Circus Arts Conservatory, Key Chorale Return With Cirque Des Voix Collaboration In 2022

After two years of cancellations of "Cirque des Voix" shows due to COVID-19, the Circus Arts Conservatory and Key Chorale are thrilled to come together again. The arts organizations will celebrate the return of their collaboration in this year's production of Cirque des Voix: Circus of the Voices, with "The Next Decade of Wonder," a one-of-a-kind performing arts experience. Shows will take place March 18-20.

Twelve years ago, CAC founder, President & CEO Pedro Reis and Key Chorale's Artistic Director Joseph Caulkins joined forces to create a unique arts presentation, as they combined the more-than 100 voices of the Key Chorale with the 40-piece Cirque Orchestra and live circus artists. This season's three performances will feature acts choreographed to exciting, unforgettable and - in some instances - unexpected compositions. Circus artists of both national and international acclaim, as well as youth performers from the CAC's Sailor Circus Academy, will dazzle audiences with acts performed with exquisite musical accompaniment.

Cirque des Voix 2022 will feature music by composers John Williams, Danny Elfman, James Horner, Karl Jenkins, Dan Forrest and Jeff Marsh, among others.

"At Key Chorale, we are pleased to partner with numerous area arts organizations but few can match the thrills, chills and delights of working with the Circus Arts Conservatory," said Caulkins. "As disappointed as we were to have to cancel Cirque des Voix the past two years, we are confident the community will find this year's offering to be truly groundbreaking. We are looking forward to coming together again with our singers, instrumentalists and circus artists to shine a spotlight on the very best of our art forms and create something truly magical together."

This year's featured circus artists include:

· Highly skilled and experienced aerialist and coach, rhythmic gymnast and dancer Silvia Dopazo, who has achieved international recognition as a circus performer in Cirque du Soleil's "Axel," will perform on the rope to "Avatar Suite" by James Horner.

· Eve Diamond Feldman, an aerialist with 20 years of performing, training and coaching experience, will perform on the cloudswing to "Song of the Spirit" (from Symphonic Adiemus) by Karl Jenkins.

· Russian-born Denis Ignatov performs Cubique - an electrifying manipulation and juggling of geometrical shapes that create an array of mind-bending visual illusions. His act will be enhanced by "Gothicus" by Jeff Marsh and "Duel of the Fates" (from "Star Wars: Phantom Menace") by John Williams.

· Aerial dream team Olga Coronas and Holly Legare are honored to bring their aesthetically-pleasing artistic fusion of dance and aerial acrobatics to Sarasota. Coronas, an accomplished, professional aerialist, and Legare, an award-winning dancer, have joined forces to create a beautiful, captivating performance that's sure to inspire audiences. They will perform to "Vanitas Vanitatem" by Dan Forrest.

· Cuban-born Rokardy (Rodriguez), a chair-balancing master who has been featured on "America's Got Talent" as well as performed with Cirque du Soleil in several productions, will have audiences on the edge of their seats as he hand balances to "X-Men Apocalypse End Titles" by John Ottman.

· Back by popular demand, Florida-born and raised fire twirler - who is also a Luau dancer and performed for years as the lead knife dancer for Walt Disney World - Matuni Vaiaoga Jr. will juggle flames accented by "Wonder Woman's Wrath" by Rupert Gregson-Williams and "O Fortuna" by Carl Orff.

· Channing Gross, who will perform on the Chinese Pole, is a pre-professional student at the CAC's Sailor Circus Academy, the oldest youth circus training program in the U.S. Gross is a significant part of the teeterboard and tramp wall acts, as well as a featured flyer on the trapeze team, in the Sailor Circus; he has been working on this new act with coaches at the CAC from Cirque du Soleil. He will perform to "Spider-Man" by Danny Elfman.

"Every circus performance requires an intense level of collaboration, as artists in various specialties and from all around the world come together for one unified artistic presentation under the Big Top," said Reis. "To combine the circus arts with extraordinarily skilled musical artists offers us the rare opportunity to collaborate across arts platforms; we look forward to Cirque des Voix each year and hope the community will join in the fun for 'The Next Decade of Wonder.'"

Performances take place under the Ulla Searing Big Top on Regatta Island at Nathan Benderson Park (5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota) on Friday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 19 at 2 p.m., and Sunday, March 20 at 1 p.m. Tickets for Cirque des Voix are $30-$60, with parking at the Big Top available for $5 (parking fee benefits Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates and Boy Scout Troop 10). Visit CircusArts.org/Performances, stop by the Big Top Box Office at Nathan Benderson Park's Regatta Island, or call 941-355-9805 to reserve your seats. Box Office hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays.

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