House of Circus is a Circus Company and Drag house.
Creating, producing and performing shows, acts and site-specific performances.
It was founded by Germain Charlat and Nick van der Heyden, in Tilburg (NL), where they both obtained their Bachelor diploma at the Academy of Circus and Performance Art. Driven by their common passion for Circus and Drag, they develop their distinctive style of performing and creating by incorporating various skills such as, static trapeze, hand balancing, clowning, drag, make up and costume design.
Versatile, adaptable and creative, they use their humour and wit to highlight their technical circus skills, using also theatre and dance, as a full spectrum to experiment with. By creating and decorating characters, their goal is to make Drag accessible to everyone, regardless gender or age.
They wish to bring Drag from bars to theatres and reintroduce some glitter and fierceness to circus. This combination is their definite match of artforms that reveals their unique universe.
Nick (aka Hayden) has been passionate about circus since he was four years old. He started at Circus Elleboog in Amsterdam and graduated in 2014 from the ACaPA with the specialization of handbalancing. Since then he created his own solo show: Project JB and performed in several big and small circus, musical and theater productions.
Germain (aka Iconnee) is a circus artist and a dragqueen. He was born in France and trained at several schools, such as the professional circus training in Amiens. In 2021, he graduated from the ACaPA with static trapeze as main discipline, which he combines with clowning, acting and drag.
When Circus meets Drag
House of Circus is an entertainment company, that creates and produces shows, acts and site-specific performances.
It was founded by Germain Charlat and Nick van der Heyden, in Tilburg (NL), where they both obtained their Bachelor diploma at the Academy of Circus and Performance Art. Driven by their common passion for Circus and Drag, they develop their distinctive style of performing and creating by incorporating various skills such as, static trapeze, hand balancing, clowning, drag, make up and costume design.
Versatile, adaptable and creative, they use their humour and wit to highlight their technical circus skills, using also theatre and dance, as a full spectrum to experiment with. By creating and decorating characters, their goal is to make Drag accessible to everyone, regardless gender or age.
They wish to bring Drag from bars to theatres and reintroduce some glitter and fierceness to circus. This combination is their definite match of artforms that reveals their unique universe.
Nick (aka Hayden) has been passionate about circus since he was four years old. He started at Circus Elleboog in Amsterdam and graduated in 2014 from the ACaPA with the specialization of handbalancing. Since then he created his own solo show: Project JB and performed in several big and small circus, musical and theater productions.
Germain (aka Iconnee) was born in France and trained at several schools, such as the professional circus training in Amiens. In 2021, he graduated from the ACaPA with static trapeze as main discipline, which he combines with clowning, acting and drag.
STICHTING HOUSE OF CIRCUS
board members
Sandra Smits, work as a freelance cultural entrepreneur. She is occupied with different projects of which the most are involved with Circus.
Her passion is to motivate creators to approach their career plan with joy and dynamically, to use the strategic decisions that come with entrepreneurship as a logical necessity to achieve the goals they dream of.
“i get angry and sad about – inequality and unfairness
i get cheerful and happy of – a sunny day with time to enjoy it”
“I met Germain and Nick at Acapa and when they applied for the Keep an Eye Project with House of Circus, I was as happy as they were to be selected!
House of Circus is one of the most outstanding, festive and multifaceted companies I know. Being a boardmember of this foundation brings me inspiration and familiarity with a universe that I am eager to support to make visible and accesible for everyone. “
Angela Herenda started her dance training at Blagoje Bersa Music School, under the guidance of Sanja Petrovski and Nives Simatovic Predovan. After brief involvement with Zadar Dance Ensemble, she continued her education at the Rotterdam Dance Academy, Codarts. She continued working as a freelance dancer with the likes of Andreas Denk, Jens van Daele, Kitt Johnson, Ariel Cohen/Osnat Kelner and performing with Staatstheater Oldenburg (now TanzMainz) and Göteborgsoperans DansKompani. In 2014 Angela joined Club Guy & Roni where, in addition to her work as a performer, she regularly teaches technical and improvisational classes, and directs works with Hendriks Aerts and Mart van Berckel. As of late, she is on the Board Directors for a drag circus company called House of Circus.
Kirsten studied at the cabaret school in ‘s Hertogenbosch and in 2013 won the jury, audience and personality prize at the Groningen Student Cabaret Festival. A year later she made her debut with her performance ‘Heilloos’, which was received with a shower of stars by the press. For her second program she received the De Rising Applause Stipendium and from her third program the song ‘Meisjes’ was nominated for the Annie MG Schmidt Prize. With her fourth performance (S)EXPERIMENT, about modern love and sexual taboos, she won the VSCD Cabaret Prize ‘Neerlands Hoop 2022’. The jury describes the queer-minded performance as ‘exciting, urgent and modern’.
STICHTING HOUSE OF CIRCUS
board members
Sandra Smits, work as a freelance cultural entrepreneur. She is occupied with different projects of which the most are involved with Circus.
Her passion is to motivate creators to approach their career plan with joy and dynamically, to use the strategic decisions that come with entrepreneurship as a logical necessity to achieve the goals they dream of.
“i get angry and sad about – inequality and unfairness
i get cheerful and happy of – a sunny day with time to enjoy it”
“I met Germain and Nick at Acapa and when they applied for the Keep an Eye Project with House of Circus, I was as happy as they were to be selected!
House of Circus is one of the most outstanding, festive and multifaceted companies I know. Being a boardmember of this foundation brings me inspiration and familiarity with a universe that I am eager to support to make visible and accesible for everyone. “
Angela Herenda started her dance training at Blagoje Bersa Music School, under the guidance of Sanja Petrovski and Nives Simatovic Predovan. After brief involvement with Zadar Dance Ensemble, she continued her education at the Rotterdam Dance Academy, Codarts. She continued working as a freelance dancer with the likes of Andreas Denk, Jens van Daele, Kitt Johnson, Ariel Cohen/Osnat Kelner and performing with Staatstheater Oldenburg (now TanzMainz) and Göteborgsoperans DansKompani. In 2014 Angela joined Club Guy & Roni where, in addition to her work as a performer, she regularly teaches technical and improvisational classes, and directs works with Hendriks Aerts and Mart van Berckel. As of late, she is on the Board Directors for a drag circus company called House of Circus.
Kirsten studied at the cabaret school in ‘s Hertogenbosch and in 2013 won the jury, audience and personality prize at the Groningen Student Cabaret Festival. A year later she made her debut with her performance ‘Heilloos’, which was received with a shower of stars by the press. For her second program she received the De Rising Applause Stipendium and from her third program the song ‘Meisjes’ was nominated for the Annie MG Schmidt Prize. With her fourth performance (S)EXPERIMENT, about modern love and sexual taboos, she won the VSCD Cabaret Prize ‘Neerlands Hoop 2022’. The jury describes the queer-minded performance as ‘exciting, urgent and modern’.
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