Generalists vs Specialists

Circus News

Generalists vs Specialists

Since the dawn of the new century, a shift has been happening in the circus world, and multidisciplinary circus artists have been sought out for new stages,  shows, and companies. But specialists of one discipline are here to stay. Looking to performers of the past and present, Martin Frenette breaks down the appeal of generalist versus specialist artists– and how each one can thrive in the contempary market.
When Frank Sinatra walked on stage at Caesar’s Palace in 1982, he did so with his show tuxedo and signature smile. The Las Vegas audience enthusiastically waited for “Fly Me to the Moon,” “New York, New York,” and other classics. They had come to see a polished act. The same could be said of those who attended Rizoma at Berlin’s Wintergarten in 2007. Anatoly Zalievsky Unlike Sinatra’s fans, rare were the ticket holders who could spell Anatoly Zalievsky’s name. The Ukrainian hand balancer gained world fame in 199...
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Martin Frenette

Impassioned by performing arts, Martin Frenette started intensive dance training at a very young age before trading pliés and barres for ropes and somersaults at Montreal National Circus School. He has spent a decade performing in several shows in Europe, such as Circus Monti, Chamäleon Theater, Wintergarten Varieté, Cirque Bouffon, GOP Show Concepts or the Max Entertainment Palace, to name a few. Writing has always been one of Martin's passions and he's thrilled to join Circus Talk's team to share his views on shows, the stage and what's going on behind the scenes with other performing arts enthusiasts!