On 10 October 2026, three participants in the ShebaStage directing scholarship at the New International Performing Arts Institute (NIPAI, Berlin) visited Ethio-Selam Circus in Kolfe Keranio, Addis Ababa. Ethio-Selam Circus is led by its founder and head coach, Binyam Alemu Nigatu, and is one of ShebaStage’s main partner schools.
The visit is part of the preparation for Bringing the Method Home: Ambassador Workshops 2026. In December, the six artists trained through the NIPAI “The Director and the Play” scholarship will pass on the directing and analysis method they developed to Ethiopian music ensembles, circus companies and theatre groups.
During the visit, Leli Lensamo (vocalist, songwriter and theatre director), Dimetros Emawayew (kirar and bass player and sound engineer) and Nigus Baile (actor, director and Senior Theatre Expert at the Ethiopian National Theatre) observed training sessions, met the artists and coaches, and analysed each discipline, from acrobatics and balance to juggling and aerial work.
For a director, this step is essential. Every circus discipline has its own rhythm, risks, technical demands and physical language. Directing circus artists well means knowing what each act can express, how long it needs, how it can be safely combined with music and text, and where it belongs in the dramaturgy. By studying the disciplines directly in the training space, the ambassadors can adapt their method so that circus, theatre and music truly speak to each other in the workshops, and on the Ethiopian stage.
We warmly thank Binyam Alemu Nigatu, the coaches and the artists of Ethio-Selam Circus for welcoming the group.
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