A new show from Gandini Juggling inspired by magic and the choreography of illusion

Gandini Juggling, the world-renowned and much-loved contemporary circus ensemble, will give the UK premiere of its first new show for three years at The Place, London from 30 January to 1 February as part of Mime London.

Heka - named after the Egyptian goddess of magic - has its world premiere in France in December and will be the Christmas show at Paris’ Theatre de la Ville before it materialises in the UK. After The Place performances, it will be touring until June with ten venues confirmed and more to be added.

Heka marks a departure for director Sean Gandini as he revisits the fascination with magic which began during his childhood in Havana. Using magic as a source of creativity and a choreographic language, he deconstructs the movements we associate with magic to create new and unexpected juggling tricks. Two magicians - Yann Frisch (France) and Kalle Nio (Finland) - have worked as magic consultants on the show.

Infused with a captivating blend of humour and philosophy, Heka draws inspiration from 20th-century magic tricks, mind games, sleights of hand. Embracing elements of contemporary choreography, it reimagines magic using repetition, counterpoint and misdirection and explores the dynamics of group magic, probing the possibilities of multiple hands and gestures and delving into the nuances of delay and anticipation. The result is a mesmerising choreography of juggling where everything is definitely not as it seems…

By reinterpreting magic tricks through a choreographic language, the female jugglers of Heka emerge as the true protagonists, channelling the Egyptian goddess and challenging the gender stereotypes that have long persisted in the field of magic.

Gandini Juggling will be running a workshop programme alongside the Heka tour. A range of two-hour workshops, both in person and online, aimed at professional jugglers and performers and those that are new to the art form will be available.