Cape Town’s beloved Zip Zap Circus is moving

After 16 years of thrilling audiences with dazzling performances in Cape Town’s city centre, the Zip Zap Circus is looking for new premises.

Zip Zap’s lease on the property of “The Dome” in the Founders Garden outside the Artscape Theatre comes to an end early next year. In 2020, the Western Cape Government announced that the land will be used for a high-rise, mixed-use development which will include affordable housing.

A new performance site is being discussed for the popular circus, but funds need to be raised for this. Meanwhile, the Zip Zap academy in Salt River will continue to run programmes and teach.

The Dome has been an integral part to the success of Zip Zap. “We’re very grateful for the 16 years that they’ve let us stand on that property,” said Brent van Rensburg, co-founder of Zip Zap circus.

“We’ve made massive strides by being there… it allowed us to grow exponentially to where we are now”, he said. The Dome has also been a secondary source of income for Zip Zap, which hired it out for corporate events.

But all is not lost. The Western Cape Government has offered the circus a new site in the Artscape Theatre Centre’s Plaza forecourt.

“The vision is to build a permanent performance space,” said Van Rensburg. He said Zip Zap had a 50-year lease from Artscape “and we are trying desperately to fundraise”.

The new “Zip Zap Arena” will offer a venue for circus arts and also for other art forms like drama, ballet, dance and opera. It will have retractable seating, making the venue suitable for a variety of events.

In order to get the project started, R65-million is needed, but the total cost will be closer to R100-million, Van Rensburg said. The income generated from the Zip Zap Arena will go back into the organisation and cover the venue’s running expenses.

Van Rensburg said the new design is modelled on an old “traditional circus tent…but with a very big modern twist”.

Zip Zap Circus was started by Van Rensburg and Laurence Estève 32 years ago. “We started with a box of costumes, a trapeze bar in the tree, and a big dream”, said van Rensburg.

They funded the circus school with money they made working as flying trapeze artists and stunt performers in movies. Today the organisation teaches roughly 3,000 students every year in a host of programmes.

Zip Zap Circus is about more than the flying trapeze artists, or the incredible athleticism seen in the circus. “It is a tool for education and upliftment”, said Estève. Zip Zap Circus runs nine programmes throughout the year and works with partners including Early Childhood Development centres, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and clinics in disadvantaged areas.

There is also an advanced circus programme and a professional troupe of 10 performers called “Moya”. These performers come from the different programmes, they are paid salaries and tour around the world. “They’re providing for their families and themselves. They’re making a living with their art form,” said Estève.

“I feel really sad that they’re closing the Dome, because this is the place that I started my dream,” said 22-year-old Akho Narwele. Narwele, who is from Nyanga, is one of the 10 Moya performers, and specialises in juggling with clubs. He joined Zip Zap when he was 16.

“This is where I grew up,” said Jason Barnard, who has spent roughly 16 years, off and on, with the organisation. Inspired by his grandfather who was a trapeze artist, Barnard joined Zip Zap when he was eight years old. Now 30, he is a coach and performer in the Moya team.

Barnard said he has spent half of his life at The Dome and it’s a pity that it is closing. “I hope another building gets built soon”.

“Zip Zap Circus is more than just an arts project. It changes young people’s lives,” said Marlene le Roux, chief executive of the Artscape Theatre.

“Art is a powerful vehicle to unite our nation in our diversity.”

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