LET THERE BE MAGIC!
Elongated and twisted human beings, giants and dwarfs, wild beasts that obey man’s gestures as if they were meek pets, acrobats literally flying through the air, a whole wonderland swirling at extreme velocity. The circus dimension thrives in a bubble of inflated illusion, be it an outrageous exaggeration of life itself or the embodying of each and every imaginable form of existence. Just draw yourself the most unbelievable, inconceivable, virtually impossible fantasy and be sure that the men from the caravans of laughs, roars and infinite colors have already dreamt of it, some have died trying it, and a very few have brought it to life.
But this touch of miracle is grounded by comedy, where clowns mocking everything are bringing the wonderland down to earth and turning it into a burlesque scene, easier to swallow and to digest by us mortals who are aware of our limited capacities. We know we can’t really fly, can’t really disappear, and can’t really turn ourselves into something else. But instead of obscuring the magic, by submerging it into trivial nonsense, they are only brightening the infinite sea of possibilities that lie at the footsteps of each one of us.
That’s the job of Alex Emelin, performing himself, the paradox of an extraordinary ability in the hands of the clown that laughs at his unearthly capacities. His parody is subtle and elegant, his acrobatic moves are impeccable, and his stature imposing itself above all the rest, but all of these could pass unobserved if it weren’t for his frenetic delight to wallow in the mud of shabbiness.
And it could be just another clownery performance if it weren’t for his sincerity.
THERE IS NO CHARACTER IMPERSONATING BUT CHARACTER IN PERSON
Alex doesn’t wear his emblems, no mask, no make-up, no red nose and no baggy clothes; instead he togs himself up, cocks his chin, boosts his chest and enthralls his audience with a prestidigitator’s gestures. Is he a beguiling clown taking advantage of his sophisticated appearance or is he a magician bluffing and thus mocking us all? We can but swarm in this veil of illusion that he creates, for his honesty is irresistible. It is like he takes his heart out and throws it in the middle of the stage while still beating. At such a raw approach, what else can you do but believe.
Alex Emelin the clown, the magician, the acrobat, the animal trainer is the same Alex Emelin behind the velvet curtains. This is the card up his sleeve and he plays it so well, that you’ll never know if he’s bluffing. He’s waving his great ace in your face, yet you still have the feeling he’s also hiding his spades under his cloak. That’s inborn charisma you’re witnessing.
All this flush might seem arrogant, as one need not flaunt the gifts that have been bestowed upon him, unless he wouldn’t balance it all by making such a fool of himself. And such his performance shifts towards a more humble attitude. If you’ve been to one of his shows you know what I’m talking about, and if you’ve been one of the lucky fellows to be invited on the stage, then you’ve already experienced how natural you can feel in his presence, (even though at that instant the spotlight along with thousands of eyes are on you.) But even if you just take a look at his acts, you notice the ease and spontaneity with which he interacts with the public; this is a vibrant energy that is at once contagious making the spectator participate as if he’s always been one of the circus members.
EVERY SHOW IS LIKE MY LAST SHOW
These are Alex’s words when talking about the energy and attitude that he guises in before each performance and that he inevitably broadcasts throughout the circus arena. And the way that he’s speaking about this makes me think of a mantra, repeated each and every time, in order to enter the proper state of mind and to concentrate the emotional charge. This theme comes out as his perfect solution to support his long career of performances inasmuch as it follows his innate curiosity and enthusiasm. It is all about passion and dedication reinforced by an overly disciplined lifestyle. You can read the endless hours of practice in his precise moves, the perfect choreography of his entire body and especially the ease with which the flow continues in spontaneous circumstances. This fairytale is built on tons of sweat, hard work and perseverance, to say the least. For most, what seems to be keeping the engine running is the addiction for novelty and strong emotions, the rush of adrenaline that pushes him up to the sky, above the audience, above the circus, above all – that state of being when he feels he’s the great magician from which only laughter can save his soul.
The quest for new and the openness with which he addresses everything makes him interested and engaged in each show, as each has its own audience, bringing him new energy, information, emotions. It is a visceral narcissistic urge, but aren’t all performers driven by the same hunger, and aren’t we all voyeurs out there, enjoying their exhibitionism? For all it’s worth, Emelin’s acts create such vortexes that the exchange between him and every spectator cannot be but mutually benefitted; they all get their fair share of amusement and bewilderment and they all satisfy their needs in the end. While the “cherry-on-top” is the aftereffect, the magic that lingers inside, long after the end of the show.
I AM THE ONE, I AM EVERYONE, I AM ANYONE
Alex Emelin is truly a citizen of Planet Earth, where all nationalities converge into one united expression. He’s travelled around the globe, he’s learned and adapted his acts according to each culture, opening up, improvising and accumulating knowledge, like a chameleon that gathers new blueprints from all the skins it has worn along its path. It’s been an evolutionary journey for him, one which has shaped and established his artistic personality, and one which has prepared him for the present moment.
Mother America welcomes him with its open arms as he brings along the world-wide circus enveloped in a charming personal aura. It is the step in his career when he receives the stamp of professional excellence but even more, it seems as if it were predestined for Alex’s journey from mother Russia to reach this land. Making abstraction of the implicit ironic delight, Alex’s interior world has been since forever populated with American idols, swarming his fantasies, guiding his experiences. He knows by heart the lines of all famous movies, he recites them as if they were his, and I can only imagine the intimate circus they’re caught in. If you think about it, you’d most probably hear all of them repeated with Alex’s voice in a Russian accent, but be sure that his thoughts have no accent.
EMBODYING THE ESSENCE OF A WORLD ABOUT TO PASS
When everything is digitalized and brushed up in special effects, when virtual reality is no longer a fantasy but a fact, the only option that stage performers are left with, and, in fact, their only hope, is to revive the most fundamental, humane aspects of their artistic manifestation.
And this is probably why Alex Emelin continues to crowd around him numerous fans and professionals, as well, for he creates genuine emotions with his ‘bare hands’.
Maya Black
