THE CIRCASSIAN TRADITION AT THE CIRQUE D’HIVER

The traditional circus show offered by the Bouglione family at the winter circus, in the heart of Paris, returns under the name of “Fantaisie”, after “Dingue”, “Défi” and “Extra”.

Like every year, the Bouglione winter circus offers a new circus show. The performances started on October 22, 2022 and will end on March 5, 2023.

For 2 hours, spectators can discover traditional circus acts, clowns, ponies, acrobats and illusionists, but also contortionists, flexible wire acts, aerial straps and Chinese shadows.

Like Michel Palmier for a few years, Monsieur Loyal presents a dozen artists including Régina Bouglione, daughter of the patriarch, and her ponies, the troupe of clowns “The rabbit eaters” but also the illusionist Jimmy Saylon. Pierre Nouveau’s orchestra animates this new edition full of poetry, tenderness and thrills, which reveals the high-flying numbers. Once again and after a forced shutdown linked to the pandemic, many international artists, from the 4 parts of the world, are back on the track.

A novelty for the 2022/2023 opus, “the eating rabbits” make a common thread number with 5 appearances including that of the “fighting elephants”. (in fabric) In an absurd universe, this trio of happy fellows find themselves in comical and hilarious situations.

Note also the presence of Julot Cousin, former clown of the Cousins trio, who has won several awards at the circus festivals of Budapest and Grenoble. On a flexible mast over 9 meters, it presents a hula hoop act.

The Vytalis duo, formed by Pablo Nonato and Joël Yaicate, performs a hand-to-hand number, combining strength and boldness. For his part, Anthony César, finalist of “France has an incredible talent”, mixes flexibility, strength, dance and acrobatics in his aerial straps number.

The Cuban Lucia Martdaz stands out with a contortional neck balance and Pavel Valla Bertini gives vertigo thanks to her 9-meter-high unicycles with a stack of 15 wheels on top of each other, but also with jumps, trampoline, somersaults, just like going up and down steps with his unicycles.

The Jump’n Roll troupe makes 2 visits. The first at the beginning of the show, shows a sequence of front and back flips; the second, at the end of the program using a Korean board. sublimates an aerobatic act. You can also admire the dexterity of the juggler Léna Smaha.

History of the Cirque d’Hiver-Bouglione

Built by Louis Dejean, owner of the summer circus located in the Jardins des Champs Elysées, the winter circus was designed by the architect Jacques Hittorff in 1852, in the 11th arrondissement, rue Amelot. It was returned by Prince Louis-Napoleon on December 11, 1852.

Based on a 20-sided polygon, with a diameter of 41 meters with a wooden frame and 40 windows, it originally could accommodate 4,000 people but today its capacity is 1,650 places. The room was lit by 21 gas chandeliers. The interior and exterior decoration were named after the great sculptors and painters of the time: Pradier, Duret, Bosio, Gosse and Barrias.

After being successively a classical music concert hall, a Pathé cinema (transformed into a “Temple of Art Nouveau”), it became a circus again in 1923 under the direction of the Fratellini family. In 1934, the 4 Bouglione brothers represent the Cirque d’Hiver and the family still owns it. The place will be the location for filming and television shows (“La Piste aux Etoiles”). It hosts singing tours, recitals… The new Bouglione generation has been at the helm since 1999.
Recognized for over 100 years by the international community, in 1975 it was listed as a historical monument.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgFHxw_XhoU

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VERONIQUE YANG

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