Body painting (www.thebodycircus.co.uk).

Body Circus paints the town this weekend!

A circus with a difference, the Body Circus, celebrates the art of painting the body with performances, music, costume displays, workshops and a family friendly cornucopia of the beautiful and original. Body Circus will showcase a culturally diverse mix of music shows, dance performances and captivating fine art body painting including workshops and live performances for capoeira, street dance, circus artistry, as well as martial arts displays and fire performances from local artists and beyond. The Body Circus takes place in and around Hastings from Friday 24 May to Sunday 26 May,writes HOT’s Chris Cormack.

On Friday 24 May, the Brass Monkey puts on ‘Wildstyl’n’, an urban arts show with live graffiti art, body art, breakdancing and urban artistry in a setting of hip hop and funk music. On Saturday evening at 8pm, as part of Stade Saturdays, Brighton-based Kitten and the Hip will perform their brew of dance music and big band jazz from the Swing Era. Jazzy female vocals and sax solos abound, conjuring up wild imagery of Zoot-suited dancers.

Victoria Gugenheim, queen of Body Circus - https://www.thebodycircus.co.uk/

During the day from 12-8pm at  the Stade, there will be live performances from local artists Nana Tsiboe, Otti Albietz, The Ecstatic Republic of Conga, Dende Drumming Workshop, The Rhythm Section and This Time Around, also celebrating Hastings Afrika Day. All the time at the Stade from 12-6pm, world award winning body painter, Victoria Gugenheim, the queen of the Body Circus, transforms people from the ordinary to the sublime with her live-on-stage body painting.

At 9pm, the Body Circus presents Brazilica at the Print Works, an evening of funky Latin, Cuban and Brazilian grooves with live music from the Ecstatic Republic of Conga and Dende’s Brazilian drumming and capoeira supported by  DJ’s / Circus Artistry & Dancers and an array of carnival visuals and projections.

At Flairz on Sunday from 12 in the afternoon to 2am, the Body Circus presents the Fire of Anatolia, an intriguing show with the likes of Luna L’Amour, Maisy Minks, Lucy FX and Mimma’s Body Art – admission free (18+) with music from Between Lies and Promises, Set Your Sails, Arcadian Anthem and Empire Avenue. 

Beulah Bell at Black Market (www.thebodycircus.co.uk)

Later see Avastar – more burlesque, circus artistry, body art, poi fire performers with live music and DJ’s at Black Market. Free entry again!  “You’ve seen the movie, now check out the themed club event. Avatar goes Burlesque with The Body Circus @ Black Market on Sunday 26 May from 2pm till 2am”.

At the Stade on Sunday afternoon, there will be workshops for street dance (12 noon), kick-boxing (1.30pm) and circus artistry (3pm).  With Hastings people’s passion for carnival, dressing-up and self-adornment, this weekend should suit us down to a tee!

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