Dave and Zoë's Circus Wedding !!!

Photo Gallery!!

2008-10-09T02:36:00.000-07:00

Finally Photos of the Wedding:

Visit Lori's (Zoë's cousin) Kodak Gallery Photo Album:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?

c=17q3cy87.auzb86gr&x=0&y=-1a2fun&localeid=en_US

Visit Arnie Lovitz (Zoe's Uncle) Snapfish Gallery (you'll need to sign in first):

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=241244393/a=32517405_71154285/t_=32517405

Visit Micha Koehler's Mobleme Gallery:

http://gallery.me.com/mkoehler#100066

~PHOTO WALL OF MANY THANKS~

~ Thank You Gaston & Lois (Mother of the Bride):

~ Thank You Kitty Paris (Mama of the Groom):

~ Thank You Carl Auerbach (Step Father of the Groom) &

Sheila Ronsen (Carl's wife and Cup Cake Queen!):

~ Thank You Brian Laguardia (Best Man):

~ Thank You Kate Magram (Best Lady) & Melissa (circus show stage manager):

~ Many Thanks to Rabbi Steve Blane for agreeing to go along with the flow. You were a perfect match to our unique design. We love your words, spirit, style and beautiful singing!

~ Thank You Gaby, Millie & Matt for helping us find the best Rabbi, playing live music, signing our Ketubah, and all your support!

~ Thanks to our Chuppah Pole Bearers: Rudolfo Guzman, Kate Magram, Ava Apple, Katie Levey. What an honor to have you close to us under our special covering.

~ And Most of all, many indebted thanks to Marine & Micha who visited us all the way from France, worked day and night making signs, sewing chuppah, organizing boxes, hanging decorations, wearing fabulous costumes!

~ Thanks to all our performers:

Jim & Dalienne, Juggling performance by Sean Blue (www.seanblue.net), Arte Phillips & Beth Darchi (www.artephillipsdance.com), Salsa performance by Piel Canela Dancers (www.pielcaneladan cers.com), fabric performance by Cody Schreger (www.codyjs.com)

~ Thanks EVERYONE who helped set up our circus haven....

Stu Kaufman & Daniel Klein, Jeff Wills, Darin Chubney & Tiffany Krauss:

Katie Levey who ran the extra mile & Eva Pinney who setup lighting...

Wedding rings supplied and personally resized by Nir Balinco.

Thank you so much Nir & Danit for your help in the ring search!

~ Thank you Yen Ngo of Real Food Catering. The food was unique and healthy and it was such a pleasure to work with you! www.realfoodcatering.net

~Thank you Miguel Gomez for the lovely sunflower arrangements. Miguel's flower business is located in Park Slope Brooklyn. He can be contacted at www.therosegardeninc.com

~FIRST DANCE PHOTOS~

(by the way, this was all improvised, nothing was choreographed!!! We swear!):

Wedding Movie

2008-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here at last is a movie Zoë made for everyone to see. It is a photo slide show with photos by Erik Kragh, Micha Koehler and video by Zoë's uncle Arnold Lovitz. This gives you an idea of the set up involved and the ceremony. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for more movies including:

Zoë & Dave's First Dance
Circus Show: Sean Blue Juggling, Cody Schreger Fabric Dance, Piel Canela Salsa Dance

Post Wedding Notes

2008-09-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

15 SEPTEMBER 2008

The Greatest Show in Long Island City

Graciously Written by Jeff Wills

(see full blog at www.jeffwills.blogspot.com)

Last night I helped set up, then attended, one of the best shows I've seen in a long time. It was the wedding of Friends Zoe Klein and Dave Paris, ofParadizo Dance fame, and it was quite an affair, both ambitious and intimate. Dave and Zoe put together a circus-themed wedding at a really cool venue in the LIC: The Foundry. Check out some pictures of the venue, then imagine that, with aerial rigging hung and a different circus-themed booth in every nook. As I said -- ambitious -- but with all the spectacle and performances, it was still a ceremony with its head on straight. One really felt that the best and most important thing happening last night was the union of two people with a special relationship. It was, in many ways, a far more successful and satisfying piece of theatre than I've seen in years.

The whole shindig didn't start until 5:30, but I sprouted up around 1:00 in promise to help Zoe pull it all together. I found there Friend Tiffany Kraus, of Kirkos association, which was a very welcome reunion indeed. I also found Friend Cody suspended from the rafters on white fabric -- she was scheduled to perform that evening, after the ceremony -- and it began to occur to me just how much of my former circus life might revisit me that evening. This is not necessarily all good, as I did more circus at a time when I was somewhat younger (read: a whole lot stupider). Nevertheless, I was excited by the prospect. I miss my days of regular ceiling-hanging and handstand-failing. Tiffany and I threw ourselves into candle placement, sunflower trimming and chuppah building, and the time flew by.

One of the splendid things that Zoe and Dave requested of their guests was that everyone dress in exuberant colors, along a specific circus theme of their choosing. Suggestions included ring master, trapeze artist, elephant, side-show denizen, etc. As things got under way, a completely various assortment of characters rolled into the place, some simply a little on the colorful side, others costumed to the nines and, of course, many genuine circus sorts didn't even have to try. Dave and Zoe themselves dressed in performance clothing for the ceremony, rather than a tux and gown. You might imagine this made the whole thing a boisterous occasion, and it was, but also very friendly, very communicative. Friends Kate Magram andBronwyn Sims (Actor ~ Aerialist ~ Acrobat) were in attendance, too, bringing the total Kirkos number to five. It was, in brief, unexpectedly meaningful in a very personal way.

The most impressive part of Paradizo Dance's work for me is the way in which it blends Dave and Zoe's backgrounds and enthusiasms to create really flavorful performance that just about deserves its own category. Dave has been a competitive salsa dancer for years, and Zoe a more modern dancer and acrobat, and together they do inspired partner routines that are big on lyricism, lifts and lusty lunges (consonance is my big contribution). If you haven't seen any of their video, do. Even if the picture quality is poor, you'll be impressed within ten seconds. In fact, the movement and stunts are so impressive that it takes one a while to appreciate that everything is working on a higher level than that, that the grace of their movements is connected to specific emotion, choreographed with pleasing synchronicity to musical accompaniment. In other words, they've learned from each other's craft and used all of it to bring out a clear, urgent and rewarding communication with the audience. It's just lovely. That aesthetic is one they share with their friends, as was proven by the performers there last night -- dancers, aerialist and juggler. Paradizo Dance ended the evening's performances with a duet of their own. Needless to say, it brought the house down.

What was more impressive than the lifts, tricks and decor, even more than the example of a successful and happy life lived somewhere on the edges, was the way in which Zoe and Dave are so at ease, so at home with that life. It was a beautiful thing to witness, a public acknowledgement and demonstration of that agreement, that accord. Weddings are funny, in that no matter what your aesthetic or priority, they're invariably idealizations of your life. You work pretty damn hard to make them a concentrated dose of the goodness you wish for yourselves, and that others hopefully will wish for you. So, like theatre, they're not real. Oh God, how we'd hate them if they were.

As unreal as they may be, still, they are very, very important.

Location Details

2008-08-30T01:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Dave & Zoë's Circus Wedding !

~ Sunday Sep.14, 2008 ~

5:30pm arrival time for ceremony

6:30pm reception

The Foundry

42- 38 Ninth St. Long Island City, NY 11101

ABOUT THE BIG DAY: It's a circus wedding! We mean it! Come ready to see a 45min show packed with acrobatics, latin dance, juggling, and trapeze dance. Be ready for succulent flavors from around the world, including some of the places we've traveled (and places we would like to travel to- ha!): Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Italy, Middle East and more...

DIRECTIONS: Directions can be found at the following link: http://www.thefoundry.info/directions.php?toolmaker_session=a2e91af0cd4aaef95572b60ddda95b0b

ATTIRE: Wardrobes of CIRCUS THEME and VIBRANT COLOR is highly appreciated. (Black is for more formal affairs). There will be inside space and outside space, so prepare for both climates. CIRCUS THEME EXAMPLES: Ring Master, trapeze artist, fortune teller, unicorn, popcorn, circus animal (elephant, tiger, leopard, panther), Charlie Chaplan, creature, sideshow freak, lavish acrobatic costumes, clown, strong man, sword swallower, hoola hoop artist, etc...

PARKING: There is no parking lot, but there is a good amount of non-metered parking street side immediately around the Foundry.

FOOD: There will be tastes from around the world, a symbol of all Zoë and Dave's world travels together.

What To Wear???

2008-08-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

QUESTION: Should I wear a suit?

ANSWER: No, Silly Head! It's a CIRCUS wedding!

Feel free to post to this blog your costume idea or suggestions for others!

Here are what some people are dressing up as:

Mermaid

Carmen Meranda

Animal Circus Protester

Lion Family

Fortune Teller

Ring Master

Other suggestions that are Circus Theme or Side Show Theme:

Strong Man

Sword Swallower

Equestrian Director

Trapeze Artist

Tight Rope Walker

Clown

100 Tattoo Man

Snake Charmer

Trained Monkey

Juggler

Jester

Acrobat

Bearded Lady

Ventriloquist

Siamese Twins

Band Leader

Contortionist

Fire Eater

Unicyclist

Puppeteer

Puppet

Burlesque Performer

Fortune Teller

Glass Swallower

Ballerina

Rollerskate Artist

Or you can dress up in all one color. Silver and Orange are the color themes, but you don't have to do that:

All Red

All Silver

All Yellow

All Purple

All Checkered patterns

Or you can come in something tame, and just wear a clown nose, or spike you hair with colored gel. Or bright colored socks and fingerless gloves, a glow-in-the-dark outfit, clothes inside-out and backwards. Wear a wig, cross dress, wear a cape.

RECOMMENDED STORES:

Buycostumes.com

follow this link for some pre-made costumes: buycostumes.com/circuscostumes

Ricky's www.rickys-nyc.com

(wigs, make-up, temporary hair dyes, accessories, temporary tattoos, eyelashes, boas)

Halloween Adventure www.newyorkcostumes.com

104 4th Ave, New York, NY 10003 (212) 673-4546

(Everything clown, props, accessories, ready made costumes, magic, everything)

Abracadabra www.abracadabrasuperstore.com

19 W21st Street, New York, NY 212-627-7523

(Rental, Purchase, superstore for everything)

Daffy's www.daffys.com

I like the one in Soho at 462 Broadway NYC (212) 334-7774, but other branches you can find online.

(cheap prices for funky colorful and fashionable stuff)

Century21 www.c21stores.com

22 Courtland St. NYC 10007 (212) 227-9092

(discount name brand fashion, huge department store like a cheaper bloomingdales. Lots of styles, prints, textures to choose from, easy return policy)

Spandex World, Inc. www.spandexworld.com

228 W28th St. Btw 7 & 8ave NY 10018 (212) 391-2310

(great choice & price of colorful, funky prints, lycra, vinyl stretch fabrics)

Mood, Inc. www.moodfabrics.com

225 W37th St 3rd FL, NYC 10018 (212)730-5003

(designer & all types of fabrics, wide selection, 2 floors, lots of help, wide range of prices)

Beauty 35 www.beauty35ny.com

505 8th Ave @ 35th St NYC 10018 (212) 563-1010

(a cheaper, less funky version of Ricky's. Wigs, hair dyes, make-up, hair accessories, eye lashes, body glitter etc)

Hope that helps for now.

Let us know if you need help figuring anything out!

~ Zoë & Dave

The Proposal Story

2008-08-28T03:11:00.000-07:00

When We Got Engaged:

August 12, 2007

Taj Mahal, India

How It Happened...

Last august we were invited to perform and teach in India. After a 18hr plane ride to New Delhi, Dave insisted that we get only 5 more hours of sleep at the hotel before shoving us on a last minute bus trip to see the country. What's the rush?? I thought. After driving through seas of cattle, seas of people and a chaos of weaving traffic, we eventually arrived at our tourist sites (another 4hr drive). Every place we travel, we take a photo on location. While in the pose, I (Zoë) found myself fussing to get my handbag off while balancing precariously with Dave holding me over his head in one hand. I notice he's struggling to retrieve a small box in his pocket with the other hand. And there we have it folks. Dave proposed to me in an acrobatic position above his head at the Taj Mahal, the temple of love, towering above us in the distance… With ring on my finger, and a smile that never stops, off we were to explore one of the 7 wonders of the world on India's Independance Day holiday.

Guest Book

2008-08-28T02:35:00.000-07:00

Please Sign our Guest Book!
Share your thoughts, your costume ideas, your colors planned, what you are looking forward to, words of wisdom... Just click below on "Post a Comment."
We'll see you soon!
~ zoë & dave

from: Geoffroy & Nadette de Grenoble 8/19/2008

Nous sommes désolés de ne pouvoir être là...but Marine & Micha will tell us your fantastic wedding. Best wishes and congratulations. Love, G&N

from: TIffany Kraus & Darin Chumbley 8/12/2008

Hi Zoe & Dave, We can't wait to see you two tie the knot. It sounds like a fun filled event. Lots of love and best wishes. See you there. Love, T & D

from: your cousin Leslie, John, Noah, and Miriam 8/2/2008

We're really sorry we can't join your circus wedding - we'd love to be there. Wishing you a lifetime of dancing, crazy lifts, and gentle descents. xo

from: Amelia Paris 8/2/2008

This looks amazing--cannot wait to attend. thank goodness I don't have to plan a wedding following you guys! Best wishes, Amelia

About Us

2008-08-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

Dave & Zoë

Zoë has been dancing, designing lights and performing acrobatics in NYC since graduating Hampshire College 2001. The last 5 years Zoë has focused on acrobatic dance. She trained as a circus company apprentice with LAVA, and she was a co-founding member of the circus/theater company KIRKOS with Kate Magram whereby she performed for Bindlestiff Family Circus and Cirque Boom. She studied “partner balancing” at San Francisco Circus School, as well as flying trapeze with Trix Circus, Australia. In 2005 Dave Paris and Zoë formed PARADIZO DANCE, an acro-balancing duo performing a provocative blend of show-stopping stunts and acrobatic theatrical artistry. The duo transforms Latin Dance and contemporary performance art through circus in order to infuse audiences with a sense of endless possibility! Dave & Zoë perform in night clubs, and Salsa Congresses all over the world including Atlantic CIty, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, and Canada. Past lighting involvements include Wallie Cardona, Gina Gibney, and Bebe Miller. Zoë was formally the Technical Director at Brooklyn Arts Exchange for 5 years and 4 years at Danspace Project Inc. She now serves on the BAX Board and teaches circus to kids with Gymstars.

Getting lost in India for a semester of Religious Studies at Hampshire College, then moving onto Teach-For-America in the Bronx, Dave soon found his obsession with Salsa and studied 7 years under the internationally acclaimed salsa schools: Eddie Torres and Razzmtazz. Known as the “White-Salsa-Lift-Guy,” Dave produced two instructional video series entitled "Salsa Lift & Aerials" and " Salsa For Gringos." Dave is often found fantasizing about how to throw Zoë higher and most impressively into the air. By day, Dave teaches 7th grade English and runs an acrobatic-salsa kids team at M.S. 88 in Brooklyn; by night, Dave travels to all the major salsa congresses around the world. He dreams of designing an integrated acrobatic dance curriculum into a rigorous academic program.

Registry

2008-08-26T17:50:00.000-07:00

QUESTION: What do you give 2 circus performers getting married?!!

ANSWER: Circus Training!!

Dave and Zoë have travelled all the way to Montreal, Brisbane, Melbourne, Germany, Vermont and San Francisco seeking the best of acrobatic and dance training available. This past year, Dave and Zoë finally met 3 acrobatic trainers who can help them achieve even larger goals in their performance abilities. Now that they have their own circus training studio at home, they would love to invest in intensive personal training.

Each session of training time for each coach is $100. You may print out the following gift certificates to either of our coaches:

Aidan O'shea teaches Dave and Zoë acrobatic doubles, as well as nurturing their creative growth as a duo. Grew up in San Francisco, where he met and trained with Master Acrobat Lu-Yi, of the Nanjing Acrobatics Troupe. From there he went on to perform with The New Pickle Circus, Make*A*Circus, The Marin Shakespeare Company, Diavolo Dance Co., and many more. He moved to NYC and has been working steadily while in pursuit of his masters degree at the New School for Drama. He’s played a wide variety of roles, from Puck in A Mid-Summer Nights Dream , to Samuel Beckett in a World Premiere off-broadway production, to the transvestite boxer Choo-Choo at the Neighborhood Playhouse. My heart swells every time I think about David and Zoe, and their ambition to achieve their dreams. Please help support their training to become the most amazing dancing acrobatic spectaculars on the planet!!! (osheamoves@gmail.com) Click HERE to print Aidan's Gift Certificate

Gary Lai has been a huge influence on Dave and Zoë's understanding of tumbling, handstands, conditioning, flipping, and trampoline skills. He has instructed adult gymnastics classes for Chelsea Piers, Physical Arts Center, LAVA and also independently in various locations. In addition, he has taught company gymnastics class for the physical dance companies of Streb and LAVA, and has taught at Hunter College and elsewhere, conducting clinics for gymnastics instructors. With a background of teaching physical education, gymnastics, martial arts, and climbing, Gary was the owner-operator of Physical Arts Center- a multidisciplinary movement center in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He is involved in dance as a student, spectator, and performer- having worked with Luis Lara Malvacias, Wendy Osserman Dance Company, and in aerial dance with Elise Knudsen, and Noemi Lafrance's Senseproduction. (pacspace@gmail.com) Click HERE to print Gary's Gift Certificate

Arte Philips is an international dance performer, choreographer and teacher. He has been an encouraging force for Dave and Zoë in their desire to move viewers with a unique interpretation of grace, flow, power and stunt. Arte was the United States Ballroom Champion, 5 time Star Seach Finalist and winner of the "Gympsy of the Year" (Best of Broadway). He has performed in several Broadway shows as: Tommy Tune's Grand Hotel, Victor Victoria with Julie Andrews, Once Upon A Mattress with Sarah Jessica Parker, the original workshop of "Fosse" and as dancer and Associate Choreographer for the Broadway production Swing. As a choreographer, Arte's romantic and sweet-tempered work is theatrically persuasive. (arte_phillips@yahoo.com) Click HERE to print Arte's Gift Certificate

~ OTHER GIFT IDEAS & REGISTRIES ~

Gift Certificates are valued from the following locations:

Circuit City: https://ssl.circuitcity.com/ccd/giftcard.do
Home Depot: Home Depot Gift Cards
Ricky's (costume make-up & accessories): www.rickys-nyc.com

Dave and Zoë are also registered at the following stores:

Bed Bath & Beyond (registrant #3082276) www.bedbathandbeyond.com
Crate & Barrel (registrant #2915324) www.crateandbarrel.com
Macy's (registrant #1368300) www.macysweddingchannel.com

Of course, money gifts are always greatly appreciated.

Looking forward to seeing all of you real soon!

~ Dave & Zoe