Location: Nablus, West Bank
At Assirk Assaghir their newest project, Dancing Colors, is the creation and production of a circus performance taking traditional arts and combining them with new-age lighting and effects of black and glow techniques. “In this story of one man’s dreams, creatures appear and disappear as they play with lights, music and rhythm. Dreams seem like reality and the surreal comes to life in this unique blend of light, color and movement. The project was performed in multiple locations around the West Bank by Palestinian youth for diverse audiences.”
Whether in Jenin, Tulkarem or Qalqilya, local artists and NGOS all over the West Bank have created organizations to help young people relieve the stress of the Occupation through artistic self-expression. I encountered this everywhere. The Circus School, Assirk Assagir, of Nablus founded in 2004 by Palestinians is no exception. Their classes are open to boys and girls ages 6 to 22. Project Hope and Clowns without Borders support them.
Again, I was fortunate to observe these young men in action: tumbling, juggling, dancing, walking on stilts, and clowning and to interview the current director, Mahmoud Masri. The students practice and perform in a nicely equipped facility. They capitalize on their interests and strengths whether juggling or hip hop." The circus in Palestine gives students a chance to work together, to overcome challenges, and to express their ideas.
The students create the shows themselves, and they often address problems they see in their everyday lives, such as trash in the streets or men harassing women on the street." They have traveled to Iraq, Jericho, and Ramallah and have performed in Nablus’ Greek amphitheater.
Although their art is not a direct expression of their identity as Palestinian youth under occupation, it is a form of free expression and release like the parkour and skateboarding of the boys in Qalqilya. Also, students take time from circus activities to discuss and talk about daily anxieties, wishes ,and dreams with their trainers who have spent time in Europe studying the circus tradition.