Location: S.S209 ARIA attic, Lange Sint-Annastraat 7, 2000 Antwerp
Time: 15h-17h, unless communicated otherwise
Target audience: junior academic and artistic researchers
In this seminar, circus historian Gwendolien Sabbe will share the current situation of her research on Belgian circus artists who journeyed to America in 1900-1940 to work for the circus, vaudeville theatres and/or the State Fairs. Based on the story of different artists she will talk about why America was so attractive for circus artists, how they managed to land a contract, how their life on the road looked like, and whether crossing the ocean was a step up for everyone or not.
Franziska Trapp, dramaturge and post-doc researcher at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, will draw the line to contemporary circus. How do representations of circus of the 19th century influence the imaginary of circus in the 21st century? In what way does contemporary circus position itself clearly in opposition to nostalgic circus phantasies? In what way is it entangled to romanticized visions? Those questions will be discussed on the basis of selected case studies.
Preparatory reading: [TBC]
- Leonhardt, Nic. "Transatlantic Mediators of Theatre" (The Greatest Exporter of European Talent - H.B. Marinelli (1864-1924)), in Theatre Across Oceans. Mediators of Transatlantic Exchange, 1890-1925, pp. 227-251.
- Davis, Janet. "The Life of Tiny Kline and the Evolution of Twentieth-Century American Mass Culture," Bandwagon Magazine, vol. 45, no. 3 (May-June 2001), pp. 4-8.
- Kline, Tiny. "Showground Bound. Where Caste is Observed: According to Rank and Rating," Bandwagon Magazine, vol. 45, no. 3 (May-June 2001), pp. 9-18.
About Franziska Trapp
About Gwendolien Sabbe
Gwendolien Sabbe is a circus historian and independent researcher. She studied history at the University of Leuven and holds a digital storytelling postgraduate degree from KASK Gent. Her research focuses on Belgian circus artists who journeyed to America between 1900-1940 to work for the circus, vaudeville theatre, and/or the State Fairs.
She shares their stories through articles in Circusmagazine, a lecture and her online platform Circus Nomads (www.circusnomads.com, Facebook and Instagram).
She combines her research with a job as circus and comedy programmer at Cultural Centre De Spil in Roeselare. By integrating circus history in the program, she gives circus festival de groote stooringe a unique identity amongst the other outdoor arts festivals. She is also a member of the editorial board of Circusmagazine and the board of Miramiro, a creation workspace for circus based in Ghent.