The Pieces
By Aloft
The Pieces is created by Shayna Swanson, award-winning director and founder of Aloft Circus Arts, known internationally for bold, intimate circus that transforms how audiences gather and connect. Following the global success of Brave Space, this new large-scale work shifts the lens outward — into a world where structures feel unstable and independence is overvalued.
At its core, The Pieces is about shared weight. The ladders are not props but partners: they demand listening, negotiation, and trust. Nothing stands alone for long. Towers only rise when responsibility is distributed. Collapse is not failure — it is information.
The work unfolds without text, allowing the body to speak first. Breath, impact, friction, and suspension create a live architecture that evolves in real time. The performers are not demonstrating tricks; they are testing systems.
In a cultural moment defined by division and noise, The Pieces offers something physical and immediate: a reminder that resilience is built collectively, and that strength is not domination, but support.
SHOW INFORMATION
Duration: 45-60 min outdoor. 60-75 min indoor.
Genre: Circus and outdoor
Audience type: 14+
Audience capacity: Medium scale indoor. Large scale outdoor.
Type of space: Indoor Theatre, black box, pros arch. Outdoor spaces.
Shows per day: 2 shows per day
credits
Artistic director: Shayna Swanson
Producer: Aloft & Cluster Arts
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About ALOFT
Founded in 2005, Aloft Circus Arts brings heart and artistry to a performance art usually associated with physical strength and fearlessness. The resulting shows highlight more than just the physical capacity to fly, twist, balance, and spin - we celebrate the human capacity for sensitivity as well as strength, beauty as well as bravery, empathy as well as pure creative fire. Our performers are some of the premier athletes in the world, from a diverse range of circus acts - but when we work together, the stories we share with the audience are always about the feelings and experiences that unite us all. We look to have a direct emotional dialogue with our audience, and due to our accessible nature, everyone regardless of education, age, culture or background can be engaged.
Aloft has produced 8 full length shows and performed countless one-off performances around the world. Our ongoing shows “El Circo Cheapo Cabaret” and “Sanctuary” have gained a cult following in Chicago, selling out every monthly show for the last 11 years! In addition to performances, Aloft runs one of the largest circus schools in the United States, creating a training center for new artists so that we always have exciting new talent to bring our productions to life.
