Difference between revisions of "Dania Kaseeva"

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Hula-Hoop, Magic

By Dominique Jando

Dania Kaseeva (often billed as "Dana" Kaseeva) was born on March 21, 1966 in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, to Nelly (b.1937) and Rustam Kaseev (1929-1997), a celebrated couple of bear trainers. Before working with bears, Rustam had been one of the greatest acrobats of his generation: his hand-to-handAn acrobatic act in which one or more acrobats do hand-balancing in the hands of an under-stander. balancing act with Ruben Manasarian is a landmark of Russian circus history.

Dania was trained by her father, who helped her create a remarkable hula-hoop act (a specialty that had not seen much innovation until then) that combined Latin dancing, exceptional technique, unbridled energy, and above all, an irresistible personality. She debuted with her act at age 15, and was an immediate sensation. In 1988, she participated in the prestigious Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris and won a Gold Medal, the first and only time this highest honor was given to a hula-hoop act.

Dania subsequently participated in several international tours of the Moscow Circus—which, in the Soviet era, was a privilege reserved to the top circus artists of the USSR. In 1990, she was featured in a very successful U.S. tour of the Moscow Circus, and two years later, she made her debut as an independent performer with the Big Apple Circus in its production of Greetings From Coney Island.

Dania Kaseeva then settled in the United States, and worked in various shows, including the Royal Hanneford Circus where she met her husband, David Maas, who worked there as a singing Ringmaster. Together they have created a mesmerizing quick-change magic act, David and Dania, which they debuted in 1996. They have since performed it all over the world in circuses, nightclubs, corporate events, and cruise ships. Dania still performs her energetic hula-hoop act occasionally.

See Also

• Video: Dania Kaseeva (hula-hoop act) in the Big Apple Circus production of Greetings From Coney Island (1991)