Many people firmly believe that the circus discipline of Tightwire must in fact be an illusion or a magic trick. They are convinced that it must be done with “magnets or pulleys or grooves in the shoes” because they are adamant that no human can balance on or traverse such a thin line. It is precisely this magical, awe inspiring, otherworldly quality that makes Hanna Moisala’s WireDo such a beautiful and exciting performance piece - and yes, she really can balance, traverse and even dance on the impossibly thin, taught wire.
An exquisite piece of contemporary dane circus
Due to its cumbersome infrastructure, Tightwire is a discipline not often seen outside of large scale commercial circuses. So it is a wonderful treat to see this piece of very traditional circus equipment reconfigured, explored and presented in a contemporary theatrical way. With the sensibilities and flow of a dance piece, WireDo is a captivating physical exploration of balance, support, restraint and freedom. Performed as a solo using only the Tightwire and various different lengths and gauges of rope, Moisala explores the different spaces, planes of movement and states of suspension with delicacy and balletic grace.
Inspired by the Japanese rope art of Shibari, the balance between the malleability of the ropes and the fixed tension of the wire creates a beautiful contrast, and throughout the piece Moisala intricately creates new and evolving structures and patterns with both the ropes and her movement. Impossibly poised and transcending gravity, what she does on the Tightwire does indeed seem like witchcraft and she is utterly beguiling.
Containing innovative choreography which has a shade of the erotic without ever straying into anything tawdry, WireDo is an exiting opportunity to see two rare disciplines expertly and beautifully combined into an exquisite piece of contemporary dance circus.
