Eric talks Barcode, life, writing and contemporary circus.
“I was thinking… what are you doing going to a business school? I don’t want to run a circus, I want to be in the circus!”
“Juggling his way through an impressive stage career, Eric tosses us through his life in circus school, 7 Fingers, Cirque du Soleil events and what it’s like to create your own show from scratch. When finding your own process has its fair share of difficulties, he was able to articulate his own experience and interview influential directors on his newly coming book: The Contemporary Circus Handbook, A guide to creating, funding, producing, organizing and touring shows for the 21st century.”
Listen to Eric on the IJA’s Official Podcast!
Eric talks with Dan Holzman about his life and career — and a bit about the book! — on “Drop Everything,” the official podcast of the International Jugglers’ Association. Click here to listen!
See Eric at Montreal Complement Cirque!
On July 10th, release day, Eric Bates gave a special panel discussion at Montreal Complement Cirque’s Marche International de Cirque Contemporain.
The audience heard about the process of writing the book, some of the lessons learned, and — best of all — were able to buy a copy in person at the TOHU!
The Contemporary Circus Handbook
a guide to creating, funding, producing, organizing and touring shows for the 21st century
A new book by Eric Bates
ISBN: 978-1-958604-03-8
Edited by Kim Campbell, with Benjamin Domask-Ruh and Thom Wall
The Contemporary Circus Handbook: A Guide to Creating, Funding, Producing, Organizing and Touring for the 21st Century is a guide to creating theatrical performance shows, built on interviews with dozens of creators who have made shows—big and small—throughout their careers. The author’s circus background is used as an example of practical steps for any performing artist to navigate: from applying for funding, building a team, planning workshops and residencies, and includes many compelling examples of the characteristics of successful shows. These lessons are applicable to circus, dance and theater as well as most performing arts.
Whether it’s your first foray into creating your own major endeavor—or you’ve got a couple of creations under your belt—you’re sure to find advice to improve your process and bring your dream show to life.
“Writing a general guide to the art and the science of conceiving, designing, creating, producing, and operating a circus show is an audacious (some may say impossible) ambition. But if any book could articulate the complexity and the frustrating beauty of the process in a digestible way for first-timers and the seasoned veterans alike, this is the one. Nothing beats experience, but the next best thing is hearing about the experiences of all those who have gone before–and this is what this book delivers.”
– James Tanabe, former Senior Director, Business and Creative Strategy, Cirque du Soleil
“So little has been written and published about the art- and company-making we do in the circus field, and many of us have had to navigate blindly for years. Eric has done the immense service for future directors, collectives, and company founders in exhaustively researching and compiling lessons and advice from such a wide range of his contemporaries. This book not only helps as a guide for such aspiring artists, but as a benchmark in the evolution of this profession; giving company making and circus directing its due as an emerging and powerful form that deserves study, understanding, dissemination.”
– Shana Carroll, Co-Founder, The 7 Fingers
– Joseph Pinzon, Founder, Short Round Productions
“Eric has put together a detailed and comprehensive book filled with insights that anyone with a vision can use to bring it to life. Eric’s extensive experience as a performer, creator, and producer is obvious in the questions he poses and the insights he articulates. This book is a must for those with the desire to bring their shows to life.”
–Zander Howard-Scott, Founder, Creative Sovereignty
“Having navigated the complexities of contemporary circus performance and creation himself, Eric’s book fills a much needed space in circus literature and pedagogy by sharing the obstacles he’s encountered – both from his individual perspective and from that of the collective of a circus company, giving the reader guideposts to what can so often feel an illusory process of seeing a show through from conception to funding to creation to premiere to tour – and highlighting clear practices and ideas around handling psychological and emotional health as a group of individuals living, creating, and performing together. Through interviews with experienced performers and directors from around the world Eric shares multifaceted approaches to creation in different countries, companies, and contexts, and demonstrates how to find creativity within and freedom from the systems that contemporary circus is entrenched within. This handbook is sure to inspire an entire new realm of possibilities to the next generation of circus creators.”
– Luther Bangert, Juggling and Movement Instructor, Circadium: School of Contemporary Circus
“An easy conversational style leads the reader through the book — full of interesting ideas and tips from practitioners, as well as Eric’s own observations and experiences. I like the way Bates leads the reader to think with him — how do I solve a problem? How do I think about this? Eric helpfully shows there are many ways to skin a cat… or make a show — which is true!
It’s really important for people to think about what they are doing as well as being fired-up by the idea of what they want to create. It’s a complex process!”
– Di Robson, Producer, Di Robson Events and Arts Management (DREAM)
“Students and professional performers interested in the basics of assembling a modern circus show will find no better guide than the new book How to Create a Contemporary Circus Show.
From budgeting to overseeing team efforts, Bates covers all aspects of organizing a circus, using the experiences of his team and their successes and pitfalls to identify common areas of challenge involved in crafting a successful show…. How to Create a Contemporary Circus Show may focus on the circus’s unique environment and requirements, but its wide-ranging production experiences, illustrations, exercises, and formulas for success makes it a top recommendation not just for circus reference libraries, but any performing arts collection, and for those who would put together a winning production.” (full review)
– Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
#1 New Release: Performing Arts Reference!
Within a day of its release, The Contemporary Circus Handbook made #1 on Amazon’s list of Performing Arts Reference books!
#1 New Release: Circus & Performing Arts!
Within a day of its release, The Contemporary Circus Handbook made #1 on Amazon’s list of Circus & Performing Arts books!