This article is meant to be the start of a series. Unter the title "the five Ws", a set of standard questions are asked to circus artists about their careers and points of view. We start with the Hungarian cloud swing artist Anna Demeter.
Why did you become a circus artist?
I was working in the capital circus of budapest as a hostess and fell in love with circus art and the atmosphere. While watching one aerial act, I realized this is what I want to do. So I started to do everything I could to turn this dream into reality.
Which was the biggest challenge in your life as an artist?
The biggest challange I would say is that I always have to change my assistant, and give my life into a strangers hand sometimes. As I perform dangerous tricks, I am wearing a safety belt connected with a safety rope which is held by another person. When I am going on contract, I usually take with me my coach or a friend to show to the new assistant how to hold the line.
What is your favourite circus show and why?
It would be very hard to chose one favourite circus show. I like both contemporary and traditional shows but probably my heart is closer to classic circus. I love watching shows around the world. Just to mention a few, I always go to watch circus festivals if i have free time, I havent missed any of Monte Carlo or Girona festivals in the past years. I have seen many shows from Cirque du Soleil.
In Europe, I would say the most spectacular shows are Circus Knie, Conelli, Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione, Krone, Circus Raluy. Europa Park also has great shows and I also like cabaret and dinner shows like Palazzo Mannheim. From contemporary shows I would highlight the Hungarian Recirquel company and Flip Fabric.
The Capital Circus of Budapest feels like home to me, I have seen many shows here as I have worked there for more than five years. Probably the ones I loved there the most were the Flying Circus and the recent one, Prince of Circus.
Where do you see yourself in the future, in roundabout five years?
Where i see myself in five years: When i started my performing career, I imagined 10-13 year of actively performing with my cloud swing act. I am now in the fourth year. So in five years I am still planning to perform. I have a list of shows where I would love to perform including some of those I mentioned above. I hope I can check some of them off the list.
Whom should we interview next in this series?
My aerialist friend Judit Horváth.
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