Jam Shenanigans circusnext - European Circus Label

Jam Shenanigans

Splash

Henri Kangas · Batist Van Baekel
Belgium
Juggling

BIO /Jam Shenanigans is a fresh, young, and playful duo consisting of Batist Van Baekel (2000, BE) and Henri Kangas (1998, FIN). Henri and Batist met during their studies in Codarts Circus Arts in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) where they quickly found out that they share a similar interest in object manipulation. After graduating, Henri and Batist founded their company with the intention to create playful contemporary circus shows. Jam.Shenanigans proposes object manipulation shows for all ages.

THE PROJECT / In Splash, we follow two characters oppressed by the outside world as they resort to their survival mechanism: juggling. From their boundless fantasy, teeming with creativity, emerges an unlikely attempt to reach the juggling paradise. In Splash, the artists invite the audience on a journey toward an absurd dream world, far removed from everyday reality. Here, a swimming pool filled with 25,000 balls takes center stage, and water activities serve as the starting point for a juggling extravaganza. 

Completely submerged among the balls, juggling becomes deceptively simple, while everyday activities such as walking become the new source of discomfort. The narrative unfolds as a tale of the battle between dreams and reality, conveyed through juggling, object theater, and visual illusions, all infused with a healthy dose of humor and absurdity.Â