Bassline Circus is London’s touring tented New Skool circus. They are a not-for-profit, new-skool British hip hop circus building their second summer tour. Despite the fact that new licensing laws are introducing massive new costs for small circus’ the Bassline Circus is still going strong.
Circus History
The circus has a fascinating history. They met around ten years ago while living on the road around Europe as convoys of creative young people, travelling and putting on free parties and raves. In 2001 they found an abandoned circus big top in a squat in italy, and started using it for parties and shows.
As time passed new laws and regulations made it increasingly hard to lead this free lifestyle and the old tent failed to meet health and safety standards, so they bought a blinging new tent from the tradional French circus Zavatta, and through parties and club nights they managed to raise the cash to bring it back to the UK last spring.
They quickly applied to the Arts Council for research and development money and were succesful, so continued putting together the show The Road, which has so far toured festivals and parks throughout the UK in the summer of 2005.
The Bassline Circus are now working on their next show to be entitled Running Away and are due to start the 2006 tour in Whittington Park, Holloway Rd between the 18th – 22nd May. Then onwards to Victoria park in Tower Hamlets and Clissold Park in Stoke Newington, to name but a few spots…
The Show
Running Away is a high energy circus show rammed with all the usual circus performers, swinging about the roof pulling ‘wow factor’ moves. The difference is our tent has been invaded by urban artists.
A hip-hop circus show packed with breakdancers, illusions, disappearing b-boys and video bombing. The ringmaster / rapper, “Unknown MC”, spits lyrics from the stage as aerialists fly through the air and acrobats flick flack to breakbeat tracks.
Inside the tent you will find giant, spinning technics decks and graffiti landscapes capped with CCTV cameras watching you back. Come and see the new faces of UK Circus. You won’t regret it!
- “The most exciting show on the street! Miss it and miss out” Undercover Magazine
- “Quirky colourful costumes and unusual routines, wonderful” The Stage
The Workshops: MC / Rapping, Dj skills, Breakdance, Trapeze, Juggling, Spinning Plates, Graffiti, Tighwire.
Have a closer look at who the Bassline Circus are, watch the circus’ showreel and listen to some of the circus’ beatz on the download page, and check out some early tour dates on the circus website:
THIS SUMMER’S LONDON DATES
MAY:
Holloway Arts Festival, Whittington Park, Holloway Rd, London, N19
Wednesday 17th – Free Workshops tbc / After school club @ 3.45 – 5pm (No Show)
SHOWS
Thursday 18th – 5:30pm
Friday 19th – 7:30pm FREE WORKSHOPS – 16.00 – 17.30
Saturday 20th – 8:00pm
Sunday 21st – 3:00pm and 7:30pm
‘Fusion East’ Paradise Gardens, Victoria Park, London
£3 special! all shows are half price, thanks to Fusion East. Bigup!
Friday 26th – 7:30pm
Saturday 27th – 7:30pm
Sunday 28th – Free workshops 1pm – 3pm, Shows 4:00pm and 7:00pm
Bank holiday Monday 29th – 4:00pm and 7:30pm
JUNE:
Stokefest06, Clissold Park, Stoke Newington, Hackney, London, N16
Stokefest is FREE. More festival info visit www.stokefest.co.uk
Saturday 10th – 7:30pm
Sunday 11th – FREE FESTIVAL 12 – 8pm. Show – 8:00pm
Tuesday 12th – 7:30pm
Wednesday 13th – 7:30pm
Thursday 14th – 7:30pm
Friday 15th – 7:30pm
Saturday 16th – 4:00pm and 7:30pm
Sunday 17th – 4:00pm and 7:30pm