Photo courtesy of Circus EVO
On Thursday and Friday, February 26 and 27, at 7 p.m., Circus EVO will present Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. Created and performed by an ensemble of nationally recognized circus artists, the production blends acrobatics, live music and visual design into a movement-driven theatrical performance.
“When we began creating the show, we kept returning to the feeling of seeing snow fall for the first time—that sense of wonder, stillness and possibility,” says Houston Odum, founder and artistic director of Circus EVO. “We asked ourselves: ‘What happens to that magical feeling as we get older?’”
Solstice offers an answer. According to Odum, the production “is an invitation to dream again, to reconnect with a sense of play and awe that exists quietly in our everyday lives if we allow ourselves to see it.”
Photo courtesy of Circus EVO
That sensibility reflects Circus EVO’s broader artistic approach. Founded in 2020, the North Carolina-based company treats contemporary circus as a collaborative, multidisciplinary art form, blending acrobatics with dance, lighting, live music and theatrical design. Rather than relying on spoken narrative, Circus EVO builds meaning through imagery, sound and physical expression, inviting audiences to interpret the work on their own terms.
Since premiering in 2022, Solstice has evolved with each iteration. This year’s Asheville performances mark a new chapter, featuring all-new acts and scenic elements, along with an original score by North Carolina musician Bella Nona. Her compositions draw inspiration from winter landscapes and the subtle emotional shifts they evoke.
“To me, winter feels like a night sky—mostly dark, but with these very bright little twinkles of light,” Nona says. “There’s a general coldness, but then these tiny sparkly elements can make it feel like it’s snowing or that there’s some kind of magic in the air.”
The music moves in close conversation with the physical performances, shifting in tone and tempo to support acts such as Cyr wheel artist Elly Craig’s solo, which unfolds within a staged blizzard. Craig says the snowstorm “signifies momentous change, impending uncertainty and scariness, but also power and a chance to see things in new ways.”
Ultimately, Craig hopes audiences leave with a sense of personal connection. “Maybe they will feel in awe or confused or calm or mesmerized or cozy or inspired,” she says. “Whatever it is, I feel like we have done our job if you were able to go on a journey of your own with us as your guides.”
Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience will be performed February 26–27 at 7 p.m. at the Diana Wortham Theatre at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville. Tickets and additional information are available at CircusEVO.com/solstice.
