Raul Canaz
Circus artists travel a lot, so the question of home is especially hard for them. Raul feels that Mexico is still his home: it is where he grew up and where his family lives. After almost five years in Great Yarmouth he is considering it home, too. “Last time I went to Germany for one month and realised I am missing England, wanted to go home — to England, in this case. England is my second home”, he admits.
Raul discovered juggling when he was 15 years old and immediately fell in love with it. After finishing college he could focus more on juggling, so quick improvement followed. That’s when he started his travels to find people who can teach and inspire him. With his partner he travelled all around Europe, working on the streets and keeping an eye on learning opportunities. But the juggling schools were unaffordable for the Mexican artist, so Raul decided to train himself. After a while, though, he was tired from constant travelling back and forth from Mexico that was necessary because of 3 month visa restrictions. Everything changed when Raul got into an artistic residency year in different European countries, including a few months in the Drill House in Great Yarmouth. Shortly after the residency they offered the artist a permanent job. Settling in the UK gave Raul time for training and improvement. It certainly worked, because Cirque du Soleil offered him a contract for a new show shortly afterwards. “A big part of that achievement was because I was in the UK”, mentions the artist. While travelling with the group, Raul achieved two world records in juggling in 2020. A photo from the Guinness World Record entry shows him balancing a unicycle on a slackwire, while juggling five clubs with the confidence of a real professional.
Now Raul is head of tutors at the Drillaz Circus School, organised by Out There Arts. His 70 students and their commitment to the lessons cheer the teacher and make him feel welcome in the town. “The kids don’t look at me like I’m a foreigner, or stranger. They made me feel like they appreciate my presence and it means a lot to me. My course is special: it is something kids choose because they like it, not because they feel a pressure to do it. I try to teach differently, too: if you enjoy what you do, then you will do better, because you are doing what you like”, explains Raul.
Raul liked England from the first visit. He always appreciated its rich history; the fact that the modern circus started here; and especially the contribution of Great Yarmouth to the circus history. But some things were hard to get used to. He missed Mexican temperament and openness and found it challenging to connect to people, to understand them and feel understood. Recently he started to play football, which made him feel more like a local and a part of this country. “Food, the weather — there are things that I don’t like about the UK. But there is an important thing that I miss when I leave the UK: I feel safe here. And you don’t understand how important it is until you miss it. It is very nice to live without fear.”
