"The Audition" Premiers Sept. 18

The Canadian Pacific Ballet and Jake West present to you their newest collaboration -
“The Audition”.  Weaving together graceful, romantic ballet with circus arts, The Audition is a hilarious show where we cast a new member in an upcoming role.  Melded to the story are gorgeous dance pieces, new school juggling and tons of physical comedy from a diverse array of talented artists.  Join us to laugh and be mezmerised  as we spin and twirl into your lives.  

Nice shot from Market Square in Victoria

This shot was taken by Vadym Graifer.  I love how it pops.  Check out his work here:
http://photography.realitytrader.com/

It has been great performing with the Canadian Pacific Ballet.  The last two nights have been really fun - the audiences have really enjoyed our ballet/circus collaboration.  I have been thoroughly enjoying doing my Tony Saltana "comedy choreographer" with the dancers - it just fits so perfectly.  We have a fabulous show in the works which we will premier at the Cowichan Wine Festival at Merridale Farm Sept. 18.  The show is premised on an audition with the audience woven together with graceful ballet, circus arts and hilarity.

And don't forget  - Ballet Under the Stars continues Aug. 9 through to the 24th.  Next up - I will be doing some comedia del arte with the ballet.  Should be a fun and interesting challenge.
Rocking,
JAKE

Big Crowds at Victoria Busker Festival

both sides of the coin was honored to be part of the big gala show on the Empress Lawn at the Victoria Busker Festival.  We do have video, but we are both so busy at the moment that it is on the backburner.  Thanks again Victoria for supporting your local artists.  Your rock!

Jake West in the Globe and Mail

It was a pleasure talking to columnist, Tom Hawthorn, of the Globe and Mail about performing, busking and circus.  He wrote a great article, check it out:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/tom-hawthorn/shareTweet/article2101458/?utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links&utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_source=twitter.com

both sides on the menu

Thank you very much to Anthony Sanna at Ambrosia Centre for putting us on the menu and giving us a whole bunch of free exposure.  YOU ROCK!

Working the Victoria Busker Festival

We thoroughly enjoyed working the Empress Hotel lawn this afternoon in the Inner Harbor of Victoria.  We have already been in two newspapers and will be in The Globe and Mail tomorrow.

Come check us out this week.

Cirque audition - not this round

Well, I didn't make it this time around.  It was a great experience and I learned a lot.  The talent scout said that I was holding too much tension, and ya, he was right, I could feel myself doing it but just could not correct it.  

The competition was crazy.  Everyone was super funny and and had absolutely amazing characters!  There were 30 people there and about 10 of us got cut in the first round.  There were a few people that did not even get to do their 2 min solo.  This poor girl, it was her second time and she didn't even get to do her act.  That is rough. 

You know, now that I think of it, that was my first audition ever!  Most of the people there were definitely seasoned audition pros - I did not stand a chance this round.  But I am a fast learner and will do much better in round 2.  

The scout was a super nice guy and told me to keep working and sending him stuff.  

And as I said before, I am not that fussed.  Back to Vancouver Island  - no problem.  Keep working.  

Rocking, 

JAKE

Circus+Ballet = Fabulous Art

I can't remember the last time I saw contact juggling and ballet combined.  I have been working hard with the Canadian Pacific Ballet and last night we performed this piece for the first time in Market Square in Victoria.  It turned out gorgeous.

This is just a little trailer.  We will perform it until the end of August, so there will be many more opportunities to make it tighter and tighter.  At the end of the summer, I will provide you with the full version.

And I have also been working on a new clown act that I performed for the first time last night.  I definitely got the laughs, but now watching the video, there are so many comedy gaps to fill.  Luckily, I get to perform it again so I can make it more solid.

Clown audition for Cirque - you have 2 min

That's right.  You have 2 minutes of solo time to wow them or you may possibly be cut before lunch.

So, for you clowns and physical actors out there who want to perform for Cirque du Soleil, condense your best material into 2 minutes and let loose.

I will let you know how it goes...

JAKE

Jake West with the CP Ballet

I am absolutely delighted to be working with the Canadian Pacific Ballet every Tues and Wed night in Market Square in Victoria for the rest of the summer.  We are just in the midst of developing a fabulous collaboration between contact juggling and ballet.  We are making art!  I will also perform a multi-ball act in their show.  I am also really excited about playing with a new clown piece that I am working on.  I am not sure how this one is going to end, so it is a perfect opportunity to explore the possibilities through a summer of animating the crowd.

Please come down and enjoy the show.  Check them out here:
http://www.canadianpacificballet.org/

Rocking, 

JAKE

Chris Murdoch at Guilt and Co.

Here's a little improv. from Decadent Eccentric - my monthly Emcee gig with the fabulous Luciterra.

Housed in Vancouver's historic Gastown, this is the perfect place for us to work with new material - always expanding, always creating.

Chris

The Blues Circus Promo

Take a minute to watch our incredible show.  I decided to keep it raw to show you glimpses of just how good the live music is; how that music interacts with the circus artists; and bits of our story.  This is a fabulous hour and and fifteen minute jam packed tale of how it is really only ourselves who are our greatest stumbling blocks.  The story is set in the hard times of the olden railroad days where the Blues was born.  Trains, chain gangs, bars, big tops, crossroads and the devil mix with high caliber circus arts that will entrance you.
All Aboard!

This cast of 7 is one of the most rock solid teams you will ever have a chance to meet.  All of our skills are highly complementary.  We can cover almost everything; from the technicals - lighting, sound and stage management, to the diverse range of performance arts.  This show is super compact and requires no rigging.  It can be adapted to pretty much every event, festival or theater.

Join us for The Blues Circus.  We will no doubt leave a lasting impression upon you.  But don't just take it from us, read a review here:
http://www.guttersnipenews.com/features/homepage-features/in-the-house-festival/

If you want to see more, check out our hilarious bar scene:

Clown Research

I have been doing my homework big time on the Cirque du Soleil audition process.  My buddy is one of the acrobatic trainers and he told me that the Red Bastard had just been through.  He is the clown in the new Cirque show, "Iris" opening up in LA.  He is very funny and totally out there.  Check it out:



Rocking!
JAKE

Chris Murdoch and Luciterra

For the last seven months, I've had the honour of Collaborating more and more with the amazing fusion bellydance group,  Luciterra. We have a monthy one-hour show at Guilt and Co. in Gastown, Vancouver where I act as Emcee and perform my solo acts.

It is a fantastic opportunity to create new material every month, and periodically combine two seemingly different art forms: contact juggling and bellydance!


 I'm always impressed by their ability to create stunning choreography that's tight and prostar every month...

Recently, Luciterra asked me to host Whiskey Rain Revue: a spring show that included their students and many prominent bellydance groups from Vancouver, the lower mainland and Vancouver Island. As the lead-up to the finale of the evening we performed the number created for Hallowe'en, to a standing ovation!