TRACES Premieres At Denver Center’s Space Theatre Tonight 3/11

TRACES, a fantastical blend of circus, physical theater, music and dance is wowing audiences and critics across the US. Created by the Montreal-based performance group 7 Fingers, TRACES plays the Denver Center's Space Theatre March 11 through May 14. Single tickets are now on sale at www.denvercenter.org.

Combining extraordinary acrobatic feats, music, film, narration and dance, seven performers deliver gravity-defying displays of skill that are fresh, urban and inventive. The artists' wide-ranging talent includes traditional Chinese acrobatics, tumbling through hoops and leaping spectacularly up giant poles. Poetic and explosive, funny and thoughtful, TRACES creates an experience that surprises and delights all ages.

TRACES has left critics from Chicago to Los Angeles breathless. The show was a breakout hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where the Edinburgh Sun enthused, "the audience was left gasping for more. This is unadulterated showmanship and talent at its very best." The Chicago Tribune raved, "A gorgeously pure, loose, and personal circus...the skills are extraordinary, and the audience immediately understands that it is in the presence of seven massively talented performers." Variety agrees TRACES is "Beautifully choreographed and hugely impressive ...Traces has the goods."

7 Fingers is a twist on a French idiom ("the five fingers of the hand") used to describe distinct, individual parts moving in coordination towards one common goal. Founded in Montreal by seven seasoned circus performers, and now with five touring shows, this collective has charmed audiences across the globe with their strikingly human and unprecedented multi-disciplinary approach to circus, moving their distinct parts towards common artistic goals.
The North American tour of TRACES is produced by Fox Theatricals, Tom Gabbard, Amanda Dubois, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and Nassib El-Husseini & Tom Lightburn.

Single tickets for TRACES start at just $10. To charge by phone, call Denver Center Ticket Services at 303.893.4100. TTY (for Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons): 303.893.9582. Groups of 15 or more, please call 303.446.4829. Tickets may also be purchased at the Denver Center Ticket Office, located at the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex Lobby. Buy and print online at www.denvercenter.org.

TRACES is a featured attraction in the Denver Center Attractions and the Denver Center Theatre Company 2011 seasons, which are generously supported by United Airlines, Vectra Bank, Wells Fargo, the Steinberg Charitable Trust and Larimer Square. TRACES is supported in Denver by Producing Partners L. Roger Hutson & Leslie McKay and Rick & Shelly Sapkin, as well as the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., and Comcast, and is a HealthONE Family Production. Media sponsorship is provided by The Denver Post, CBS4 and Denver Magazine. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is supported in part by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District. Please visit our website at www.denvercenter.org.

For more information, please visit www.tracesUSA.com.

MASON AMES (Artist) moved to Montreal from New Hampshire to train at the National Circus School, specializing in hand to hand. Previous credits include: Cirque Eloize's iD, Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis, Circus Smirkus, and other productions of 7 Fingers, notably joining them for their participation in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

VALÉRIE BENOÎT-CHARBONNEAU (Artist) trained for seven years at Montreal's National Circus School, specializing in hand to hand and banquine. Previous credits: Eclipse in Shawinigan, Quebec, during two summers while training at the National Circus School; Cirque Eloize's iD (Korean production); Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis. Valérie also performed in Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

MATHIEU CLOUTIER (Artist). Originally from Gaspe, Quebec, Mathieu spent three years at the Circus School of Quebec, specializing in acrobatics, rollerblade and diabolo. Previous credits include: GOP (Munich, Munster), Cirque du Soleil (special events), Les Grands Opéras de Québec and more than 275 acrobatic shows at Seabreeze amusement park in Rochester, N.Y. Mathieu also enjoys playing guitar and writing music.

BRADLEY HENDERSON (Artist) was one of the original Traces cast members and has been touring the world with 7 Fingers since 2005. A San Francisco native, Bradley trained at the S.F. Circus Center, learning Chinese acrobatics with Master Trainer Lu Yi. In 2002 he moved to Montreal to attend the National Circus School and upon graduation was hired by 7 Fingers.

PHILIPPE NORMAND-JENNY (Artist) was born and raised in Montreal. He trained at the Circus School of Quebec, specializing in hand to hand, teeterboard and trampoline. Other performances include: GOP (Munich, Munster), Cirque du Soleil (special events), Les Grands Opéras de Québec and more than 275 shows at Seabreeze amusement park Rochester, N.Y.

XIA ZHENGQI (Artist) a.k.a. Daqi, was born in Anshan, China. At age 6 he joined the Shenyang Acrobatic Troupe. Daqi won the gold medal at the fourth National Acrobatic Competition in China, toured U.S. and Mexico with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and was 2001/2005 gold medalist at the Festival Cirque de Demain. From 2006-2010 Daqi performed in Cirque du Soleil's Dralion.

FLORIAN ZUMKEHR (Artist). Originally from Switzerland, Florian began his training at a very young age at a children's circus school, and continued his training at the Berlin Circus School. His specialties include hand balancing and acrobatics. Previous credits include: Cirque Éloize's iD, Soap (original cast at the Chameleon Theatre in Berlin) and GOP cabaret (Munich, Munster).

CREATIVE TEAM BIOS

Shana CarrOLL (Direction, Choreography) began her circus career in 1988 when, at the age of 18, she touched a trapeze bar for the first time. A theatre student from California, she decided to devote her life to this newfound art form. After apprenticing with the original Pickle Family Circus, Shana furthered her training at National Circus School of Montreal and the Circus School of Rosny-sous-Bois. As a trapeze artist, she performed with Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Eloize, IMAX movie Journey of Man, and many others. As a choreographer and director, she created hundreds of circus acts and shows, among them three gold-medal-winning acts at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain de Paris; an act with 30 trapeze artists for the Quebec 400th Anniversary Show; the choreography for New Pickle Circus' Circumstance (nominated Best Choreography, Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards); and, with the National Circus School of Montreal, Il fait dimanche. After founding 7 Fingers in 2002, Shana co-created and performed in Loft and La Vie; co-directed and choreographed Traces (nominated Outstanding Choreography, Drama Desk Awards); wrote and directed Psy; and created the Cabaret des 7 Doigts de la Main. Beyond all of her circus projects, Shana is the mother of a young daughter in Montreal.

Gypsy Snider (Direction, Choreography). Born into the circus ring, as daughter of the founders of San Francisco's Pickle Family Circus, Gypsy began her artistic career at age four. She has been performing ever since. A graduate of Switzerland's Scuola Teatro Dimitri, Gypsy performed three seasons with La Compagnia Dimitri. Consistently developing her own amalgam of theatre and circus, she went on to perform internationally (Cirque du Soleil; Cirque Knie; Pomp Duck and Circumstance; Teatro Zinzanni). Impassioned since adolescence by directing and teaching, Gypsy is an invited teacher (San Francisco Circus Center; National Circus School of Montreal) and director (New Pickle Circus; Jamie Adkins/Cirque Eloize; National Circus School's Crime; Special projects with Cirque du Soleil). Gypsy co-founded 7 Fingers in 2002. An original performer in Loft and Mistress of Ceremonies in Cabaret des 7 doigts de la main, Gypsy is a co-creator of Loft and co-director of Traces (nominated Outstanding Choreography, New York Drama Desk Awards). The proud mother of two young girls, Gypsy is also fluent in six languages.

SÉBASTIEN SOLDEVILA (Acrobatic Designer). Well advanced in his studies in biochemistry, Sébastien would most likely have become a doctor had he not been so passionate about acrobatics. Growing up, the voracious athlete delved into trampoline, diving, acrobatic skiing, tumbling with the French Junior National Team, and sports acrobatics, where he and partner Emilie Bonnevaud maintained the title of French National Champions in Mixed Pairs four years in a row. After working as a choreographer for the Dutch National Team, Sébastien was recruited to perform in Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco. Upon co-founding 7 Fingers in 2002, Sébastien joined forces with PatRick Leonard to create an award-winning duo (Prix Nikouline, Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain de Paris); since then he has performed on over 15 television programs around the world. In 2007, he and Emilie Bonnevaud developed a new hand-to-hand act, choreographed by Sébastien's wife and fellow 7 Finger Shana Carroll. The act won the gold medal at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain de Paris. Sébastien co-created and performs in La Vie (as Master of Ceremonies) and Loft. He coaches acrobatics with many 7 Fingers shows and at the National Circus School of Montreal. A native of Paris, Sébastien lives with his family in Montreal.

About 7 Fingers

Les 7 Doigts de la Main translates literally as "the 7 Fingers of the Hand." It is a twist on a French idiom ("the five fingers of the hand") used to describe distinct parts united tightly, moving in coordination towards one common goal. Here it refers to the seven founding directors of the company (Shana Carroll, Isabelle Chassé, Patrick Léonard, Faon Shane, Gypsy Snider, Sébastien Soldevila and Samuel Tétreault) who, by combining their distinct talents and experiences, work towards their common artistic goals with the beautifully awkward dexterity of a 7-fingered hand.

Founded in Montreal in 2002, 7 Fingers' initial goal was to bring circus to a human scale. Their first show, Loft, rejected the fanciful production qualities of standard circuses for the intimate environment of an artist's loft. All the while blending such diverse forms as acrobatics, avant-garde dance, physical comedy, music, song, spoken word, interactive video projections, and live DJ-ing, the result was a brand-new type of show.

In 2006 the 7 Fingers created their second production, Traces. From eclectic loft to eclectic bunker, the show upheld many of the principles of the 7 Fingers' collaborative process, as well as their now trademark human and multi-disciplinary approach. This time the 7 Fingers mixed classic acrobatics with such street forms as skateboard, basketball, and parcours. The result was the same intimate circus experience yet with a more urban flavor, as young artists exploded onto the stage with a renewed dynamic energy.

In January 2007, the Fibonacci Project made its first appearance in Mexico City. The Project is a creation in movement, constantly evolving, realized through a series of residencies across the globe, based on a collaboration of artists of different cultures and different artistic forms.

In July 2007 the Fingers premiered their third creation entitled La Vie. This show once again featured the 7 Fingers on stage but this time in an entirely new context. La Vie, with a more adult, cabaret flavor, takes place in a decorated purgatory, coupling the darker themes of death and insanity with a humorous and sexy circus twist.

2010 marks the premiere of their newest and largest creation yet, Psy. As with La Vie and Traces, the Fingers found that the juxtaposition of dark and complex themes with the joyful and celebratory language of circus made for a rich artistic experience, and this time dove into the murky underworld of the human psyche, traveling through the various characters' dreams, visions and memories.

Loft, Traces, La Vie and Psy tour the world, and new projects are constantly in the making back home in Montreal. 7 Fingers apply their unique brand of hands-on creativity to all their ventures.

 

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