By Raphael Harris
The five-man (4 men and one woman; 4 Japanese and one Australian) troop from Japan performs YOAH, their 70-minute show at the New Victory Theater (formerly Minsky’s Burlesque) in Times Square, NY.
YOAH is brought to you by Cirquework, a Japanese circus company that, “brings together a new generation of Circus artists that fuses acrobatics, dance, music, lighting, and digital visuals”.
Performers of “YOAH”
Akira Fukagawa is the main ball juggler performing with 3,4,5, and 7 balls. He executes many patterns and 360s and with 5 goes from a cascade and multiplex fountain to a martin and shower. He qualifies 7 balls and switches to diabolo with Yusaku Mochizuki.
Yusaku calls his routine “Mapping Diabolo” and logically progresses from a single with patterns and Excalibur to 2,3, and 4 with suns, string catches, suicides, and jump rope. Instead of tossing the diabolo to do the jump rope, he wraps the string around the axle and jumps while the diabolo is still attached and spinning.
After a 4-diabolo routine with shuffle, columns, and shower, he passes 6 with Akira.
Over a third of the total 70-minute show consists of toss juggling and diabolo.
Akira explains, “I started diabolo when I was 13 years old. Mastering it is a life-long process. Learning many different things connects and becomes part of your skill. I chose diabolo because it was a gift from my grandfather.”
Tsumugi Masui plays the part of the character Yoah. Her aerial skills are many including silks, and swing hoop. Her character drops in from the sky and her journey here on earth is a wondrous one that gives the show continuity.
Kyle Fowler from Australia does his own aerial act on Cloud Swing which is a swing made of a rope. He wears a safety harness during the entire routine which means after every stunt he must re-do the same stunt backwards so that the harness will straighten out.
Rounding out the team is Yuya Takatori who does a sustained act consisting of building a tower of stacked chairs 20 feet high with himself at the top finishing off with a handstand.
Back stage were Kaori Kaneda as costume designer, Naoki Inui and Yuuka Nakashima as choreographers, Jin Takemmoto & Mars as original music composers. Satoshi Kawabata is a visual effects designer.
Performers of “YOAH” take a bow
The visual effects are outstanding and are an essential part of the experience.
For example, while Yusaku spins the diabolo the backdrop screen explodes with lights and patterns following the props precisely. Together with the original music and scary/funny costumes the theme follows the Japanese style of theater, while using Chinese props such as diabolo and stacking chairs.
Yusaku Mochizuki who is the diabolo artist and the show’s artistic director says, “YOAH blends Circus arts with visual technology inspired by Japanese culture rooted in Shinto and Zen philosophy. Living in harmony with nature, expressing gratitude towards others, and reflecting on oneself is what this show is about. If the audience feels that spirit it would mean a lot to us.”
“YOAH” circus poster
YOAH continues touring in the US, Europe, and Asia.
Raphael Harris
Raphael Harris was the proprietor of the Jerusalem Circus School for Children for over ten years. He has performed "Sir Juggley's One Man Circus" over a thousand times. He appeared in the Guiness Book of World Records twice and the Record Setters Book of World Records three times. He lives in New York.