Brent Van Rensburg – Producer of MOYA at Zip-Zap Circus
The Zip-Zap Circus’s producer who fell in love with trapeze-flying at 11-years-old
Tall, polite, and as engaged in the pre-show rehearsals of MOYA as ever – Brent Van Rensburg (51) started the Zip-Zap Circus with his wife in 1992.
“I was a flying-trapeze artist for 15 years overseas, and I’d been away from home for almost 15 years,” Van Rensburg said. “When I came home, my wife and I put our two cents in, and try to also make a difference using circus skills to bridge gaps between children from all backgrounds and cultures. That was it.”
This year has been the Zip-Zap Circus’s second tour of Johannesburg with the MOYA production. According to Van Rensburg, audiences would see the differences in the show between their two runs at Teatro Monte-Casino.
“This show is very different to the show we brought last year,” said Van Rensburg. “We’ve written a whole, original music score. We put [on] new acts, new choreography. We’re very happy with the results.”
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Van Rensburg holds Fourways and Monte-Casino in high regard as hosts, sharing some of his highlights from this latest tour to the city.
“We’ve been amazingly well-treated by the owner of Col’Cacchio,” Van Rensburg said. “He [also] owns a Mugg&Bean in Fourways – and we eat there as well. He looks after us, and so those are our favourite places: Mugg&Bean, and Col’Cacchio.”
Van Rensburg regards the circus to be the magical catalyst that transformed his life when he discovered the flying trapeze act at just 11 years of age.
“I’m not flying through the air anymore, but I’m still a part of the circus,” said Van Rensburg. “Maybe the adrenalin rush is not as high as it used to be, but I still love it.”
According to Van Rensburg, the MOYA cast and Zip-Zap Circus crew are off to France and America next year on a full tour for about six months. Van Rensburg holds the young talents he works with to a high standard of regard.
“It’s all homegrown, most of them have been [here] eight to 12 years,” said Van Rensburg. “They’re all kind of kids who grew up in Zip-Zap, who are here now; This is our first time in 31 years [that] we’ve created a professional touring company.”
Van Rensburg said that Zip-Zap doesn’t necessarily look for their talents, but that it’s usually the talent which finds Zip-Zap Circus.
“Any kid can come through the doors at Zip-Zap: Short, tall, fat, thin – it doesn’t matter. There’s a place in the circus for everybody,” said Van Rensburg. “We really believe more in teaching the skill, but they need to want to be here. It is hard work. It [takes] a lot of discipline, lots of hours, bumps, bruises, so it’s all up to the kid.”
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