UK

8 Songs

A tribute to rock'n'roll

Gandini present the gig of a lifetime. Wild juggling skills combine with cult rock and roll in this tribute to the mythical landscape of popular music. From Dylan’s stream-of-consciousness realms to the Velvet Underground’s troubling landscapes, from David Bowie’s soulful escapades to the rocking Rolling Stones’ anthemic joie de vivre, the hits keep on coming, supplemented by the poise, beauty and star power that Gandini are known for. Pull on your leather jacket, ready your air guitar, and let these juggling superstars take you on the ultimate trip.

In 8 Songs, a series of choreographed vignettes set to eight classic rock ‘n’ roll songs, the Gandini’s return to their outdoor roots. A raw and surreal piece, sexy and skilful, each song presents its own atmosphere, its own micro universe. The piece builds crescendo style from solos and duets to a full-cast finale. Meanings are alluded to, with semi-literal references to the songs themselves. Complex patterns will relate the orbits of the coloured objects to each other but the real raison d’être will be the music. The raw and elating power of rock and roll.

8 Songs is a fantastic opportunity for Gandini to do what they do best: creating a brand new show combining skill with spectacle, inviting audiences of all ages into their playful world of movement, mathematics and music.

“Cleverly choreographed is Gandini Juggling’s 8 Songs, which is exactly what it says on the tin: A series of classic rock songs with juggling accompaniment, that ends with a clever send-up of the concept of silent discos.” The Guardian.

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 twenty performers for specially commissioned events and performances. Gandini Juggling is based in London and for its performances invites talented jugglers from all over the world. In addition to performing, Gandini Juggling are very much in demand at leading circus schools, where they teach workshops, create performances, and support the next generation of circus artists. Alongside all this, the company publish their own books and DVDs, continuing to support the wider understanding of the beautiful possibilities of juggling, for jugglers and non-jugglers alike.