Artist — Kingston Theatre Alliance

Drawing inspiration from artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and situations of action painting, Corbett’s gestural method was engaging to watch and experience as an audience member. By loosening the boundaries that often exist between mediums in art, the performance invited the audience to think of the crossovers that can happen when mediums collide.

“If I hear another friggin’ theatre thing where someone tells me that we’re all family, I will just run, turn the other way and run. The interesting thing: I was not met with that kind of language with SPAF, but I was definitely met with the actual feeling of being a part of the family. The amount of people that lived around the park that actually offered me their actual bed to rest in during the festival, or their bathroom to use, or food to make like—I have never been a part of an arts event, a theatre event, that extended that kind of awareness of neighborhood.”

Ways of Being was an interactive performance for two different groups of audience, in two different cities simultaneously. Returning to Kingston as a part of FOLDA 2022, the work transformed me into both the performer and audience, spectator and entertainer. And as someone interested in the human condition, Ways of Being gave me the space to explore and understand, “How do we become the people we are at any given moment? […]

If you’ve ever awkwardly stood by one of your friends as they catch up with someone you don’t know, you should keep reading. And if you don’t know Paul Smith, you definitely know someone who does.

If you’ve been paying attention, the name Francisco Corbett should not be new on your tongue. You may think I’m confusing him for a ‘franciscocorbn’, but that’s actually just his Instagram handle. Rookie mistake.

ane Kirby had recently graduated with a Masters in International Development when she was beginning to feel burnt out from working in non-profits and social justice organizations. At first, circus was a fun escape—but now, she reflects upon how her background in activism bleeds into her work as a circus artist.