29th March 2024

Search

Cirque de Demain

cirque de demain

Editors Note: Aurelie writes about the excitement of attending the annual Cirque de Demain competition in France. English translation below.

C’est l’un des plus beaux spectacles du monde, rendez vous incontournable des amoureux de la piste et de la nouveauté. C’est un week end qui vous marque à vie, une date à marquer en rouge dans votre calendrier, chaque année sans hésiter. Depuis plus de 60 ans, ce formidable événement rassemble les artistes, les jeunes espoirs et les professionnels du cirque. On y rencontre les experts de la discipline tout comme les nouveaux talents tout juste sortis des écoles de cirque Internationales. Plusieurs années de dures répétitions, d’heures de travail intense pour enfin avoir la chance de dévoiler leur création.

Les artistes scrupuleusement sélectionnés par le jury composé de professionnels du métiers. Directeur de Casting, Président de l’école du cirque de Moscou, Directeur du Cirque de Pékin, Représentants célèbres des écoles de Montréal et de France. Les fameux membres du Jury auront la dure tâche de noter les candidats. Ils récompenseront les plus créatifs, les plus novateurs et les plus téméraires des participants. C’est une grande famille qui pendant 4 jours, partage des moments d’exception. Émotion garantie ! Surprise, étonnement, rire et poésie se sont donnés rendez vous sous le majestueux chapiteau de Cirque Phénix. Dans le Hall principal, on se salut, on y retrouve de vieilles connaissances.

On y découvre des expositions de Photos, de corps parfaits élancés dans les airs. On y boit, on y échange des histoires de l’année passée. On tente de deviner qui sera le gagnant de cette année. La cloche sonne, le public est invité à prendre place sur les petits bancs rouges. L’ambiance commence à s’échauffer. Les dizaines de drapeaux multicolores annonçant les pays participants sont fièrement hissés face au public impatient.

L’orchestre est lui aussi en place en fond de scène, les membres du jury vissés sur leur chais, les lumières s’éteignent pour laisser comme seul décor la scène et ses agrès. Un mythe vivant fait aussi son apparition.

Maître de cérémonie unique dans son genre, extravagance et décadence délicate aux gants blancs.

Notre fabuleux Calix nous régale en quelques minutes d’ histoires sarcastiques. Crâne blanc comme neige, costume queue de pie, écharpe rouge en bandoulière, broche à diamant sur la poitrine, il est le maître des lieux pour le plus grand plaisir des nos zygomatiques. Il est un univers à lui tout seul, véritable icône de ce formidable Festival Mondial du Cirque de demain. Impossible de ne pas l’aimer. Que la fête commence, que l’orchestre résonne, que les spectateurs applaudissent, que la farandole des drapeaux envahisse la salle. La joie du Cirque tout simplement.

*******

It is one of the most beautiful shows in the world, a must for lovers of novelty and the circus ring. It is a weekend that marks you for life, a date to be marked in red in your calendar, every year without hesitation. For more than 60 years, this amazing event brings artists together, aspiring youth and circus professionals.

We find there both experts of their discipline, as well as new talents fresh out of international circus schools. Many years of hard training and countless hours of intense work to finally have the chance to unveil their creation.

The artists are scrupulously selected by the jury composed of professionals from the trade, yet from a multitude of different angles – Casting Director, President of the Moscow circus school, Director of the Circus of Beijing, famous representatives of the schools of Montreal and France.

The famous members of the jury will have the tough task of noting the candidates. They will reward the most creative, the most innovative and the most daring of the participants. It is a large family that for four days shares many exceptional moments. Emotion is guaranteed! Surprise, astonishment, laughter, and poetry have been united under the majestic marquee of Cirque Phénix. In the Main Hall, we greet each other and reunite with old acquaintances from all over the world who congregate here each year. There are photo exhibitions of perfect slender bodies in the air. We drink, we exchange stories from the past year since we met and parted ways. We are trying to guess who will be the winner this year. The bell rings, the public is invited to sit on the narrow red benches. The atmosphere starts to warm up. The dozens of multi-colored flags announcing the participating countries are hoisted in front of an audience both impatient and exhilarated.

The orchestra is in place at the back of the stage, above the Ring and the members of the jury riveted to their seats. The lights go out to leave a lone stage, a Ring revealing only its equipment in waiting for the first act.

A living myth emerges, the Master of Ceremony unique of his kind, extravagant and delicately decadent with white gloves.

Our fabulous Calixte de Nigremont regales for a few minutes with cheeky stories and stinging anecdotes. Skull white as snow, long-tailed suit, a red scarf slung over his shoulder, diamond broach on his breast, he is the undisputed master of the Ring – and our delight. Our cheeks painfully strained from laughter, he shows us no mercy.

He is the world unto himself, a true icon of this formidable Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain. Impossible not to love him. Let the festivities begin, the orchestra resound, the spectators applaud, the farandole of the flags conquer the Big Top. It is a pure joy that is quite simply, the Circus.

 

Also by Aurelie:

Props: I Dream Of The Perfect Workshop

Apps Set The Tone Of How We Work Today

Join TheatreArtLife to access unlimited articles, our global career center, discussion forums, and professional development resource guide. Your investment will help us continue to ignite connections across the globe in live entertainment and build this community for industry professionals. Learn more about our subscription plans.

Love to write or have something to say? Become a contributor with TheatreArtLife. Join our community of industry leaders working in artistic, creative, and technical roles across the globe. Visit our CONTRIBUTE page to learn more or submit an article.

STANDBY

logo-2.jpg

Thank you so much for reading, but you have now reached your free article limit for this month.

Our contributors are currently writing more articles for you to enjoy.

To keep reading, all you have to do is become a subscriber and then you can read unlimited articles anytime.

Your investment will help us continue to ignite connections across the globe in live entertainment and build this community for industry professionals.

Are you ready? Select JOIN to get started!