Circus in Action

Exploring the Role of aTranslation Zonein theCirque duSoleil's Creative Practices

Bibliographic Data

ID4040951
AuthorsNorma M Rantisi (0000-0003-1653-0017, Department of Geography Planning & Environment Concordia University 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West Montréal Québec Canada H3G 1M8), Deborah Leslie (0000-0001-9851-2490, Department of Geography University of Toronto 100 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S 3G3 Canada)
Year2015
Volume91
Issue2
Pages147-164
Publication date2015-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEconomic Geography (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0013-0095 • E-ISSN: 1944-8287
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/ecge.12082
OpenAlexW2110666535
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited44

This article explores the process of knowledge production and creativity in the circus. In particular, it examines how theCirque du Soleil has been able to forge an innovative and novel tradition of circus arts by drawing upon knowledge and competencies from the related fields of sport, circus, dance, and theater. Using the notion of translation developed in actor network theory, we trace how a variety of actors and entities, including both human and nonhuman actants, are enrolled in the creation of a contemporary circus performance. We explore how power and agency are distributed in the networks that foster creativity in the circus, highlighting their inherently unstable and precarious nature, and how theCirque has created an open and unbounded space that accommodates fluid exchanges between actants (what we call a translation zone

Action (physics) · Aesthetics · Agency (philosophy) · Art · Creativity · Dance · Linguistics · Media studies · Power (physics) · Social science · Sociology · Space (punctuation) · The arts · TRACE (psycholinguistics) · Visual arts · Diversity and Impact of Dance · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology · Sport and Mega-Event Impacts · Theatre and Performance Studies

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