Cirque du Soleil's influence
Virtually everyone has heard of Cirque du Soleil, or, for the lucky few, attended one of its fascinating shows that have taken the world by storm. We'll start with a look at this small Quebec troupe that's become (very) big, before moving on to present a number of players in the field, as well as other companies that epitomize what we mean by Quebec's "new circus": a complete experience that gives pride of place to acrobatics and acting, and where animals no longer have a place (and that's all to the good!). Ladies and gentlemen, come and discover the wonderful world of the circus in Montreal, and in Quebec more widely. You won't be disappointed.
Quebec's first internationally renowned company, Cirque du Soleil was founded in 1984 by two street artists, Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier, who met two years earlier in Baie-Saint-Paul, a small town in Quebec's Charlevoix region. Supported by the Quebec government, Club des talons hauts - the troupe's second name - became Cirque du Soleil in 1984, to mark the 450thanniversary of the discovery of Canada by explorer Jacques Cartier. Un Cirque réinventé (the name of their hit show staged in Los Angeles in 1987): that's what this promising troupe came up with. From their very first shows, the circus distinguished itself by its absence of animals and its emphasis on acrobatics and theater. Things moved quickly for the company, which completely overturned the traditional approach to the circus and paved the way for its evolution. Over the years, Cirque du Soleil's shows spread beyond Canada's borders to Japan and Europe, via the United States, where the troupe made a name for itself in the late 1980s. Its many creations(Totem, Ovo, Kurios...) have sailed the seas and oceans, and are presented year-round (Las Vegas, Orlando, Riviera Maya). Las Vegas has always welcomed this audacity and genius with open arms: in 1993, the hit show Mystère took up permanent residence in a reserved room in the famous neon city. Numerous productions have since made a lasting mark on the Sin City entertainment landscape, including Michael Jackson One (2013), a breathtaking tribute to the King of Pop. In early 2020, Guy Laliberté sold his last shares in the company to the trio that already held the majority: American and Chinese groups (TPG and Fosun), and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. The visionary entrepreneur, who founded the Lune Rouge company, continues to present creative projects, including PY1, an imposing pyramid installed in the heart of Montreal's Old Port in summer 2019, before leaving on a world tour. It hosted an immersive multimedia show and themed DJ evenings. Since its takeover, Cirque has lost some of its lustre and faced considerable debt problems. And the crisis caused by the Covid-19 epidemic in early 2020 didn't help matters. Cirque was forced to temporarily lay off 95% of its staff and suspend all performances (44 shows worldwide!). The Quebec government provided financial support for this iconic company, advancing some $200 million... New investors also enabled the company to continue disseminating its art with new shows. Today, performances all over the world continue to delight audiences of all ages.
Montreal, home to many companies
Another figurehead of contemporary Quebec circus, Cirque Eloize has also grown considerably since its creation in 1993. The company presents a number of shows, both permanent and on tour.
Music, dance, technology and theater blend with circus arts in a poetic universe. Anecdotally, one of the company's founding members invented the Cyr wheel in 2003, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for acrobats. A Cyr wheel act can be seen in Cirque du Soleil's Corteo, and the discipline is now taught at the École Nationale de Cirque (ENC). The company's studios are housed in the former Dalhousie Station (Old Montreal) and open their doors to up-and-coming artists.
A younger company, Les 7 Doigts de la Main, was founded in 2002 by seven circus performers with a wealth of artistic experience. In addition to its original creations, including the memorable Vices & Vertu, created as part of Montreal's 375th anniversary celebrations, and Passagers, which has been on tour ever since, the company also participates in collaborative projects. In 2018, Les 7 Doigts inaugurated their creation and production center in the heart of Montreal's Quartier des spectacles.
One last one for the road: Cirque Alfonse, which was born in the Lanaudière region not far from Montreal, celebrates its Quebec roots in all its shows, from La Brunante (the Quebec term for twilight) in 2006, to TABARNAK (the tone is set!), now on world tour.
La TOHU and the Cité des arts du cirque
Since its creation at the end of the 1990s, the Cité des arts du cirque has established itself as an essential part of circus life in Montreal. Located in the rapidly changing Saint-Michel district, it is a meeting point for artists, teachers, students, directors, producers and more. La TOHU is the Cité's showcase. Its impressive circular hall, the only one of its kind in North America, is reminiscent of traditional circus tents, and hosts performances by ENC students, among others. Every month, exhibitions and events are organized at La TOHU, or in neighboring Frédéric-Back Park.
La Cité is home to the headquarters of the entities that imagined it: Cirque du Soleil, who needs no introduction, but also the National Circus School and En Piste, two other major players working to develop the circus in Quebec, Canada and the world.
When the École Nationale de Cirque was founded in 1981, it was the first professional circus school in North America. Today, it offers a full range of training, from preparatory courses through the circus-study program to a post-graduate diploma. It also trains circus arts teachers. The diploma, issued by the Ministère de l'Éducation et l'Enseignement supérieur du Québec, is a token of recognition for these arts. Internationally renowned, ENC has over 150 students from all walks of life.
The mission of En Piste, the national circus arts association, is to bring together all the players in the sector and to ensure the development of this artistic medium, notably by promoting it to the public and to government bodies, among others. The Conseil des arts et lettres du Québec (CALQ) recognized the circus arts as an art form in its own right in 2001, followed by the Conseil des arts de Montréal (2008) and Canada (2009).
When Montreal becomes a complete circus..
The fruit of collaboration between TOHU, Cirque Eloize, Les 7 Doigts de la main, Cirque du Soleil, École Nationale de Cirque and En Piste, Montréal Complètement Cirque is the first international festival dedicated to the circus arts on the North American continent. The program is full of color: a variety of shows, both paid and free, are presented in venues and on the streets of the city, including the now emblematic daily performance held in Place Émile Gamelin in the Quartier des spectacles. While the focus is on the Quebec circus, many other companies also apply to take part in the festival every year. Alongside the shows, activities are organized for all, notably by the École de cirque de Verdun, not only downtown, but also in several residential neighborhoods, so that the whole island of Montreal can enjoy the festivities.
Following the cancellation of all summer 2020 festivals in Montreal, the Bonheur mobile team - made up of members of Cirque Alfonse, FLIP Fabrique, Patin libre and Les Parfaits Inconnus - is thumbing its nose at the pandemic by organizing surprise performances in the back alleys of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve from the very start of the lockdown.
The almost impromptu performances of 2020 bear witness to the effervescence and dynamism of Montreal's circus arts scene. Since then, the festival has returned to the public in fine form, and continues to promote Montreal as a circus capital. It includes La Rue Complètement Cirque, which brings rue Saint-Denis to life for ten days.
