Bartabas moved by celebration of Battuta

Show's creator attributes success to gypsy theme that transcends borders and cultures and says overwhelming response reminds him of French debut Seeing Hong Kong audiences awestruck during the first performances of Battuta, an acrobatic extravaganza by the Zingaro Equestrian Theatre, has been an emotional experience for the creator, Bartabas. 'It was fantastic,' he said of the response to the show which has been running since February 9. 'They were shocked and surprised that they had just discovered something that they didn't know could exist.' Bartabas, who created the Zingaro Equestrian Theatre more than 20 years ago, said their reaction reminded him of when the show debuted in France. The reason for the great reception, he said, was that the show, which showcases the acrobatic skills of people and horses, and has a gypsy theme, transcends borders and cultures, and appeals to people of all nationalities. The name Battuta, invented by Bartabas, has been constructed from several words from Romanian, Romany and French, and it aims to represent the musical tradition of the gypsies, a people which Bartabas calls 'the first and last Europeans' with 'no borders'. The main theme of the 90-minute show, the master horseman and show founder said, was about freedom and the 'living-for-the-moment' attitude that has been lost in hectic modern life. Battuta is taking place five nights a week in Hong Kong until March 23. It is the first show of its kind to come to the city, and offers the public an opportunity to see a different side to horses. Bartabas explained that horses used to be a major part of everyday life in many cultures across the world and, although they were now not so common, they still played a major part in the imagination of everybody. 'People [in Hong Kong] tend to associate horses with racing, so the show gives us an opportunity to show the public that with horses you can do very different things,' he said.'All over the world horses are no longer used for transport, war or working like they used to be ... But I still notice that horses are very strong and symbolic in many cultures, even here. Maybe this is one of the main reasons for the show's success,' he said. Highlights of the show include horses racing at breakneck speed and 18 talented horsemen and horsewomen, most of whom are from France and have been with Zingaro for anywhere from three to 18 years. The performers play a host of colourful theatrical characters ranging from belly dancers, brides and jousting adolescents to angry fathers. Topping it off is a lifelike bear that can also perform outrageous tricks on the backs of the horses. For Bartabas it is the horses in the show that give it its emotion and power, and this emotion and power is felt by everyone. 'We have created something unique. Year after year, show after show, we have made the relationship between man and horse a tool to speak to the people to create emotion,' he said. 'We don't make the show to show off horses because anyone can go and see horses in a field. What we are showing is the relationship between man and horse and what you can do with that.' Spicing up the performance further is its setting right on the harbourfront in Hung Hom. 'It is fantastic that we are able to hold the show in Hong Kong, especially so close to the harbour,' said Bartabas who is in the city for the first time. 'The view is incredible, especially at night, and I think that this time the set is not just inside the tent, it is also outside. It is a fantastic site and the chance to have a set like this is just amazing.' Bartabas has taken his troupe overseas many times, but his first trip to Hong Kong has proved different. Despite being slightly apprehensive about how Hongkongers would respond, he needn't have worried. 'I thought it could be difficult here because Hong Kong people might not really know anything about gypsies and their culture in Europe, but they really did understand the show,' he said. The troupe's dedication to this ongoing relationship is demonstrated by the commitment to looking after the well-being of each horse, and ensuring that they are taken care of both day and night. Some members of the cast stay with horses overnight to make sure that there are no problems. The title Zingaro, means gypsy in Spanish and, as Bartabas explained, the name was intended to show how the troupe was open to all cultures of the world. Jointly presented by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Zingaro Theatre has drawn on the professional resources of these two organisations to help bring Battuta to Hong Kong and, despite the huge logistical effort that went into this, Bartabas said that the professionalism and experience of all involved had made for a smooth transition from Europe to Asia. 'Everybody here, especially the Jockey Club and the vets, have been really professional. We have had no problems at all with the move. I was really surprised because it's all new [for the Jockey Club] too. They are used to working with racehorses so it was fantastic to see that they could do just as good a job with our horses,' he said. As to how the horses are finding life in Hong Kong, Bartabas simply said, 'You'll have to ask them.' The success of the Zingaro theatre will see it travel to Brussels, Moscow, Tokyo and Sao Paulo over the coming years, and with some luck Hongkongers will have the opportunity once again to witness this amazing extravaganza.