Published in the Oregonian Thursday, November 27th, 2008.

Acrobatic troup | The energetic group replaces three members but lands on its feet

By Tom D’Antoni
SPECIAL TO THE OREGONIAN

Kazüm!, a troupe of three men and two women who use elements of acrobatics, acrobalance, dance, gymnastics and cheerleading, is a fixture at the Oregon Country fair as well as those avant-garde circuses that seem to be everwhere these days.

But it wasn’t too long ago that two founding members of the 4-year-old troupe, Ulrikka Haveron and Scott Maxwell, wondered if its days were numbered as they tried to replace three people.

"I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like," she said. "I had worked with other folks for two years and I tried to stay optimistic, but there was a moment when I was like, ‘Is it all just going to crumble and fall apart?’"

After a trip to Burning Man, "I regained optimism and came home with the feeling that it was all going to work out. Part of me is like, ‘Is this really happening? Is it really this easy?’ It’s been empowering."

Over the past few months, the troupe added Russell Bruner, an award-winning swing dancer with cheerleading skills, and Alexander Dial, who has firedancing and martial arts experience. Miranda May came aboard shortly thereafter.

"Russ was a natural," Ulrikka said. "He knew the acrobatic swing moves. Alex has been a fire dancer. He’s mentally sharp and trustworthy. If you’re falling, he will catch you. He is very eager to learn and patient."

Attempting acrobatic feats, or stunts as they call them, is full of danger, and trust is essential.

There are certain tricks I had to start from scratch to build trust with them. So far, so good.
Ulrikka Haveron
Kazüm! acrobat

"It (trust) is vital. The girls couldn’t possibly do it if they don’t trust you because their job is to come down in a ‘V’ with their butt aimed at the ground," Scott said. "If they don’t trust you to catch them, there’s no way they can do that. The girls can commit to doing something that they’re really nervous about knowing that they’re going to be safe, that they’re not going to bounce."

That trust, more than learning new routines, has been perhaps the most important thing in breaking in the new performers.

"I have full faith in Scott that if something goes wrong he knows how to get me down safely. The new guys all feel very safe and trustworthy," Ulrikka says. "There are certain tricks I had to start from scratch to build trust with them. So far, so good."

Reworking the troupe is a little like developing a new routine. They have been developing a performance for the "White Album Christmas" show, a holiday circus spectacular set to the music of the Beatles’ "White Album," a collaboration of March Fourth’s John Averill and Noah Mickens set for Dec. 12 and 19 at the Bossanova Ballroom.

For Ulrikka, trying new things is exciting but scary.

"It’s almost like walking in the dark. Often we’re trying things that your body has never experienced before," she said, the morning after a grueling rehearsal. "That can be the scariest part. I might think about hanging myself upside down and say, ‘So it might kind of feel like this.’ You’re not really sure, but once you experience it for the first time, something clicks. It’s not going to be perfect the first time, but now you have an idea of what it’s going to be like."

Scott adds, "When you’re first learning it you’ve got to be thinking about every single motion you’re doing, where your hands are going to be, where the balance is going to be until that becomes second nature. Then your body takes over, and it’s amazing you’ll go out on stage and you’ll just watch yourself perform it."

Or, as Ulrikka puts it (with a smile), "You just have to jump into the hole of darkness."