The Salt Fire Circus explores the human condition: A photo preview

In these postmodern times, people need something more than elephants standing on barrels and shit to make a circus entertaining; along with the aerialists, snake-charmers and burlesque dancers, we're going to need something, like, deep. Alright, then: "There's nothing more beautiful than that human experience," says Salt Fire Circus director...

By Jef Otte

July 7, 2011

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In these postmodern times, people need something more than elephants standing on barrels and shit to make a circus entertaining; along with the aerialists, snake-charmers and burlesque dancers, we're going to need something, like, deep. Alright, then: "There's nothing more beautiful than that human experience," says Salt Fire Circus director Aaron Beck, "so we capture this in the size and grandeur of the circus arts, exaggerated and big, and also the teasing nature of burlesque and the composition of the music."

Salt Fire is bringing the show -- and those lofty goals -- to town tomorrow and Saturday night, but we're way ahead of the curve on that: The troupe also put on a show in Durango, where it's based, last weekend, and our man Stephen Cummings was there with the camera. He brings back these photos.

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