“The Hungarian circus arts are going through an amazing development” – Interview with Dmitry Chernov
vamosbenceDmitry Chernov, prize winner of multiple circus festivals, is performing a juggling act in our show “Which one of the 9?” inspired by the short story of the same name by Mór Jókai. We spoke to the world-famous juggler about his childhood, the defining moments of his life, his role in the world of The Capital Circus of Budapest and our winter show.
You come from a family of artists. How does a circus child grow up?
I was born in 1989, two years before the official collapse of the Soviet Union, but the signs were already there, for example, almost no one could leave Russia. I was a year old when we were reunited with our family during an adventurous five-year tour of Europe with the Russian State Circus, where we toured the old continent.
It was a wonderful experience growing up as a child of artistic parents, travelling almost all over the world, meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. I think it really developed my personality that we were on the road all the time.
Juggling is a family tradition for you, did you ever think of choosing a different genre?
I could have, because my mother was a very versatile performer, she excelled in acrobatics, aerial acts and was also an animal trainer, and later on, thanks to the influence of my father, she started juggling. As a young child, my parents introduced me to many different genres, but I was clearly most talented in juggling. My father also juggled with large balls and I proudly followed him in this career.
How does it feel to return to the Capital Circus of Budapest after 14 years?
It’s a very special feeling because the Capital Circus has a rich history. Over the past decades, countless world-famous foreign and Hungarian artists have performed on this prestigious stage, so it is a great honour for me to be back. I had hoped to return sooner, but I am very happy to be back in this renowned circus.
Dmitry Chernov in our show “Which one of the 9?” embodies the soul of the Neighbour
Photo by Ádám Urbán
How do you see the role of Central Europe’s only stone circus in the circus world?
The Capital Circus of Budapest clearly plays an important role among the dwindling circuses in Europe. As an outside observer, I see the circus moving in a very promising direction under the leadership of Péter Fekete, partly because he holds a strong academic background. And the ever-expanding International Circus Festival of Budapest, which takes place every two years, is one of the most prestigious of the circus events, and it is a great honour for all artists who take part. There is also a strong focus on training, and I recently saw the programme of the Imre Baross Artist Academy, which clearly demonstrates that in addition to training circus arts, they also train acting, movement arts and the border professions. This is not an average circus school, but a multi-faceted, complex education that meets the demands of today’s world. In recent years, more and more new Hungarian artists have burst onto the scene, achieving great results at international circus festivals. Hungarian circus arts are undergoing an amazing development. Péter Fekete’s contribution to circus arts is outstanding, his love and dedication is what makes the National Centre for Circus Arts and the institutions under its aegis great.
What is your most memorable circus experience?
I can’t single out just one moment, because every period of my life has had its own beautiful moments. For example, the first time I performed a solo act in front of an audience at the age of 12, or when I won the prize for the best teenage juggler at the age of 13, which was competed for by countless talents from post-Soviet countries. It was a great moment when I won a first prize at an international circus festival, or when I create new shows as a producer. One of my most memorable experiences was in Budapest: at the age of 18, I performed at the Budapest International Circus Festival, where I did not win a spot on the podium, but I was awarded a special prize by the festival’s founder, the famous artist István Kristóf. This was more important to me than winning any prize. After that, I have had success at several international circus festivals, but the special prize from István Kristóf is one of the most precious of all. I hope to have a memorable moment at the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo in January, where I will be making my first appearance as a director with a Mongolian company.
Dmitry Chernov, multiple Circus Festival prize winning juggler, performing at the Capital Circus of Budapest
Photo by Ádám Urbán
What do you think of the all-arts piece “Which one of the 9?”
I find it a very interesting performance, because the piece directed by Péter Fekete is not a traditional circus performance, but a storytelling production combining different branches of arts. It has everything you need for a quality performance: circus arts, interesting storytelling, singing, music, theatre, dance, exciting sets. I’m honoured to play the dark soul of the main villain Neighbour and I’ll do everything I can to be the best bad boy in the ring.
Zsuzsanna Szekáry
Translated by Lili Konyot
