”Gynoïdes Project – A Study on Women in Circus” by Marie-Andrée Robitaille

Marie-Andrée Robitaille describes her grant- and externally funded research project, Gynoïdes Project 

A Study on Women in Circus; Feminist Strategies in Circus Composition 

The research project addresses the circus practice through a gender perspective, in studying the representation of women in circus. The research focuses on the female circus artist and seeks for a better understanding of the structure of the circus practice by studying the ways in which a female circus artist experiences and understands her own practice. The study seeks to provide a broader understanding of what it means to be a female circus artist in the 21st century and aims to identify, describe and produce feminist strategies in circus composition.

The research is part of the Gynoïdes Project: an artistic operation that deals with the questions of women in circus. The Gynoïdes Project interacts with educational and research institutions, with organisations and members of the circus community, with contributors from scientific, social and other artistic fields. The Gynoïdes Project is an evolving participatory initiative that uses dialogues, data collection, art projects and artistic research to analyze the question of women in circus art – how it can be understood and transformed.