About the show
Note! Due to limitations beyond our control imposed by the State of NY, Brave Space will be performing their show without the signature parachute that you may have seen in the promo. The artists are adapting the performance brilliantly, and we want you the audience to know we've tried tirelessly to get the parachute approved, but NY State code does not permit it. We hope you will still join us - this is an amazing show and we can't wait for you to see it regardless!
Brave Space by Aloft Circus Arts (CHicago, IL) is a blanket fort, a hoopskirt, an impulsive congregation in the tiniest of tents. Inspired by the idea of creating community in trying times, it begins as a puddle of fabric and grows to encompass a world of wondrous circus. Intimate and low tech, the audience sits nose-to-nose with a female cast of bold acrobats to build the world we want to live in, even for only a few shared moments. Deeply intimate, Brave Space requires 100% trust between the performers and the audience who physically construct the show and keep the artists aloft.
Brave Space has played sold out shows all around the world, including the Montréal Complètement Cirque festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
This show involves the audience…Watch the video in the important know section to prepare for the experience.
Important to know
During this show, some people may experience claustrophobia. The performance involves close contact with other people and a crowded environment. Audiences are encouraged to take breaks as needed during the performance. The performance also requires the audience to move throughout the performance and move from sitting to standing to lying down. Audiences with access needs are asked to inform the Brave Space team upon arrival so that they can provide support. Watching this video will help you know what to expect.
ABOUT TICKET PRICES
At this point in our development as a circus festival, ticket sales are critical to being able to book diverse circus shows and support the development of circus as an art form in the USA. We have started to gain traction and receive grants to pay for the free, outdoor, family friendly work we present, but also care deeply about presenting all kinds of circus at the festival that can't easily get funding, so ticket sales really matter.
Tickets cost $35 so that we can guarantee our performers housing, travel, and a performance stipend without artists needing to worry that their payout will be contingent on ticket sales.
This common practice of ticket splits often leaves artists vulnerable and paying to participate vs being compensated for their work - especially when presenting work that is not widely commercial or well known or with a large ensemble.
If this ticket price is prohibitive of your attendance, we are offering a community care ticket price of $15 for those in need. To arrange a community care ticket for any show:
-Text (preferred) or call our festival phone number at (607) 269-7227 to reserve in advance with at least 24 hours notice.
-Show up at the festival hub at 118 W. Green Street during the festival to arrange a ticket in advance. The festival hub will be open: 9/1 1pm-10pm, 9/2 10am -10pm, and 9/3 10am-2pm.
-Show up at any venue 30 min before showtime to procure a community care ticket on site for any show that has availability.
About the company
Founded in 2005, Aloft Circus Arts from Chicago, Il brings heart and artistry to a performance art usually associated with physical strength and fearlessness. The resulting shows highlight more than just the physical capacity to fly, twist, balance, and spin - we celebrate the human capacity for sensitivity as well as strength, beauty as well as bravery, empathy as well as pure creative fire. Our performers are some of the premier athletes in the world, from a diverse range of circus acts - but when we work together, the stories we share with the audience are always about the feelings and experiences that unite us all. We look to have a direct emotional dialogue with our audience, and due to our accessible nature, everyone regardless of education, age, culture or background can be engaged.
Aloft has produced 8 full length shows and performed countless one-off performances around the world. Our ongoing shows “Brave Space” and “Sanctuary” have gained a cult following in the USA, selling out every monthly show for the last 11 years! Brave Space recently was featured at the Underbelly Circus Hub at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it sold out most shows and received rave reviews.
Credits
Artistic Director: Shayna Swanson
Artists: Zoe Sheppard, Hayley Larson, Linnea Ridolfi, Rachel Nesnevich, Heather Dart, Sarah Tapper
Set design: Angela Eve
Set Construction: Erin Doll
Costume Design: Zoe Sheppard and Shayna Swanson
Lighting Designer: Alex Avery
Sound Editing: Rachel Karabenick