The project FENFIRE was founded 2004 by Sebastian Berger and a few other ambitious artists in Vienna. FENFIRE worked and taught throughout Europe the craft of object manipulation especially in fire arts. The association presents from the start a high value on good technique and the combination with special stage designs. Today FENFIRE consists of two core members, Christiane Hapt and Sebastian Berger. They work in the experimental trans-disciplinary field of juggling and object manipulation. Sebastian developed most of the common repertoire of their respective masteries.
FENFIRE works worldwide in the fields of corporate productions, theatre and street theatre, festivals, varieties, traditional and contemporary circus, they are also a board member of the Austrian Federal Association for Circus Pedagogy. Consisting both product designers and circus artists, FENFIRE tries to unite sculptural and dramatic arts in their productions in order to show their audience the verve of object manipulation.
Cie FENFIRE attaches great importance to sustainability in production and always tries to support green travel. In their productions there are no clichéd representations of gender roles, the artists act as human beings or androgynous figures. For the sake of accessibility, the productions does not use any language.
FENFIRE performed in 43 countries and 4 continents.
Since 2016 FENFIRE pushes the genre of contemporary circus in Austria by engage in explanatory and lobbying work, as well as producing pieces (Trust in Time.Inc 2017; Dot and Line 2018, inSTABil 2020/21, IS IT A TRICK? 2021/22). All three projects were financially supported by The Arts and Culture Division of the Federal Chancellery of Austria and some from the Cultural Department of the City of Vienna.
Dot and Line is selected for the shortlist of the circus next platform 2020/21.
2023-2025 Cie FENFIRE is part of the mentoring program BETA CIRCUS
