Vladmir Lissouba and Connor Houlihan: Porters from La Galerie, Machine de Cirque

02/15/20 • 43 min

Vladmir Lissouba (Instagram) and Connor Houlihan (Instagram) from the incredible circus show called “La Galerie” (The Gallery) from Machine de Cirque. Adam Leffert (Associate Producer of Feisworld Podcast) also joined us as a co-host after watching the show during the Montreal Circus Festival.

Vlad is a Montreal native and Connor is from the United States. They are currently performing in Edinburgh, Scotland (as of August 2019). To check out the show, go to: Calendar from the company Machine de Cirque.

“No one ever told me this [about circus arts]. ‘If you have a passion, and that's what you want, there is a way to make a living out of it’.”

Connor knew circus arts was something he wanted to pursue since age 8. Vlad, on the other hand, was inspired while in college while studying computer science. Together, they shared their perspectives and work and life, and how they’ve been transformed by their experiences.

Circus arts aren’t just passion or passion projects for the two performers. To embrace the art form in the long run, they needed to learn how to make a living doing it as well.

What’s the show La Galerie (the Gallery) about? “White. A ploom of color suddenly appears. It is promptly cleaned up. The visitors at the exhibit are delighted to return to monochrome perfection. Little by little, something seems off, things go haywire. The visitors gradually penetrate another world: the set turns inside out. Color appears once again, but now it is indelible. Amused, intrigued, energized, will it absorb them? After the worldwide success of its namesake show, Cirque’s new production takes you to the boundaries of art. With enticing live music and breathtaking acrobatics, let yourself be drawn into this astounding and unusual exhibit.”

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“No one ever told me this [about circus arts]. ‘If you have a passion, and that's what you want, there is a way to make a living out of it’.”

Circus arts aren’t just passion or passion projects for the two performers. To embrace the art form in the long run, they needed to learn how to make a living doing it as well.

-----

Learn more about our original podcast and stories from independent creators from many walks of life: https://www.feisworld.com/podcast

Sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch and get a FREE guide on how I make a living as podcaster WITHOUT counting the downloads: https://www.feisworld.com/newsletter

Our favorite podcasting, creative and business tools: https://www.feisworld.com/tools-we-love

Follow Fei Wu and Feisworld on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook: @feisworld

Previous Episode

Andrew, Kevin and Gasya Atherton - A Family of Artists from PARAMOUR, Cirque du Soleil

Andrew, Kevin and Gasya Atherton are a family of circus artists working in the show PARAMOUR from Cirque du Soleil.

After witnessing Varekai in the summer of 2015, I immediately reached out to identical twin brothers, Andrew and Kevin to join me on Feisworld. Since then, we’ve completed two projects together including the buildout of their website AthertonTwins.com (launched in 2015), and their brand new workout series called 10 for 10 (launched in 2018), the first gymnastics and circus-inspired workout series for busy professionals on the go. All you need is your own body weight, no partner, no equipment.

Andrew and Kevin Atherton were professional gymnasts in Britain before joining Cirque du Soleil at the age of 24. 18 years later, they have performed in major Cirque shows (Varekai, Zarkana, IRIS, Paramour) around the world, often as headliners with their one of a kind aerial strap performance.

Gasya Atherton is a Cirque hand-balancer, who has become an overnight internet sensation when she shared her workout videos with her children, Kamali and Kaysen, in early 2017. Since then Gasya has built a tribe of 200,000+ engaging fans, including many inspired parents, on her Instagram page.

Show notes, tools and resources: https://www.feisworld.com/blog/atherton-family

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Learn more about our original podcast and stories from independent creators from many walks of life: https://www.feisworld.com/podcast

Sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch and get a FREE guide on how I make a living as podcaster WITHOUT counting the downloads: https://www.feisworld.com/newsletter

Our favorite podcasting, creative and business tools: https://www.feisworld.com/tools-we-love

Next Episode

Sabine van Rensburg and Brin Schoellkopf: Arial Silk and Tight Wire Artists from PASSAGERS, 7 Fingers

Sabine van Rensburg (@circusbean) and Brin Schoellkopf (@brin_schoellkopf) are two circus artists currently working in the show Passagers from 7 Fingers.

We met these two talented young artists through the artistic director of Passagers from 7 Fingers, Shana Caroll, who appeared in an earlier episode of Feisworld. Passagers (or Passengers in English) is opening in Boston on September 25th, 2019 and leaving the city on October 13th, 2019. Make sure to check out the show with your friends and family! Learn more >>

Sabine, originally from South Africa, is an aerial silk artist. Her parents founded a circus school where she learned to perform as a circus artist, the rest is history. Sabine embraced the opportunity before enrolling in the Montreal Circus School. Soon after graduation, she found herself busy working for 7 Fingers.

Brin was born and raised in Vermont, a jack of all trades type of Circus artist, he’s got a few impressive skills under his belt. He also works as a visual artist and videographer to promote other artists like himself.

What is “Passengers” about?

Departure vs. transit vs. arrival. Chance vs. choice vs. destiny. Stillness vs. acceleration. Reflection vs. transparency. Familiar vs. foreign. Private vs. public. Confinement vs. border-crossing. Bright headlights vs. tunnel-darkness. Past vs. Future...
Our fascination with trains is both a nostalgic one — dreams of another era, another land — and a symbolic one: life happens along this track of sorts, twisting and turning through valleys and plains. We speed through lands all the while staring out the window, at the reflection of our very own eyes superimposed upon the shifting landscape. Tearful goodbyes, anticipatory reunions. Fateful encounters inside the cabin. A community of strangers with one thing in common: we all have somewhere to go. Our reasons for leaving may differ but we are joined in a moment of suspended limbo between two lives, as we say goodbye to one and prepare for another.

Show Notes, Tools and Resources: https://www.feisworld.com/blog/sabine-van-rensburg-brin-schoellkopf

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Learn more about our original podcast and stories from independent creators from many walks of life: https://www.feisworld.com/podcast

Sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch and get a FREE guide on how I make a living as podcaster WITHOUT counting the downloads: https://www.feisworld.com/newsletter

Our favorite podcasting, creative and business tools: https://www.feisworld.com/tools-we-love

Follow Fei Wu and Feisworld on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook: @feisworld