IGLULIK - After their biggest year yet, an Iglulik acrobatic troupe is only looking up.

"A lot of water - or ice - has passed under the bridge," said ArtCirq artistic director Guillaume Saladin with a chuckle.

Equipment waits for eager acrobats from ArtCirq on the ice in Iglulik. - photo courtesy of ArtCirq Productions

"Now after a year and a half of hard work it's starting to give concrete results."

The group's latest project is Isaittuq (waterproof), a short film that members of ArtCirq will bring to communities across the territories, as they join Igloolik Isuma's tour of the Journals of Knud Rasmussen to small communities, including a special performance in Iqaluit next week.

"Now where we are at is to start to meet other communities," Saladin said from Montreal. "We have that level of skill where we're able to share."

ArtCirq was founded in 1998, and since that time has grown to include nearly 20 performers between the ages of 13 and 29. They have performed for the Project Arts Centre in Dublin and at various events and workshops in Montreal, while bringing artists to Iglulik itself to collaborate.

The group was founded as a way to keep the youth of Iglulik active and engaged, after the suicides of two of Saladin's childhood friends. The son of two anthropologists, Saladin has lived in Iglulik on and off since infancy.

"We have to do something, we can't just talk about it," he said in a previous interview.

Saladin works with Cirque Eloize in Montreal, and brought these skills North with him as an adult, particularly hand-to-hand moves, which he calls "acrobatic movements with two to three people."

This involves tight balancing movements that require intense teamwork.

He said one sure sign of the group's growth is the fact that members will be doing their first performances and presentations without Saladin being present.

"It's very, very nice," he said.

Aside from the tour, he said the troupe has plans to bring performers from Montreal to help plan future ArtCirq shows in the next couple of months. This will help them prepare for a show in Annecy, France scheduled in May.

"We'll see where it goes," Saladin said. "Hopefully it inspires other youth, that's the goal."

ArtCirq and the Journals of Knud Rasmussen will appear in Kugluktuk from Feb. 12 to 13, Resolute from Feb. 14 to 15, Ulukhatok from Feb. 15 to 16, Arctic Bay from Feb. 17 to 18 and Iqaluit.

While most stops will not involve an ArtCirq performance, tour co-ordinator Gabriela Gamez said the show in Iqaluit will involve five members of ArtCirq, as well as a presentation from Journals director Zacharias Kunuk.