Steben Twins
Steben Twins | |
---|---|
Born | Karyne & Sarah Steben July 26, 1974 |
Known for | trapeze duo |
Website | www |
Karyne and Sarah Steben, also known as the Steben Twins, are Canadian twin trapeze artists. The pair were the first female innovators of the feet-to-feet catching technique.
Early life
Third-generation Italian Canadians, Karyne and Sarah Steben grew up becoming skillful at gymnastics, trampoline, dance and theater. At the age of six, they signed to do a television series Les Satellipopettes in Quebec with their father Claude Steben, the show's host. Their travels began during these early years, when they visited more than 22 countries, learned to speak French, German, English and Spanish, and participated in festivals in Sweden, Italy, France and Russia.
Career
Their skill and unique talents led Karyne and Sarah to create an original and innovative act at the 1992 Cirque de Demain Festival in Paris, France. It won them their first gold medal.[1] The girls joined Cirque du Soleil as the featured trapeze act in Saltimbanco,[1] and toured the United States and Canada with the production for two years. Following the tour, the twins played the prestigious Tigerpalast cabaret in Frankfurt, Germany; won a Gold Ring Award at the First International Festival of Circus in Geneva, Italy, and received the YTV Achievement Award, honoring Canadian youth and excellence.[citation needed] Then came a feature role in the Patricia Rozema film, When Night Is Falling, starring Pascale Bussières.[2][1]
In October 1995, Karyne and Sarah rejoined Cirque du Soleil for the European tour of Saltimbanco and three months later performed in the prestigious International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo, hosted by Monaco's Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Here they accepted the Silver Crown Award. Only months later they presented their act at the G-7 Summit, for an audience that included the heads of state of the world's seven richest countries. In 1998, they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, to perform in Cirque du Soleil's water-themed production, O, at the Bellagio Hotel.[3]
Following Vegas, Karyne and Sarah traveled to Italy to act and dance in a European TV special for
They appeared in the 2013 film
Performances
- The twins performed a total of 16 years as a featured act for Cirque du Soleil (O and Saltimbanco).
- They played the Tiger Palast cabaret in Frankfurt Germany.
- They were part of Bill Viola’s art work, "Tristan and Isolde".
- They also performed with the circus dinner theatre Teatro ZinZanni in San Francisco and Seattle.
- They were series regulars on HBO's dramatic series, Carnivàle.
Awards
- 1992 Gold medal at the Cirque de Demain Festival in Paris
- 1994 Gold medal at the "Festival of Circus in Geneva"
- 1995 Silver Clown at the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo
- Silver Crown at the Circus Princessann in Stockholm
References
- ^ a b c Lewis, Judith (9 May 2007). "The Steben Sisters". LA Weekly.
- ^ "When Night Is Falling". imdb.com. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ STAFF, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER (28 January 2004). "'Carnivàle's' conjoined twins join Teatro Zinzanni". seattlepi.com.
- ^ "Bill Viola: The Passions (Getty Exhibitions)". www.getty.edu.