Women Taking The Stage: Christina Zauner
Photo: @bernhardwolf
Christina Zauner is a professional acrobat and performer from Vienna. In her youth, she became world and Europe champion in show dancing and has been performing on stage for shows such as the Eurovision contest, the states opera in Vienna, and numerous TV Series including a Musical film. After a tour with a burlesque/variety production of the Cirque Rouge in Germany, she can be seen today as an acrobat for the opera "Turandot" at the Vienna State Opera.
Hi Christina, can you tell us briefly about yourself?
I am Christina, a 25-year-old Austrian self-taught Circus Performer, specialised in Aerial Straps, Contemporary Dance, and currently also working on Hand to Hand. I started dancing when I was 4 years old, and since then I discovered my passion for performance. I currently live in Vienna, but I go wherever work takes me.
What's your morning ritual?
My morning ritual changes quite often, depending on where I live or what job I have. Recently I enjoyed getting up earlier, drinking a coffee with my boyfriend, and reading 1 chapter of a book to each other.
Tell us about a normal workday.
As a self-employed artist, my workdays are always quite different. Sometimes my day starts quite late because my shows are in the evening and on other days I have to get up at 5 am to get ready for a video shoot. It changes a lot, but I enjoy that. It never gets boring. Last year I had my first longer contract, which was 5 months long. First I was stressed, cause it seemed like it won't be as exciting, but I started to really enjoy it. Being able to plan a day, and get a routine. One thing that I don't want to miss out on is my own training, and conditioning to get my body going.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love, that I can do what I enjoy the most. Challenging myself and sharing my achievements and passion with others. I am very grateful to say, that I love my job. Yes sometimes it is tuff, but I get to travel so much, meet so many amazing people, and have such an adventurous life. I would not wanna change a thing.
Who, past or present, has inspired you most? Why?
I get inspired by so many people, first of all, my parents, my friends, but sometimes also just someone I see on the street or a performer on stage. I enjoy observing and getting inspired by people who can fill a room, without doing anything. For me, the little things sometimes inspire me the most.
Tell us about what you do on your free days?
I love traveling and exploring, on free days I love to just wander around, being spontaneous and to see wherever the day takes me.
Can you tell us how you got started?
I watched a ballet in Germany with my mum and really liked all the dresses and costumes. So I started dancing in a small ballet school close to my hometown. With 12 years I went to Vienna to study classical and contemporary dance at MUK Vienna. During my education, I started to do Aerial and got my first job as a stunt double in the Vienna State Opera as an Aerialist. After I finished my education I worked as an aerialist and dancer, for example in the Musical „Cats". Through Aerial I found my love for Circus, I tried to achieve as much as I could by myself and trained very hard since there are not many circuses in Austria. So I started traveling a lot and training with so many amazing Artists. I am excited to see where this journey will take me.
In what ways do you empower yourself in order to empower others?
I try to constantly surprise myself, with what my body is capable of doing. I enjoy challenging myself and setting my goals high. There is way more possible than we think. And if achieving certain goals would be easy, it would be boring, everyone could do it. I am fine with struggling and having a hard time to get to my goal because when I am there, I know I worked hard and I can be proud of myself.
What's on your bucket list?
Way too many things. From skydiving to dancing the Tango on the streets of Venice. I definitely also have big dreams as a Circus Performer. Not a specific company or theatre, but there is a feeling I get on stage, which tells me that this is exactly what I wanted, and that is what I am looking for.
Where is your favorite place?
My favorite place is at home, which is actually called Eden. In a small town in Upper Austria. It is such a quiet and beautiful place in the countryside, perfect to recharge your energy. So my favorite place is literally in the Garden Eden.
Words of advice to your younger self?
Be patient. Trust and listen to yourself. There will be moments when you don't know how to get through certain times in your life, but as cheesy as it might sound, try to stay positive, it will all be alright. My dad told me something when I was younger, a word called NIPSILD. It is a German sentence that I should always think of when I struggle. „Nicht in Problemen sondern in Lösungen denken" - „Don't think in problems, think in solutions". It already helped me in a lot of situations in my life, and it still does.
What gets you into bed at night?
It is either my tired body and muscles which are in need of rest. It can also be the thought of getting up early in the morning or the excitement for the next day.
What's your favorite Noilence piece?
The Triangle Bracelet
You can find Christina under
IG: @christinazauner_
Web: christinazauner.com