TENT house for contemporary circus

Jam Shenanigans is a fresh, young, and playful duo consisting of Batist Van Baekel (2000, BE) and Henri Kangas (1998, FIN). Henri and Batist met during their studies in Codarts Circus Arts in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, where they quickly found out that they share a similar interest in object manipulation. After graduating, Henri (2021) & Batist (2022), the Maker for a Week stands as the kickoff for their first creation. 

Our style is a combination of high energy, playfulness, and passion for objects. Shenanigans (working title) explores the role and effect of playfulness, creativity, and imagination in a society where everything revolves around screens. By manipulating toys, they want to explore the essence of the inner child inside all of us. 

During our studies in Codarts we discovered the role of TENT in the Dutch circus scene. We had the pleasure to be taught by one of their directors, Rosa Boon, who encouraged us to get into further contact with TENT. The Maker for a Week, for us, is a natural steppingstone from student to professional.


SHENANIGANS • 3-7 OCT 2022
How to spark back our inner child?

Batist van Baekel and Henri Kangas, aka Jam Shenanigans, put themselves in the shoes of the child that grows up and goes through various stages to adulthood. While the screen dominates our lives, they look at the effect of playfulness, creativity, and imagination. How does one's view of toys change at different stages of life? With their artistic skills - including object manipulation, dance, and acrobatics - they evoke memories of flying cars, the taste of shortbread biscuits and the excited feeling in your stomach when you have built your dream fortress. They hope to awaken the inner child in us and give the viewer to understand that being playful and imaginative is not just for children.


MAKER FOR
A WEEK


 jam.shenanigans