Oak Park Newspaper

Word from Jeannot Painchaud

Director

At Cirque Éloize, we have always nurtured our shows through encounters with creators from different horizons. We have also always favored a multidisciplinary artistic approach, which is enriched with artists of several nationalities.

This new creation is no exception.

Sixteen artists on stage, thirteen circus disciplines, and the discovery of a world which is new to us, that of urban dances such as breakdance and hip-hop.

I imagined this show at the heart of a futuristic city, where the omnipresence of image causes us to lose our reference points. I sought to create an aesthetic at the crossroads of comic books, science-fiction movies and the rich universe of graffiti.

The decidedly rock, electronic and poetic music, coupled with the presence of video, highlight the show’s playful, energetic, youthful and urban aspects.

In the middle of this surreal megalopolis exists a public place. A public place, as a spot where one can seek refuge and escape anonymity, to express one’s individuality and affirm one’s identity, in order to reclaim possession of public space, and to dance the city…

An area for encounters, a site of passage, a hood where clans confront one another, where friendships are woven. Where love is created, and dissolved.

I invite you to join us on this new adventure.

Positioned at the heart of the renewal of circus arts, Cirque Éloize has been creating moving performances filled with
magic since 1993. Continually striving for artistic perfection, it is one of the leaders in contemporary circus arts.

Based on the multidisciplinary talents of its artists, Cirque Éloize expresses its innovative nature through theatricality
and humanity, and combines circus arts with music, dance and theatre in a path-breaking and original manner. With seven
original productions to its credit, Cirque Éloize has presented almost 4,000 performances in over 400 cities and 34 countries.
Cirque Éloize has taken part in numerous prestigious international festivals and recently seduces Broadway with its show Rain which has been touring that major network of theaters since Fall 2007.

In addition to its tour performances, Cirque Éloize develops custom made concepts for international special events. To date,
more than 1000 events have taken place.

Since 2004, Cirque Éloize's head office and creative studio are located in the Dalhousie Station, a historic building in the
heart of Old-Montréal, departure station of the first train going from Montréal to Vancouver in 1886. In order to maintain this
site as a place for dialogue and encounters for the circus community, Cirque Éloize invites up-and-coming artists to visit.
Today, the company hires more than 100 individuals working in various teams and projects.

Éloize Pronounced [EL-WAZ]

Éloize is a word that comes from the Magdalen Islands and means “flashes of heat lightning seen on the horizon”. An inspiration for the troupe's seven founding members, this lightning symbolizes the heat and energy that feed the troupe's spirit.

Creative Team