23-26 april in Dresden (Dld)
PRESS RELEASE
5th January 2009
Strong feedback for Startissimo 2009: Many artists interested and widespread
support by well-known ambassadors and jury members
Startissimo 2009, the 7th Circus and Varieté Festival Dresden, receives a
very positive response among national and international artists and other
circus professionals. The festival management already has received more then
80 applications for the competition during the festival which takes place
from 23rd  26th of April 2009. Furthermore, there are now 15 ambassadors
supporting the festival and the first members of the pre-selection team and
of the jury could be appointed.
Feedback by artists worldwide
Since the competition ³Young Professionals² was announced first in October
2008, many interested artists from all over the world have applied for it.
Until now, there were candidatures from Germany, France, Great Britain,
Belgium and Russia as well as from the Ukraine and Switzerland. Startissimo
also attracts artists from non-European countries: even artists from Canada
and Taiwan handed in their application for the competition that will take
place at the Varieté and Circus Festival. There is still the possibility to
register for the competition until 15th of January 2009. The applicants
should be professional artists and from 18-27 years old. All necessary
documents can be found on
www.startissimo.de <http://www.startissimo.de/> .
Support worldwide by international ambassadors
The 7th International Varieté and Circus Festival Dresden offers the
possibility for young artists to present themselves in front of a wide
audience and numerous professionals of the circus branch. In this way,
Startissimo is supposed to be the ideal stepping stone into the varieté and
circus business for the young professionals. Many famous personalities from
circus and varieté like to support this idea by working as ambassadors for
Startissimo 2009 and promoting it in their countries. As international
ambassadors act among others ³The Queen of Clowns² ANTOSCHKA (alias
Ekaterina Mozhaeva; Russland), Julia Trush (³Trio Bingo², artist; Ukraine),
Martin Hanson (founder of the World Circus Association; the Netherlands),
Rustam Tsodikov (artist; White Russia), Peter Dubinsky (President of
Firebird Productions Inc.; USA), Nikolay Kobzov (choreographer and President
of ³Kobzov¹s Circus Union²; Ukraine) as well as Felicity Simpson (Directrice
of ³Circolombia² and Co-Founder of ³Circo Para Todos Colombia²; Great
Britain).
Also in its home country Germany, Startissimo 2009 already found many
supporters who work as ambassadors of the festival. These are Arnd Schimkat
(actor and comedian, Munich), Sven ³Daniello² Pawlitschko (clown, comedian
and magician; Berlin), Karl Heinz Helmschrot (producer, director and
presenter; Hannover) as well as Stefan Warmuth (Head of the ³Savoy Dance
Orchestra², director and producer; Berlin). Furthermore, there are Renate
Wasdrack (Owner of the agency ³Les Artistes²; Berlin), Vitaly Peresunchak
(CEO of the Art & Show GmbH; Wiesbaden), Dimitrij Sacharow (producer,
director, actor and musician; Berlin) as well as Moritz Denker (CEO of think
entertainment; Berlin) supporting the festival as ambassadors.
Pre-selection committee and jury ensure high quality of the competition.
During the days of the festival, the international artists and artist
ensembles have the possibility to present their skills in two competitions
and to compete with each other on a high international level. On 23rd of
April 2009, the competition ³Young Newcomer² will take place. The 2nd
competition, ³Young Professional² where candidates compete for the ³Goldener
Rathausmann² (golden member of City Hall) will be on 24th of April 2009. The
highlight of the festival is the glamorous TV gala on 26th of April 2009
which will be broadcasted by the national TV station MDR. Many well-known
personalities from varieté and circus will ensure an expert valuation of the
presentations as members of the pre-selection committee and of the jury.
For the pre-selection committee which chooses the best artists and artist
ensembles among all registrations for the competition ³Young Professionals²,
the first members could be appointed: Next to Renate Wasdrack who also works
as festival ambassador, there are also Ronald Wendorf (Art director, Federal
School of Ballet, Berlin and School of Artistry) and Markus Pabst (artistry
director, Berlin) in this independent board. The list of artists who are
nominated to participate in the competition on 24th of April 2009 will be
published in February 2009.
During the competition ³Young Professionals², the presentations are rated by
a jury. Cynthia Akanga (choreographer; Canada/Belgium), Andrew Watson
(³Acrobatic Performance Designer² for Franco Dragone; Great Britain/Belgium
and Werner Buss (member of the managing board of GOP Entertainment-Group;
Hannover) are already determined as members of the jury. Markus Pabst who
already takes part in the pre-selection committee will also have a seat in
the jury.
In the next weeks, more ambassadors as well as members of the pre-selection
committee and of the jury for Startissimo 2009 will be announced.
With Startissimo 2009, the city of Dresden is continuing its long-lasting
circus tradition which started with the foundation of the legendary and
still well-known ³Zirkus Sarrasani². The mayor of the city of Dresden, Ms
Helma Orosz, will be the patroness for the 7th Startissimo festival. It will
be presented again by MDR 1 Radio SACHSEN and MDR SACHSENSPIEGEL. The
festival will offer first-class artistry for all who are interested in the
art of varieté and circus. 1,200 spectators can watch the performances,
three in total, of Startissimo 2009. It will take place at the Messe Dresden
(Dresden Fair Centre) and tickets will be available in January 2009. More
information about the festival, the ambassadors as well as the members of
jury and pre-selection committee can be found at
www.startissimo.de<http://www.startissimo.de/> .
Contacts Startissimo 2009  7th International Varieté and Circus Festival
Dresden
Organiser:
Dresdner Varieté- und Zirkusverein e. V.
Sebastian Schneemann (Chairman)
Peschelstraße 39
01139 Dresden
Phone: +49 (0)351 85 35 611 / Fax: +49 (0)351 84 05 206
Web:
www.startissimo.de <http://www.startissimo.de/>
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