Watching Jérôme Thomas’ show Extraballe in 1991, Phia Ménard realised she felt a strong desire to train in the performing arts and in particular in the art of juggling.

She founded the company Non Nova in 1998 and developed a form of stage work where the spectacular, visual aspect of juggling is downplayed and challenged, in favour of a new relationship with her audience.

In 2008 her artistic career took a new direction with the project I.C.E. – Injonglabilité Complémentaire des Eléments (Complementary Unjugglability of the Elements), with the aim of examining the imaginative aspect of transformation and erosion through natural matter and the elements.

Since January 2008, different cycles have been initiated:

• The Ice Cycle, with pieces like P.P.P., ICE MAN and Black Monodie;
• The Wind Cycle: L’Après-midi d’un Foehn Version 1, L’Après-midi d’un Foehn, VORTEX and Les Os Noirs;
• The Water and Steam Cycle: Belle d’Hier and Dry Season;
• The Sublimation Cycle: Immoral Tales – Part 1: Mother House, No Way and The Trilogy of Immoral Tales (for Europe) created at the Festival d’Avignon in July 2021 ;
• The Garden and Ruins Cycle : ART.13 created at the Biennale de la danse de Lyon in septembre 2023.

Her pieces are presented in France and all over the world (more than 50 countries).

Crying Out Loud and Company Non Nova

Our Artistic Director Rachel first saw Phia’s work in 2010. Her distinctive approach was included in a short film as part of our series of films, called Circus Post in 2012.  We initially presented L’après-Midi D’un Foehn – Version 1 at the Edinburgh Festival in 2013 and then toured it through the UK in 2014 and 2015.