We are proud and grateful to announce that Turtle Island, a new collaborative creation by Plasticiens Volants and G. Peter Jemison (Seneca, Heron Clan), has received support from Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education in the United States, and the Albertine Foundation.
"Theater & New Forms is the theater program of Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education in the United States, and the Albertine Foundation is proud to support Les Plasticiens Volants and the artistic collaboration with G. Peter Jemison and The Sky Woman Iroquois Dance Theater for the creation and world premiere of the aerial sculpture street performance Turtle Island. This significant collaboration promises to further enrich artistic exchange between France and the U.S.” selection committee, April 28, 2025.
“While other humans in the world focused on great monuments of stone, the Haudenosaunee began with our human nature; the struggle to balance our emotions, those destructive versus peaceful. Can we today learn to love the world we have before mankind destroys every living thing? These twin and opposite emotions live within us. Our elders ask us to honor our teachings. Learn to find balance in our behavior toward one another.” G. Peter Jemison
“This magnificent project, about the founding myth of the Haudenosaunee, dwells in me, in us and makes us dream. It is the symbol of a better humanity, of a tolerant and generous humanity. A humanity that takes the time to weigh the right and wrong in its decisions with the intention of caring and respecting its children and its mother planet. What many of us wish with all our heart.” Marc Etieve, Artistic Director of Plasticiens Volants
Choreography by William Crowse (Seneca Nation, Hawk Clan)
Performances by Skywoman Iroqouis Dance Theater
Produced by Sonia Kozlova Clark, Unicycle Productions LLC and Plasticiens Volants
The project is funded by: Villa Albertine, Institute Français, Tarn Department
Project partners: The Friends of Ganondagan, Victor New York, Hudson River Park, New York City, Turnpark Art Space, Prospect Park (Brooklyn, NY).
Contact:
September 3, 11:30am
Western Arts Alliance (WAA), Los Angeles, CA
We will be presenting a co-commissioning opportunity pitch for my co-production project with Plasticiens Volants, Turtle Island:
Turtle Island is a new outdoor spectacle created by Plasticiens Volants under the artistic guidance of Haudenosaunee artist, historian, and educator G. Peter Jemison (Seneca, Heron Clan), with choreography and performance contributions by Skywoman Iroquois Dance Theater. Co-produced by Unicycle Productions LLC and Plasticiens Volants, this intimate, family-friendly production brings to life the foundational Haudenosaunee Creation Story through a vibrant fusion of aerial puppetry, dance, and community engagement.
Developed with Indigenous artistic leadership at its core, Turtle Island honors ancestral narratives while addressing contemporary themes of balance, environmental stewardship, and collective responsibility. It invites audiences to witness the birth of the world atop the turtle’s back—a story that resonates across cultures as a symbol of resilience and interconnectedness.
G. Peter Jemison, Heron Clan from the Cattaraugus Territory, Seneca Nation, is a multimedia artist and recently retired site manager of Ganondagan, a New York State Historic Site in Victor, New York. Mr. Jemison is very active politically as an advocate for Native American rights. He was chairman of the Haudenosaunee Standing Committee on Burial Rules and Regulations on burial rules and regulations, fighting for the return of sacred objects to native peoples mandated by the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Mr. Jemison was one of the founders of the Museum of the American Indian in New York City. His book, the Treaty of Canandaigua 1794 has been favorably received as an important contribution to history.
Plasticiens Volants: Les Plasticiens Volants, established in 1978, is a street theater company that practices a unique technique of creating and operating giant hand-made inflatable puppetry. Their productions merge street theatre, visual arts, digital projections, sound effects, and nature to create an awe-inspiring story.
William Crouse Sr. is a member of the Seneca Nation of Indians of the Hawk clan. He is a faithkeeper, singer, and speaker of the Coldspring Longhouse. As group leader, singer, lecturer and dancer of the Allegany River Indian Dancers, Bill has traveled all over the US and Canada. He has performed in Rome, Italy and Würzburg, Germany. Bill is the founder of the Skywoman Iroquois Dance Theater.
Designed for outdoor public spaces—parks, waterfronts, urban plazas—the performance is scalable and ideal for festivals, community days, and family-oriented events. The show can be paired with storytelling, performances, or workshops led by local Indigenous artists, offering a platform for meaningful cultural exchange and local engagement.
With initial dates already confirmed, Turtle Island is now available for additional U.S. engagements in Fall 2025. All international travel is covered, and the production is well-suited for parks, plazas, and public events that welcome families and multigenerational audiences. The performance can anchor a day of community celebration and Indigenous-led programming.
Partial funding for the project is provided by Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education in the United States, the Albertine Foundation, Département du Tarn, Région Occitanie, and Institut Français.
Contact:
Sonia Kozlova Clark, Producer
Turtle Island marks Part I of a larger visionary work titled Sky Woman. We are currently seeking co-commissioning and touring partners to help bring the full story to life in future seasons.
For bookings, materials, or to explore hosting a community collaboration:
Contact Producer: Sonia Kozlova Clark | unicycleproductions@gmail.com
Founded in 1992 by world-renowned jugglers Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala, Gandini Juggling is a pioneering force in contemporary circus, known for reinventing and expanding the possibilities of juggling. With over 6,000 performances in 50 countries, the company blends virtuosic technique with artistic innovation, collaborating with choreographers, composers, and designers to create works ranging from avant-garde fusions to theatrical productions.
Performing at top venues worldwide—including London’s Royal Opera House and Sadler’s Wells—they also teach, publish, and lead workshops to inspire future circus artists and broaden the cultural reach of juggling.
For all audiences.
Audience capacity 5.000 people
Performed during the day or at night
Duration: 1 hour
French and English versions (other languages possible)
Cast 19 or 20 (night) persons.
Audience capacity: 5,000 people
Can be performed during the day (without additional lighting) or at night (with lighting technical specifications)
Duration: 1 hour (+ 2 hours of public set-up before the performance)
Traveling Team: 19 people for daytime performances / 20 people for nighttime performances
Performance area required: 50m x 60m minimum
Helium needed: 100 m3
Available Language Versions: French and English, please contact us for other languages.