Circus Krak (original name) was founded in 2008 to perform for street children and in homes in Southeast Asia and South America. This gave them a taste for it and so they continued touring when they got back in Belgium with their first production ‘Charlieston’ at festivals and cultural centres. Next came ‘Kiss!’ where they further explored their skills as a clown duo.
For their third performance, they decided that Dieter would continue to play, but that Els would work behind the scens as dramaturge and coach. With the successful poetic clowning shows ‘VIVA RAPHAEL’ and ‘KONTROL’, Dieter toured Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, etc.
In 2020, the compagnie started an artistic research project into the connection between artist and audience and the audience among themselves. This resulted in the installation performance ‘NIETS’ and the pop-up performance ‘BANK-CONTACT INVASION’. Their focus shifted from mere showing to a more socially engaged work, which was also noticed outside Europe. "BENCH INVASION" was invited in Canada and many other places.
Their latest performance ‘KINTSUGI’ will be their most personal work, where they will deal with grief and psychological well-being in a accessible and humorous way. After all, you may hide the man behind the clown, but you can never hide the clown behind the man.
2011: “Charlieston” with Els Degryse and Dieter Missiaen (coach Gab Bondewel, from Shake That & Cirque Democratique)
2014: “Kus” with Els Degryse and Dieter Missiaen (coach Tom Roos, Cie Wurre Wurre)
2015: “ Viva Raphaël” with Dieter Missiaen (coach Micheline Vandepoel and Els Degryse)
2017: “Kontrol” with Dieter Missiaen (dramaturge: Els Degryse)
2020: “NOTHING”
2022: “BENCH INVASION”
2023: “BENCH INVASION JUNIOR"
2025: “KINTSUGI”