Loons Fire Up for CPIT Open Day

19 January 2012 - For immediate release

Loons Fire Up for CPIT Open Day

Not many people know what the world record for fire eating is. CPIT CircoArts graduate Pascal Ackermann on the other hand will never forget. He can probably still feel the heat on his lips.

But Pascal’s epic experience has not dimmed his enthusiasm for circus tricks, and fire might even feature again when Pascal and his fellow Loons Circus Theatre Company performers visit CPIT to present an exclusive show for CPIT’s Open Day on 28 January.

Certainly extinguishing 89 fire torches in one minute with his mouth was an amazing achievement but Pascal is not the only member of the Loons Circus Theatre Company with a world record under his belt.

In 2009 contortionist Skye Broberg climbed into a box with an interior measuring 66.04 x 68.58 x 55.88 cm (26 x 27 x 22 in) with the Twisty Twins (Nele and Jola Siezen) where they quite happily remained for 6 minutes and 13.52 seconds to smash another world record.

“The company are all a bit mad and incredibly talented, which is an interesting combination to work with!” says Loons director Mike Friend. “At the end of the day though it’s not just about tricks – it’s about creating shows that entertain the socks off every audience and make them laugh and go away happy.”

The CPIT Open Day is a great chance to see The Loons before they leave town on another tour.

The Loons will perform on the Carnival Stage at CPIT’s Madras Street campus at 12.30pm, along with entertainment from 11am to 3pm from CPIT Jazz School musicians and buskers who specialise in adagio, freak show and contortion.

Meanwhile in the Imagitech Theatre from 1pm, the Speakers Series will deliver a fabulous programme of topics by CPIT tutors, students, graduates and industry partners. Speakers such as Westpac Young Designer winner and CPIT fashion graduate Georgia Currie and EPIC campus project leader Wil McLellan will share their stories in these 15 minute sessions.

Other activities from specific CPIT programmes include Master the Pasta by Hospitality, picture framing by Trades, home brew testing by Applied Science, learning Te Reo through movement at TPW, a CAD experiment by Architecture and health checks by Nursing.

Visitors can also win a ride in an Ariel Atom car thanks to the Engineering department, while the younger participants can go on a Teddy Bear Quest, pet a donkey and enjoy an iceblock. Join CPIT’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/CPITNZ for updates and visit www.cpit.ac.nz for programme details. All CPIT Open Day activities are free.

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