Gypsy Snider (born 1970) is a Canadian–American director, choreographer, and former acrobat. She co-founded The 7 Fingers, an artist collective, and choreographed Pippin in 2013.

Gypsy Snider
Born1970 (age 53–54)[notes 1]
NationalityCanadian–American
Occupation(s)acrobat and choreographer
Known forThe 7 Fingers and Pippin

Early life and education

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Snider's mother Peggy and stepfather Larry Pisoni co-founded the Pickle Family Circus, which her brother Lorenzo Pisoni also performed in as a clown and actor.[1] She made her Pickle Family Circus debut at the age of four as a circus performer.[2] Snider attended The Urban School of San Francisco with fellow acrobats Ayin and Miriam de Sela[3] and later the Scuola Teatro Dimitri physical-theater school in Switzerland.[2][4]

Career

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In 2002, Snider co-founded The 7 Fingers, an artist collective, with Shana Carroll, who apprenticed with her family's circus. Together with their husbands and three colleagues, The 7 Fingers first performed at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.[5] She also co-directed and choreographed "Traces" with The 7 Fingers which earned an Outstanding Choreography, New York Drama Desk Award nomination.[6] The title was derived from the idea that every person leaves behind a legacy or "traces" in their wake.[7] The show was described by critics as "unpretentious entertainment by performers who get a kick out of showing off their mad skills."[8]

In 2008, Snider divorced her husband Patrick Léonard and was diagnosed with colon cancer. Once her cancer was in remission, she worked with Diane Paulus and Chet Walker to choreograph a revitalized Pippin on Broadway.[9] She also created, directed and choreographed Réversible with The 7 Fingers, which was described as “a riveting mix of theatre, circus, dance, music and acrobatics, dedicated to a generation who forged the world that we live in today.”[10]

Credits

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Directing credits

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  • Ships in the Night (Virgin Voyages, 2020)[11]
  • Sisters (The 7 Fingers, 2018)[12]
  • Under the Stars, Bench 2017[13]
  • Reversible (The 7 Fingers, 2016)[14]
  • Traces (The 7 Fingers, 2006)[15]
  • Typo (Cirque Eloize 2005)[16]
  • Loft (The 7 Fingers, 2002)[17]
  • Circumstance (Pickle Family Circus, 2002)[18]

Acrobatic design and choreography

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Notes

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  1. ^ In 2014, Snider was reported to be 44[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Jones, Chad (September 20, 2014). "S.F. native Gypsy Snider gives 'Pippin' its circus flair". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Moore, John (August 9, 2014). "The 'Pippin' Profiles: Circus Creator Gypsy Snider". denvercenter.org. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  3. ^ Siag, Jean (March 26, 2018). "Montréal complètement cirque: les soeurs de Lhasa de Sela présenteront Sisters" (in French). La Presse. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  4. ^ "Gypsy Snider". accademiadimitri.ch. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  5. ^ Pincus-Roth, Zachary (February 9, 2011). "A Circus That Lets Its Freak Flag Fly". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 2, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  6. ^ Gans, Andrew (May 19, 2008). "August and Passing Strange Win Top Honors at Drama Desk Awards". playbill.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  7. ^ Brantley, Ben (August 9, 2011). "Acrobats Meet Skateboards and Basketballs (Watch Out!)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  8. ^ Sumi, Glenn (December 25, 2015). "Review: Traces". nowtoronto.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  9. ^ Miller, Michael J. "The Cirque Behind the Magic of PIPPIN". lexingtonoperahouse.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  10. ^ West, Jean (August 4, 2018). "The Circus of Life, Réversible Director Gypsy Snider reveals it all". deadlinenews.co.uk. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  11. ^ Campbell, Kim. "Cruising Along with The 7 Fingers in a New Direction". CircusTalk. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  12. ^ "SISTERS : EN COULISSES AVEC GYPSY SNIDER". circassien.com (in French). June 11, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  13. ^ "UNDER THE STARS: The Bench 30th Anniversary Show". chikka-nessavenue.com. November 10, 2017. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  14. ^ Reporter, Don Aucoin-. "Motion and emotion lift 'Reversible' to hypnotic heights - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  15. ^ Pincus-Roth, Zachary (2011-02-09). "A Circus That Lets Its Freak Flag Fly". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  16. ^ "Typo". lesarchivesduspectacle.net (in French). Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  17. ^ Robert Hurwitt (December 19, 2003). "'7 Fingers' shapes a casually great circus". sfgate.com. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  18. ^ Samantha Cosentino Baker (July 31, 2018). "San Francisco Style Circus from Pickle Family to Bella". circustalk.com. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  19. ^ "UEFA Euro 2020". Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  20. ^ Gioia, Michael (March 23, 2013). "Diane Paulus, Gypsy Snider and Chet Walker Take Pippin to New Heights in Cirque-Inspired Broadway Revival". playbill.com. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  21. ^ Cary, Emily (July 5, 2015). "Death-defying acrobatics a sight in tour of Peter Pan". Washington Post. Retrieved April 22, 2020.