How A Spiral Works at Lowry

If you think circus is all about spectacle and dazzle, think again. How a Spiral Works is a hypnotic blend of contemporary circus and dance that swaps big-top thrills for something far more intimate, powerful and strangely zen. The show recently premiered to a sell-out audience at Jacksons Lane and was hailed as “an absolute highlight” of the venue’s anniversary season – and now it spirals its way to Lowry.

Created by a formidable trio of artists – renowned British circus director Jason Dupree, Latvian choreographer Alise Bokaldere, and Lithuanian aerialist Izabele Kuzelyte – the show pushes circus into new territory. At its core is a simple yet striking setup: one dancer, one aerialist, and a rope tethered between them. From this evolves a relationship of care, conflict and balance, explored through aerial rope, hair-hanging, contemporary dance and reinvented Baltic folk music.

What makes How a Spiral Works unique is its mood. Rather than racing through feats of skill, it asks us to slow down. The performance poses simple but urgent questions – how do we care for ourselves, and each other, under pressure? At great heights? In the middle of chaos? It’s an exploration that feels both intensely physical and deeply reflective.

The result is part ritual, part performance, with a meditative quality that audiences have described as “a reset” in today’s loud, caffeinated world. Care under tension becomes its own kind of choreography – raw, vulnerable and arresting.

For audiences in Salford, this is a chance to experience a different kind of circus – stripped-back, poetic and infused with care. With its blend of Baltic soundscapes, contemporary dance and extraordinary aerial work, How a Spiral Works promises a one-of-a-kind evening that lingers long after the performers leave the rope behind.