When I was in Fukuoka, Japan in 2005 with “Alegria”, the Cirque du Soleil touring show, I had experience of surviving after the earthquake. There was one of the strongest earthquakes for the past 350 years in that area. The strength was 7.2 on the scale. The earthquake happened unpredictably. We just arrived at the circus site by the shuttle bus. Some artists were in the kitchen; the other artists were in the artistic tent and on the stage. When the earthquake started I could not understand what is going on. It was like in my night dream. Everything shook so hard. Poles of the artistic tent looked like grass on a field during a windy weather. I began to run out at that moment. It seemed like I run for ages to rich the exit. I fell, stood up, ran, fell again, stood up and ran. The whole floor was like waves in a river. The earthquake was shaken for several minutes then it stopped. We all were in shock.  Our direction had cancelled both shows because our technicians had to check all constructions, stage, and equipment. Some equipment was broken.  When we came back to the hotel, everything was on the floor.  TVs, small furniture, lamps, personal stuff were on the floor as well.  I could see the cracked roads and buildings. Our hotel’s restaurants lost almost all plates and glasses. It was real disaster. Thanks God, we didn’t have tsunami.  Next couple weeks we could feel the new kicks of the earthquake with less strength around 5.1. I was afraid to take a bath in the hotel. I had prepared my documents in case of quick evacuation.  I will never forget these days of the Japanese earthquake. I follow the news on TV about Japan tragedy. I cannot watch it without  tears in my eyes.

Happy International Women's Day!

Hi! Happy International Women's Day! The 8th of March is a big holiday in all Eastern European countries.  I love this holiday from my early childhood. On March, 8^th there is a tradition to give a lot of flowers, candies, chocolates, and some special gifts to all women and girls. Even though we have Mother's Day, we celebrate this holiday as the Mother's day too! Exactly one hundred years ago on March 8^th 1911, Clara Zetkin was the first woman who started the "International Women’s Day”. She was an influential socialist German politician and a fighter for women's right.  The political roots of the holiday left in the past. Now everyone celebrates this day as beginning of spring and reassuring women’s beauty.  I feel special on this day because all my close friends are wishing me happy and warm wishes. I also got a lot of greetings online from my Ukrainian friends and family. Once again I want to wish to all the women a happy and joyful day!



CONGRATULATIONS TO MY MOM!  

                                                                                          This greeting card was my favorite one when I was a little girl



This greeting card I got from my friend today