We are Johannes Mach (1999, DE) and JB, Jean-Baptiste Thevenod (2000, FR), two artists and friends who graduated in static trapeze from Fontys Circus and Performance Art in Tilburg in 2025. During and after our studies, we worked together in various contexts, as co-artists in a revival of The Man Who Fell From the Sky by Panama Pictures and as rigger and performer in JB’s graduation piece This is knot a trapeze, which was presented during Back to Base #17 and A Day at the Circus 2026. In 2026, we are developing Project A2 together, both as part of the Makershuis programme in Tilburg and in residence as Maker for a Week at TENT.
Research question:
How can we share the trapeze as a limited space with two performers?
We share a strong passion for trapeze and rigging, but take different approaches to our work. JB moves intuitively and playfully with knots and sequences, whilst Johannes focuses on technical precision. These contrasts form the basis of our collaboration. Whereas during our studies we mainly worked solo, afterwards we developed a desire to approach the trapeze together: not as an individual instrument, but as a shared space for interaction and dialogue.
Project A2 is a movement-based research project exploring how two performers can share the limited space of a trapeze. With games we approach this topic in a playful way. During our residency, we set ourselves different challenges and use improvisation to complete them. The constraints of sharing a trapeze lead us through different states of interaction: cooperation, responsibility, trust and at the same time rivalry, dynamic and provocation.
