From Cirque to Fringe: How Creators of New Show ‘Imago’ Turned Intimacy Into an Aerial Duet

In Imago, married performers Eowynn and Isak Enquist bring emotional depth and aerial innovation to a haunting dance duet about connection and release. Developed by former Cirque du Soleil artists Gabrielle Martin and Jeremiah Hughes, this 40-minute piece blends contemporary dance and circus on a custom rope-loop apparatus. Here, Gabrielle Martin unpacks the creative risks, physical extremes and real-life intimacy behind their Edinburgh Fringe debut.

For those unfamiliar with Imago, how would you describe the show in your own words?

Through trapeze-like aerial movement and contemporary dance, Imago is an epic, tragic love story minus the tropes. It’s hauntingly beautiful in both its visual design and cinematic music. And the physical storytelling is palpable - you get swept up in the journey by hearing the artists’ breath and seeing their sweat - the chemistry and the risk are real.  

What inspired the idea of exploring the space between “holding on and letting go” through aerial dance?

A circus apparatus already has its own personality, so rather than forcing a concept onto it, we tried to elaborate on what two bodies in these aerial loops were already saying. Gravity was literally pulling us apart when we were both in the air, so the struggle was real and we built the narrative from this authentic tension. Our process was really devised - other than some images we knew we wanted to explore, the concept grew out of our physical exploration in the studio.

The rope-loop apparatus is incredibly unique - can you tell us how it works and what it adds to the performance?

We had been performing on vertical aerial ropes where you can’t sustain more than a 5 minute act because there are no real resting positions. We knew we wanted to challenge ourselves to make a full length work, and we wanted to be able to draw from our shared background in dance. So we created an apparatus of 3 tiered rope loops that we could not only use to sustain dance in the air, but that also offered rich symbolism such as the limbs of another and the ties that bind us.

How does your real-life relationship as a couple shape the physical and emotional storytelling in the show? 

The fact that we met while performing with Cirque du Soleil reflects a shared affinity for intensity and risk. So these elements are present in the physical and emotional content of the show. Ultimately, the show depicts an eternal bond - content that naturally emerged when we were left to improvise in the studio and that wouldn’t be legible onstage if it wasn’t for the depth of our genuine connection. 

Do you have to make an effort to separate home life from work life?

No. Everything is one porous mess - especially now that we have a toddler. But that’s also what’s great about being a couple - you get to talk about creative ideas at 2 am or whenever they arrive. 

The show feels deeply rooted in trust. What does trust look like to both of you?

It is deeply rooted in trust. Before we were a couple, we played love interests as lead characters in Cirque du Soleil’s TORUK. One of the things I loved about Jeremiah from the beginning was that he lived by this old school code where you take care of your stage partner no matter what. But beyond the literal trust that we won’t let go of each other at the wrong moment, is the trust that we will stick out the challenge and intensity of the work because we’ve made a commitment to each other. Some of the choreography is literally nauseating, some of it causes extreme physical discomfort (such is circus), but we hold each other to the task of pushing through these moments because we owe each other our best performances.

What do you hope audiences take away from experiencing Imago at the Fringe?

We hope audiences leave Imago feeling more alive through both the visceral intensity of the aerial moments and the intimate drama of the floor-based ones. 

Imago will be the Edinburgh Fringe, this August at 1.00pm daily in Assembly Roxy.

For tickets and more information, visit: https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/971-imago