My Interview with Toronto Aerialist Molly Keczan ~
Q: How did you get started?
A: My interest in circus started when I was about 10 years old after seeing Cirque Du Soleil perform Alegria here in Toronto. At the time I was training as a rhythmic gymnast which I continued competing in at a national level until I was 16. After which I started Russian ballet and continued onto get my Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from Ryerson University. It was the summer after graduation that I finally started taking circus lessons. I was always the gymnast that was more of a dancer and then the dancer that was an ex-gymnast, so circus was such a perfect and natural transition for me. I started with silk classes at the Toronto School of Circus Arts and soon after found myself performing with Toronto Aerial Dance. There I learned to create acts on hoop by combining my movement quality of rhythmic with my technique of dance and my new found strength of circus.
Q:How long have you been training/performing?
Molly Keczan
A: My aerial circus career has spanned over the past four years, but I find it slightly ironic that in that time I have also been performing many rhythmic acts since I left the sport ten years ago. I guess it is safe to be a cliche here and say, “I was born doing this.” I have been involved in dance and gymnastics since I was four, and I’m pretty sure even before that I used to put on shows for my family in our living room.
Q: Do you perform/train on multiple apparatus’s and if so which is your favorite? (If you have one?)
A: I pretty much love creating and playing on all the aerial apparatus‘, hoop, silks and hammock being my favourites (on a side note, hoop and ribbon were my favourite to compete with in rhythmic as well).
Q: Why do you love circus?
A: I love the physicality of it. It is so graceful yet powerful at the same time. Watching circus still puts me in awe as it is amazing seeing performers with such control and stamina while all the time truly putting their own personality and artistry into what they are doing. Training and performing in circus makes me feel like a kid again. I literally feel like I’m playing on monkey bars and swing sets all the time! I’m so lucky!
Q: Did you have an athletic discipline prior to training circus arts? (What was it? Do you do it now? Why or why not?)
A: Yes, I “retired” from rhythmic gymnastics when I was 16 and had even done artistic gymnastics from age 4-9. Like previously stating, my gymnastics and dance training has lead me to where I am today as a circus performer. I still love picking up rhythmic equipment because it feels like such a natural extension of my movement.
Q: Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
A: Great question! Hopefully as a stronger aerial performer. Within 5 years, I would love to have been involved in the creation of a full length aerial/theatre/dance show. I would love to tour and have done shows across the country, continent and maybe even world! I think a great goal for me is to financially support myself fully by being a performer.
Q: Any recommendations for new circus performers or trainers?
A: Keep doing it!!!!
Q: Any other comments.
A: The circus world is full of such amazing and incredible people!! I have met many talented people that are willing to share their art to learn and help inspire each other. So thank you!!!
When I tell people; “I work as a circus performer,” I always get: “So you’re a clown?” or “So you’ve run away and joined a circus now, have you?” For me, I haven’t physically “run away” (unless if you count Mississauga as far from North York, then I run away at least four times a week) but I have metaphorically run “into” a circus.
Through dance and school, circus came into my life and now I just can’t get enough. I have conducted these interviews to find out how some of the performers and artists of A2D2 ~ Aerial Dance Cirque Company, got started on their journey into the world of circus, why they do it, and what they recommend for new performers.
Thanks so much for reading!
Gio
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This is the world of the circus, with its shows and characters, its smells and sounds that everyone at least once in their life have knew. – instant tax solutions complaints