Photographer: Tomas Lauvland Pettersen

National Talent Programme for Contemporary Circus 2026-2027

National Talent Programme for Contemporary Circus 2026-2027

Since 2023, Dans Sørøst-Norge has identified contemporary circus as a key focus area within its activities as a competence centre. The Norwegian circus field is evolving and holds significant potential for growth. At the same time, the field is characterized by a fragmented infrastructure. Dans Sørøst-Norge’s commitment to contemporary circus aims to support both artistic development and the strengthening of the infrastructure surrounding this art form.

At the beginning of 2026, we announced an open call for participation in the National Talent Programme for Contemporary Circus. The programme is a direct part of our contemporary circus initiative and is carried out with support from Talent Norge and Sparebankstiftelsen DNB.

This talent programme is aimed at emerging contemporary circus creators and is designed to strengthen their skills and competencies in developing productions for the stage. The programme is structured around the development and production of artistic projects and performances, with a focus on dramaturgy, directing, and choreography, as well as collaboration with other artistic contributors in areas such as lighting design and scenography.

Participants will also strengthen their careers through exposure to national and international networks. In addition, they will receive mentoring on how to build a sustainable artistic career.

Five participants across four projects have now been selected for the talent programme. The participants receive programme grants as well as support and resources for the different components of the programme.

The National Talent Programme for Contemporary Circus is part of a broader effort to strengthen the contemporary circus field in Norway, and applicants must be able to demonstrate a connection to the Norwegian contemporary circus community.

The programme is open for up to 8 participants. Both individual artists and groups/collectives are eligible to apply. Participants will receive a programme grant as well as support/resources for the various programme activity .

The National Talent Programme for Contemporary Circus is a means to strenghten contemporary circus in Norway, and applicants must demonstrate a connection to the Norwegian circus field.

Participants 2026–2027

August Rohde-Aass

August Rhode-Aass is a contemporary circus artist, creator, and aspiring director. He graduated from Stockholm University of the Arts in 2024, specializing in teeterboard together with Blauwal Company. Through his experience with collective creation and this particular discipline, his scenic practice is rooted in collaboration, physicality, and risk.

Inspired by performance art and interdisciplinary creation, he develops projects with a DIY aesthetic and a curiosity about the possibilities and limitations of the human body. Through visual and often site-specific works, he explores movement, space, and memory in an attempt to understand and process human experience.

Freya Stokka

Freya Stokka is a circus artist from Oslo. She trained at Circomedia and has spent the past ten years primarily working and touring in England and across Europe with companies such as Mimbre, TENT, and Superfan. She works mainly as an acrobat, with a particular interest in performing arts in public spaces and in how the stage can be used to explore challenging themes in new ways. After many years abroad, she has now returned to Oslo and is curious to explore what performing arts can mean in a Norwegian context.

Marta Alstadsæter and Kim-Jomi Alstadsæter

The Dutch-Norwegian duo still still, consisting of Marta Alstadsæter and Kim-Jomi Alstadsæter, creates performances at the intersection of circus and dance. Their work explores human relationships, connection, and physical communication. Through a distinctive movement practice, where partner acrobatics meets contemporary dance, they create poetic and visual expressions that invite the audience into their own interpretations and experiences.

Using simple yet powerful physical metaphors, they explore how the body can communicate what is difficult to express in words. Their performances balance the raw and the vulnerable, moving within the tension between intimacy, trust, and risk.

Luiza Adjuto

Luiza Adjuto is a circus artist from Brasília, now based in Oslo. She graduated from the National Circus Institute and has a background in circus, dance, and sports science. She specializes in aerial hoop and, through her artistic practice, also explores performance, parkour, and scenography.

Since childhood, Luiza has been deeply engaged with movement, and throughout her career she has worked with circus companies in both South America and Europe, touring festivals and collaborating with performers, directors, and interdisciplinary projects. Her work is driven by a strong interest in movement, art, ecology, feminism, and the ways in which art can engage with philosophy and politics.

At the moment, she works on her solo project What’s-her-face, developed in collaboration with Instrumento de Ver, and as a performer for Cie Arrepio.

About the Talentprogramme and the Application

- Recidendy- and production periods in Bærum Kulturhus and our partnering venues to develop their projects/performances over the period of Fall 2026 – December 2027

- During the residencies, the participants receive artistic support in direction, dramaturgy and choreography.

- Workshops in direction, dramaturgy and choreography as well as light design and scenography prior to the residency period.

- Conversations with a mentor about career choices, networking and means and actions for developing a sustainable career.

- Workshop in application writing and project management and -budgeting

- Network development through Dance South-East Norways national and international networks.

- Participants will receive a programme grant as well as support/resources for the various programme activity

- National Talent Programme for Contemporary Circus is supported by Talent Norge. Participation also gives access to Talent Norges professional seminars.

- Participants that are admitted into the programme will conduct audience outreach activities such as workshops, work-in-progress sharings etc.

- The talent programme for contemporary circus is a part-time programme with activity spread over the period of June 2026-December 2027. The initial estimate of programme activity is approx. 9-10 weeks, as well as mentor sessions and possibly Talent Norges professional seminars.

By accepting to take part, participants commit to carry out programme activities in agreed time periods. Periods to be announced and agreed upon during the selection process.
NB! Application must be sent in English in. pdf format to danssorost@baerum.kommune.no and must include the following:

- CV and photo (Maximum one page)

- Videoreel of your artistic work – maximum 3 minutes

- Project description of the project/performance you would like to develop through the programme. You can apply with both project ideas, projects that are in development/creation stage as well as further development of existing projects.

You can apply with a maximum of 2 projects, with a maximum lenght of one page per project description.

- A letter of motivation of maximum one page. In the letter we ask you to:

- Express how you would like to develop as a contemporary cirkus maker.

- Demonstrate your connection to the Norwegian contemporary circus field.

- You are welcome to propose one or more mentors you would like to work with.

- You need a registered administrative body (company/organisation/undertaking) to be eligible to apply. This applies to both individual artists and companies.
Subject line: Application National Talent Programme for Contemporary Cirkus

E-mail content set up:

Name:

Surname:

e-mail:

Tel. No. (country code included):

Adress/country of residency:

Link to videoreel (maks 3 min. video):

Attachments - NB! All attachments must be in .pdf format:

CV and photo – maximum one page (upload)

Letter of motivation – maximum one page (upload)

Project description 1 – maximum one page per project

Project description 2 (if appliccable) - maximum one page per project

About Dance South-East Norway

Dance South-East Norway (DSN) is a centre for professional contemporary dance and circus. DSN is one of Norways most active co-producing and presenting venues with a significant level of international collaborations and presence. DSN is operated by Bærum Kulturhus, and focuses on artistic development, production, programming and dissemination. The centres activity unfolds in the intersection between professional artists, presenters and audiences. Through this, we continue to build a comprehensive structure that enhances the conditions for the creation, performance, experience of and participation in physical performing arts.