ABOUT THE DREAMTIME CIRCUS

BACKGROUND

In 2005, artist / activists Kara “Kfire” Voss and Chris Dunn traveled to Indonesia.  While there, they decided to choreograph a two person fire performance and put on free shows for the local communities where they traveled.  The experience was transformative.  As the two travelers offered a piece of their hearts and creative energy, the ever-present dynamic of “western tourist and local host” began to erode.  Their gracious hosts invited the foreign performers into their homes, and this created an opportunity to build genuine cross-cultural relationships.  Inspired by this experience, the two travelers dreamed of an entire circus troupe traveling the world to spread circus joy.  And thus, the idea for the Dreamtime Circus was born.

When they returned to the US, they began planning for a trip to India, the destination of the first Dreamtime Circus tour.  October 14th, 2006 marked the debut performance of the Dreamtime Circus, a three person theatrical fire show called “Between Worlds” performed in a San Francisco alley as part of the Mission Arts Performance Project.  Dreamtime hoped the performance would generate interest in their idea to bring a circus troupe to India.  It worked.  In January 2007, about fifty people attended an introductory meeting about the tour.  In April 2007, Dreamtime expanded its “Between Worlds” show to raise funds for the trip to India.  The production grew from three performers and a couple of fire safeties to a cast and crew of over thirty people.

On October 14th, 2007, the one year anniversary of its debut performance in a San Francisco alley, the Dreamtime Circus performed a revised version of “Between Worlds” for an audience of 200 Indian children in a remote village in Rajasthan, India.  This was the first of forty performances across India during Dreamtime’s “Circus for Change” tour.  Thirty-six volunteer performers and crew members joined the circus on this magical journey and took part in what can only be described as a dream come true.

The Dreamtime Circus is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area and continues the dream of bringing circus joy to kids and adults at home and across the world.

THE DREAMTIME MISSION
The Dreamtime Circus is a troupe of fire fairies, clowns, musicians, and all types of other magical and fantastical creatures who travel far and wide to share the uplifting experience of the circus with the peoples of the world. We seek to use fire and circus arts as mediums for fostering cross-cultural communication and open exchanges of cultural ideas and artistic expressions. As offerings of good will and solidarity, we perform free circus performances for the communities we visit, focusing our efforts on serving those surviving natural disasters, dislocations, or military conflicts.

Wherever our travels take us…

  • We’ll create a safe, magical, and inspiring space for kids and grown-up kids to play, create, and become whatever their imagination allows them to be.

  • We’ll cross cultural bridges, speaking the universal languages of art and laughter through our circus antics.

  • Instead of just the coins in our pockets, we’ll offer free circus shows as a way of giving back to the communities we meet along the way.

  • We’ll respect the people, cultures, and sacredness of the land.

  • We’ll dream our lives, live our dreams, and encourage everyone around us to join in.