| JOCELYN BIGRASBack to Top | |
| Pianist, lyra glockenspiel | |
studied the classical repertoire before branching out into other genres. Since completing his music studies, he has been asked to collaborate as musician, accompanist, programmer or arranger in many studio and stage productions. Over time, learning to play with voice and pen, he has become an author-composer and a performer. As well as touring throughout many cities in Quebec and France with his songs and music, he has been the opening act for shows of Gilles Vigneault (Coups de coeur Francophone 1996) and Julos Beaucarne (tour in Quebec cities in 2000), and took part in a Claude Leveillé show (Festival d’été de Québec, 1999). Grand prize winner at the Francouvertes (Montreal, 1996), then winner of the Prix de l’amitié francophone (Visa francophone— France, 2001), this former finalist in the Canadian Music Competitions is joining Cirque Éloize, after many shows and involvement in two original albums, delighted by this unique opportunity for magical exchanges and collaboration. |
|
| NICOLAS BOIVIN-GRAVELBack to Top | |
| Juggling, teeterboard. strong acrobats number, banquine & Russian bar, triangle | |
was already dreaming of touring the stages of the world when he was just 6 years old. He began his studies at the École de cirque de Verdun where he dabbled in all the areas the circus had to offer. After ten years of training and performing throughout Québec, he decided (with help from his trainer Krzysztof Soroczynski) to register for the National Circus School after his high school studies in order to perfect his technique and further develop his skills. During this time he specialized in juggling and clowning and perfected his general circus abilities. Today in the production Rain, he has achieved his childhood dream. |
|
| ASHLEY CARRBack to Top | |
| Prologue, devilsticks, strong acrobats number, bottle number, teeterboard, suitcase number, juggling and passing | |
moved from the English countryside to London to train on the Degree course at The Circus Space. In 2001 he graduated with honours and co founded the international circus-theatre company, Kicking the Moon. Since then he has continued to work with the company and as a solo performer on the street and in theatres worldwide. His background is as a juggler and even though he trained as an acrobat it is the spirit of clown that makes him smile. |
|
| JEAN-PHILIPPE LABELLEBack to Top | |
| Banquine & Russian bar, strong acrobats number, teeterboard, saxophone, juggling | |
From a very young age, Jean-Philippe showed an extraordinary theatrical sensibility joining Montreal National Circus School at the age of 12. Under the tutelage of trainer André St-Jean, he refined his talents as an acrobat, a flyer and an actor. When he was only 16, he experienced his first professional tour, which lasted eight months, through Switzerland, performing in more than 200 shows in 80 cities with Productions Starlight. The company invited him to stay on to train for another show, Cavalia, as an acrobat, performing in 320 shows in 18 months. He filled in for a Cirque Éloize artist in the production Nomade at the end of the 2006 season, and then joined the production Rain. |
|
| NADINE LOUISBack to Top | |
| Prologue, strong women acrobats number, teeterboard, contortion, tissue, swinging clubs, suitcase contortion, tambourine | |
began training very young at the National Circus School in Montreal, then toured with the Cirque du Soleil for seven years in the shows Nouvelle Expérience, Fascination and Saltimbanco. One of a quartet of contortionists, she and her three partners jointly received many recognition awards: the Golden Clown at Festival de circus de Monaco, the Gold Medal at the 13ème Festival du cirque de l’Avenir in Paris, the Silver Crane at the Wuhan Circus Festival in China and a Gemini Award for the best performance in a variety program on Y.T.V. She has appeared on many television broadcasts, including the “Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” and performed the main role in the film Satie and Suzanne (Rhombus Media Inc.). Following her circus experience, she completed her studies in arts and communications at Collège Jean-de- Brébeuf, then trained for four years in acting at the National Theatre School of Canada. |
|
| SANDRINE MERETTEBack to Top | |
| Double fix trapeze, solo trapeze, tissue, teeterboard, strong women acrobats number, saxophone, swinging club | |
was introduced to gymnastics at a very young age and, at age 9, this sport led her towards the circus arts, which she mastered with great enthusiasm. Since entering the École Nationale de acrobat, this contortionist and actress has shared her talents between the circus, acrobatic theatre for children (DynamO Théâtre) and various television appearances. Sandrine is pleased to join Cirque Éloize’s Rain, an opportunity to express her many artistic talents. While attending Cirque’s preparatory program for professional training, She, decided to make the circus her trade, completing her secondary and college-level studies there. She graduated in 2003. |
|
| BARTLOMIEJ PANKAUBack to Top | |
| Hand to hand, banquine & Russian bar, teeterboard, strong acrobats number | |
was born in Poland, and began doing Acro Sports at the age of 8. In 1997 he placed first in the international competition in Switzerland, and then won several championships in Poland and had other international successes. From 1999 to 2002 Pankau toured Europe with circus troupe Ocelot’s production, M a s t e r. During the winter seasons, he worked with Circus Sarassani in Germany. Pankau met his partner, Jacek Wyskup, while working in Ocelot, where they began to master their handbalancing act. Pankau’s first contact with theatre came when he performed in the opera Nabucco by Verdi and more recently he was hired as an actor and physical comedian in the play Ghetto by Konzertdirektion Landgraf which toured Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Lichtenstein. He has also performed in many special events all over Europe. It is his life’s dream to perform onstage as a circus artist and he is thrilled to be a cast member of Cirque Éloize’s Rain because it’s the perfect fusion between circus and theatre. |
|
| SAMUEL ROYBack to Top | |
| Juggling, teeterboard, strong acrobats number, banquine & Russian bar, bass drum | |
discovered the circus arts at 7 years old. Passionate for all things circus, he trained for over eight years at the École de cirque de Verdun, and then went on to perfect his skills at the National Circus School in Montréal. His five years as a student there whetted his appetite for discovering new cultures and sharing his passion. Specializing in juggling, he also honed many other acrobatic techniques, especially as a porter. His greatest pleasure is dazzling his audiences and making them dream for a moment suspended in time. |
|
| ANNA WARDBack to Top | |
| Tissue, swinging clubs, teeterboard, shoes, suitcase contortion | |
grew up in Vancouver before moving to Montreal to pursue circus at L'École Nationale de Cirque. Studying swinging trapeze with world reknowned trapeze coach Victor Fomin, Anna graduated from the school and began performing her solo act with Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco. Her curiosity for different forms of circus has lead her to perform with Swiss based Circus Starlight, France's La Compagnie Malabar, and Montreal companies Les 7 doigts de la main, Cirque Éloize’s Cirque Orchestra, Les gens 'R as well as many performances with her own company, Poisson d'Avril, mainly in Japan. She also found her way to Las Vegas performing the opening swinging trapeze act to Cirque du Soleil's "O". Anna now focuses her work on the theatrical aspects of circus by bringing out the expressive vocabulary in circus technique. |
|
| JACEK WYSKUPBack to Top | |
| Hand to hand, teeterboard, banquine & Russian bar, strong acrobats number, cymbal | |
was born in a small town in Poland. Jacek studied with two coaches who were world champions in Acro Sports many times over. He became a full-time performer when he was hired by the legendary cabarets Winter Garten in Berlin and Apollo Variete in Düsseldorf, where he perfected the art of hand balancing. Wyskup began working with his partner, Bartek Pankau, when both were performing in the circus troupe, Ocelot, and they mastered their hand-balancing act in their spare time. |
|