Elisa, we missed her at the Skate and circus lab of last winter 2022. Hell to those d#%^* covid travel restrictions. But eventually we could meet up in 3D, while she was training at her artistic residency at UP - Circus and Performing Arts, the circus center of Brussels. We took some time to get some photos of her work and ask her a few questions about her upgoing project, that we are happy to share with you!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
My name is Elisa Oliva, I’m from Aosta, Italy, a small town on the Alps. Since I remember I was always interested in arts, especially in writing and photography. After high school I moved to London (2013) to study cinema in order to be a screenwriter later on. At the same time, however, I discovered circus, skateboarding, slacklining and so on... It was a very difficult time because I felt loads of conflict in my creativity, I was studying cinema but on my free time I was writing less and less and I would mostly express my body and explore these subcultures. So, after almost five years in London, realizing that now it was the time to listen to my body I decided to join Flic circus school in Turin (2019) and to come back in Italy for a while. This is the time in which I started to fuss around with the skateboard in a circus context. After covid I moved to Barcelona (2022) in order to be in the European capital of skateboarding, been part of la central del circ and keep growing this project with the skateboard. Now I'm on full mode creation for this project called TreNotturno that should be ready by the next year (hopefully!).
When did you start fussing around with a skateboard?
I always wanted to try skateboarding. I'm from the Alps so I used to do snowboard, but the skateboarding scene was very small and with no girls on sight. When I moved to London I bought my first board and went to the Southbank (long live Southbank!). And since day one, the skateboarding community has always been welcoming to me, that in city like London meant a lot to me because it allowed me to make many friends and to find my communities. I mean, I went to one of the most well known skatepark in the world without knowing how to ollie, and the people there were very welcoming, they helped me and we finished the night together.
I'm from the Alps so I used to do snowboard, but the skateboarding scene was very small and with no girls on sight. When I moved to London I bought my first board and went to the Southbank (long live Southbank!). And since day one, the skateboarding community has always been welcoming to me
What about the circus and the aerial rope, did it come before or after? How did you get into it?
I discovered circus and especially silks at the end of high school and felt very natural because I always climbed. Skateboarding came with me moving to London. But it all came together with the decision of trying circus professionally. Basically I thought I couldn’t do skateboarding anymore in order to focus on circus (I was afraid of injuries) so I left it for a good year. At the end I was missing it too much and decided to bring it with me on my circus journey.
When did you get the idea to mix it all up ?
Before auditions for circus school. I was missing skateboard so much and was always going with it to a circus space. One day I started to mix it, got loads of attention (especially from jugglers) and I finally created a small number with it. The idea of this number was to show all my skills and to stand out a bit. I didn’t know it would stick for so much!
At the end I was missing it too much and decided to bring it with me on my circus journey. (...) I didn’t know it would stick for so much!
When you think about it, skateboard is all about gliding along the floor line and the horizontal axis. The aerial rope is the exact opposite ! It's all about the vertical axis. How do you deal with those two conflicting dynamics?
At first it felt very difficult, during circus school it was very challenging and sometimes I was feeling that I wanted to separate the two and just going back in enjoying it separately. However, sticking with it made me realize the visual and expressive possibilities of these two axes. I think that both skateboarding and aerial rope defy gravity, it’s this momentum that makes me connect them and where I try to resolve this dilemma.
You probably had super ideas of your skateboard practice mixing up with your aerial rope practice, but then comes the reality check... What difficulties do you encounter and how do you get around them?
Usually, I have different channels of research for this mashup and I often feel pretty inspired, the research bit never felt a problem to me, even though it can seem so unusual. Usually with the horizontal axis there no problem, is all about old school skateboard or freestyle. Or I resolve it with the imagination of a juggler, focusing on the manipulation of the two apparatuses. The vertical axis is the most challenging, but as my focus is on an expressive and artistic practice I usually resolve it in a visual way. I look for images that channel the expression I want. It’s all about the artistic feeling and a visual composition.
Do you see yourself as a "professional skateboard & circus" artist? Or is it more of an exploration within your aerial rope practice?
The second, I brought skateboarding into my circus life because I didn’t want thing to finish between us. Now we have this open relationship going on.
Tell us more about your project "TreNotturno"...
It’s my first creation, a project in which circus and urban arts meet. The translation would be NighTrain, which is basically a train that literally travels through the night and stops in moments/landscapes of the night time. In these urban dark landscapes, an aerial rope meets the skateboard to board this night journey where the destination is only an illusion. “Welcome to the NighTrain, if you have Nowhere To Go, you’re going to the Right Place! The train will stop at the following night gradations: Twilight, Dusk, Midnight, Cold Night, Dead of Night, 4 AM, Sunrise….”
I brought skateboarding into my circus life because I didn’t want thing to finish between us. Now we have this open relationship going on.
Is the combination of circus and urban art attractive to circus centre? Is it easy to produce, promote and live off your work?
So far the responses from the skateboarding and circus community have been positive, people express curiosity and support the idea. I honestly feel more freedom of expression and curiosity from skateboarders and sometimes more judgment from the circus community. I think skateboarding is based on “you do you” - where each one is free to express their own individuality and creativy within a group and enjoying and loving the lifestyle - whereas in the circus world I feel much more creatively constrained, where there are certain artistic canons and some unwritten rules that sometimes I find hard to follow. It's definitely not easy (as any artistic profession I think) but I am trying hard to make it work with the help and support of family and friends.
In the circus world I feel much more creatively constrained, where there are certain artistic canons and some unwritten rules that sometimes I find hard to follow.
Who helped you develop your idea ?
Many teachers and friends in circus school, skateboarders friends, many people in la Central del Circ nowadays, you guys from Skatoria that have an interest in this project, Italo Calvino with his books, taking night time film pictures and so on…
What do you enjoy most about skateboarding ?
The sensation of freedom that it give first of all. Then the feeling of being part of the skatepark, in a urban spaces where actions and gathering of people makes it a place to be for me. As Mile End in London was part of my home now Barcelona’s Pic Nic and Marbella are part of my life in here.
What about the circus ?
Pretty much the same answer. I love to express my body and I am very happy that I choose to explore its possibilities every day with the family that comes with.
And both together?
The mashup madness that unexpectedly works. Like this smashup song that I find so cheesy that it actually works (often present during these residency moment when everything doesn’t make sense anymore): Moderat A New’s Erros with an Italian classic Felicità (happiness) by Albano and Romina.
What's your next challenge?
Finish this work and work/live thanks to it! And also finding the time to learn how to play the drums.
Where can we follow your work?
I’m pretty active on Instagram with this, and soon(ish) a website should be active. I don’t post much of it on Instagram, I will by next summer in which I will start to show more actively the work in progress! This is my Instagram: Elisa0liva (the o is a zero)
I think that both skateboarding and aerial rope defy gravity, it’s this momentum that makes me connect them and where I try to resolve this dilemma.
Interview and photos by Kévin Dupont, taken at UP - Circus and Performing Arts (2023)
Produced by Skatoria - Posterzin "SKATE ✚ CIRQUE" - 2023