Heka

Formed in 1992 by world-renowned jugglers Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä- Hokkala, Gandini Juggling continues to be at the vanguard of contemporary circus, reinventing and reinvigorating juggling for the 21st Century.

Gandini Juggling celebrates juggling in all its facets, exploring not just what juggling is, but what juggling can be. Currently an ever-evolving ensemble made up of a virtuosic core group of jugglers, they regularly expand to include up to 20 performers for specially commissioned events and performances. Ferociously prolific, they are constantly creating new works, which range from radical art/juggling fusions to accessible theatrical performances, from choreographic studies to commercially commissioned routines.

Since their inception, the Gandini's have performed over 6,000 shows in 50 countries. They continue to perform at many of the most prestigious festivals and venues throughout the world. These venues range from Contemporary art museums in France to Opera houses in Germany, from theatres in Lebanon to tents in Argentina. Closer to home the Gandini's can be seen performing at the UK’s major outdoor festivals and theatre houses including London’s Royal Opera House, English National Opera, The Royal National Theatre and Sadler’s Wells.

In creating their work Gandini Juggling collaborated with a wide range of cultural leaders, initially teaming up with the pioneering and influential dance artist and choreographer Gill Clarke. The Gandini’s continue to be influenced by a range of disciplines, which include amongst others, composers, ballet choreographers, fashion designers, computer programmers, sound designers, set makers and mathematicians. They have spent several seasons working with orchestras, choreographing juggling patterns to a wide range of classical compositions and have had music specially composed for them by leading composers Tom Johnson, Nimrod Borenstein, Gabriel Prokofiev and Caroline Shaw. They Choreographed the Olivier Award winning Philip Glass Opera Akhnaten and made critically acclaimed tributes to Pina Bausch and Merce Cunningham.

In addition to performing, Gandini Juggling is very much in demand at leading circus schools. Teaching workshops, creating performances and supporting the next generation of circus artists. Alongside this, Gandini publishes books and delivers virtual classes to support the wider understanding of the beautiful possibilities of juggling, for jugglers and non-jugglers alike. The Gandini's have an insatiable thirst for juggling pieces and a fiery desire to collaborate, communicate and provoke. They aim to reposition juggling as a versatile, engaging and malleable art form for our times.

As a child growing up in Havana, Sean was fascinated by Magic and Mathematics. In the 1980s, he was a regular performer in London's Covent Garden and toured with various theatre groups. Since then, Sean has spent the last 30 years researching and contributing to all aspects of juggling; he is a prolific creator, and his work also extends to choreography and directing. Throughout his career he has collaborated with many acclaimed artists, a journey which began with the influential British choreographer Gill Clarke.

With Gandini Juggling, co-funded with Kati Ylä-Hokkala in 1992, Sean continues to perform at many of the most prestigious festivals and venues throughout the world, reinventing, and reinvigorating juggling for the 21st Century. Their tribute to Pina Bausch Smashed is widely considered one the seminal works of the contemporary circus movement.

He directed a dance/juggling trilogy: 4 x 4 Ephemeral Architectures combining Ballet and juggling, ​Spring in collaboration with choreographer Alexander Whitley and Sigma with Bharatanatyam powerhouse Seeta Patel. In 2016 he worked as choreographer on Philip Glass opera ​Akhnaten, for the English National Opera. Akhnaten won the Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production in 2017 and has been presented at The Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2019 and 2022. He is currently touring with the critically acclaimed love letter to Merce Cunningham, LIFE.

Kati Ylä-Hokkala is one of her generation’s iconic jugglers. As a co-founder of Gandini Juggling she has built a reputation not only as a highly-skilled technical juggler but is also renowned as one of the leading innovators in dance-juggling.

Kati’s professional career began in the 1980s, performing with the influential Ra-Ra Zoo. In 1991, with Sean, she co-founded Gandini Juggling. Since then she has been instrumental in the company’s experiments into the possibilities of juggling, including working to create unique ‘two-person sharing' juggling patterns.

A former rhythmic gymnast, Kati’s distinctive ability to combine movement with extremely complex coordination is second-to-none. In this she has crafted an intimate and extensive knowledge of the relationship between dance and juggling. Knowledge that has ensured that Gandini Juggling’s work is always of the highest technical standard. Kati’s own performances are always accompanied by a unique calm precision, a precision that comes from decades of throwing whilst standing on one leg. Kati has used this same calm precision to steer Gandini Juggling for the past 25 years.

Kati has performed in all of Gandini Juggling’s works since 1991, performing in over 2,500 shows throughout the world – in art galleries and palaces, in town squares and in stadiums, in intimate theatres and on the stages of some of the world’s most iconic venues. In recent years Kati has co-directed many of the company’s pieces.

Yann Frisch, born in 1990, has been captivated by the world of magic since his early years. His journey began with juggling and circus classes, evolving into an exploration of magic under Monsieur Hamery. After completing high school, he honed his skills at the Lido de Toulouse, delving into clowning and furthering his education through workshops with prominent figures in the field. In 2010, he introduced "Baltass," a mesmerizing magic act that catapulted him to success, earning him prestigious titles including French, European, and World champion in consecutive years. This acclaim led him to co-create 'Oktobre', a celebrated show that toured globally for three years and established his company, L’Absente.

Throughout his career, he collaborated with luminaries like Ibrahim Maalouf, participated in cabarets, and crafted innovative magic shows like 'Le Paradoxe de Georges.' Beyond the stage, Frisch even ventured into the film industry, starring in 'Les deux Alfred'. His most ground-breaking collaboration came in 2021 when he teamed up with space agencies CNES and ESA to experiment with magic tricks during Thomas Pesquet's mission aboard the International Space Station. Demonstrating his artistic evolution, in April 2022, Frisch unveiled 'Personne', a thought-provoking performance exploring existential doubt, presented in his specially designed 'Camion-Théâtre.' Throughout his career, Yann Frisch has continuously pushed the boundaries of magic, captivating audiences worldwide with his innovative approach and artistic depth.

The work of visual artist, magician, and stage director Kalle Nio is a combination of magic, visual arts, cinema, art-history, circus and theatre. In his stage performances and cinematic installations, he is an inventor, performer and a researcher creating encounters between past and the present, between magic and visual arts, between the high arts and the sideshows, between craft and technology, between real and illusions.

He often uses elements from 19th century stage magic as the starting point for his highly visual explorations of human body and human relationships in our society.

Nio has master's degree in fine arts from University of Arts Helsinki. With his performing arts group WHS he has performed in more than 30 different countries. His visual arts exhibitions, video installations and short films have been shown in museums and galleries in Finland and abroad. He is also one of the founders of Teatteri Union, art-house cinema and performing arts venue in Helsinki.

Directors: Sean Gandini & Kati Ylä-Hokkala
Magic consultants: Yann Frisch, Kalle Nio
Performers: Kate Boschetti, Sean Gandini, Tedros Girmaye, Kim Huynh, Sakari Männistö, Yu-Hsien Wu, Kati Ylä-Hokkala
Costumes: Georgina Spencer
Lighting design: Guy Hoare
Music: Andy Cowton

Supported by MimeLondon