About
Circoluza: The Wonderful World of Circus Arts is an immersive online experience produced by TOHU. Its goal is to provide children aged 6 to 12 with an immersive experience of the world of circus arts in Canada and around the globe.
Children are given a mission to explore the TOHU collection, including never seen 360-degree videos and interviews with circus professionals, and find content that helps them discover what it’s like to be a circus artist. Throughout their quest, children learn about the different circus disciplines and explore the otherwise inaccessible backstage areas at a circus. They discover the steps involved in producing a circus show, including training the artists, developing the acts and preparing its technical elements.
This project was made possible by the Digital Museums Canada investment program. Digital Museums Canada is administered by the Canadian Museum of History with the financial support of the Government of Canada.
Unless otherwise indicated, this exhibition and its content is the property of TOHU.
Credits and acknowledgements
TOHU
Project direction: Ruth Wikler
Project management, research and writing: Cornélia Strickler
Graphic design, Teacher’s Guide: Edith Paris
Image research: Cornélia Strickler et Éloïse Véronneau
Technical Coordinators: Éric Gingras et Martine Ethier Makanda
Logistics Coordinators: Anaïs Devillers et Sarah Yaghlane-Marais
Film direction: Daniel Ross
CREO
Website design: CREO Inc
Project management: Anouk Ethier
Scripting: Ophélie Delaunay
Artistic direction: Annie Cossette
Programming: Sylvie Tessier
Integration of website content: Marion Gozin
Editing and filming: Karen Vanderborght
Photography of works: Anaïs Beauchemin-Hétu
Translation and editing: Élite Communications
Educational consultant: Isabelle Goudou
Advisory committee
Pascal Jacob, collector, circus arts historian, set designer, costume designer, author
Anna-Karyna Barlati, Manager, National Circus School Library
Delphine Bouteiller, Cultural Mediation Agent, TOHU
Main partners
Digital Museums Canada
Other acknowledgements
Special thanks to Pascal Jacob for the loan of his works, his support and his expertise.
We also thank the following institutions for their participation and support of the project: Flip Fabrique, Barcode and Acting for Climate, Machine de Cirque, Cavalia Inc., and Kalabanté Productions.
Thank you to the artists and professionals who participated in the project: Vanessa Kneale (Luza), Tuedon Ariri, Julie Barbeau, Frédérique Cournoyer Lesage, Victor Crépin, Martine Ethier Makanda, Vincent Gervais, Emmanuel Jacquinot, Olivier Lamarche, Aude Lavergne, Teo LeBaut, Stéphane Ménigot, Louis Mercier, Martin Plante and Santiago Rivera Laugerud.
Thank you to our young testers : Valexia, Emmanuel, Charles-Émile, Élisabeth, Grégoire, Adrien, Rose-Alexia, Théodore, Nadine, Julian, Ilian, Clémentine, Anaée et Anouk, and to the teachers who provided support : Ibticem Akrour, Caroline Boudreau, Mélanie Bougie-Richer et Caroline Leblanc, Chloé Strickler.
Photo and video credits
Welcome to the Circus section
- 360 Video : performer : Vanessa Kneale, music : Urban © Serge Quadrado
History of the Circus section
- 360 Video : performer : Vanessa Kneale, music : Bubamara © Bubamara Brass Band
- Chocolat:Photograph taken from the book « Les mémoires de Footit et Chocolat clowns », 1907, Pascal Jacob Collection, Library of the National Circus School
- Blanket Toss : Agnes Nanogak, Printing Plate, Western Arctic, 1969, Gift of Miss Virginia J. Watt © McCord Museum
- Equestrienne : Richard Ranft, Color lithograph, 1897 © Jacob-William Collection, TOHU
- Strongman : Chiostri Carlo, Print, c. 1900, Italy © Jacob-William Collection, TOHU
- Human Pyramid : Lithograph after Hoster c. 1870 © Jacob-William Collection, TOHU
- P.T. Barnum : Poster, 1987, United States © Jacob-William Collection, TOHU
Circus Disciplines Section
- 360 Video : performers : Vanessa Kneale, Tuedon Ariri, Victor Crépin, Aude Lavergne, Teo LeBaut and Santiago Rivera Laugerud, music : The Hug © The Freak Fandango Orchestra
- Hoop Acrobats : Hoop Jumping, Archangelo Tuccaro, copper engraving from the book Three Dialogues in the Art of Jumping, 1599, Paris © Jacob-William Collection, TOHU
- Flying Trapeze Artists : Osler-del-Canes at the double flying trapeze, poster, c. 1975, France
- Soviet Balancing Artists : poster, 1963, Russie
- Equestrian : Mr Ducrow as the God of Fame, print, c.1835 © Jacob-William Collection, TOHU
- Juggler from Myanmar : [The Juggler Moung-Toon], sculpture © Jacob-William Collection, TOHU
- Floor acrobatics : performers : Victor Crépin and Téo LeBaut, music : Daddy's Outta Town © Mr.ruiZ
- Aerial acrobatics : performer : Tuedon Ariri, music : Useless Dreams © Ketsa
- Balancing : performer : Aude Lavergne, music : All of this is Love © Gotama
- Juggling : performer : Santiago Rivera Laugerud, music : Circus Bender © The Polish Ambassador
- Clowning Art : excerpt of the episode ‘Le saut’, Au hasard de la ville by Brigitte Poupart, Production : Parce que Films, Collaboration: TOHU and Radio-Canada, performer : Nathalie Claude
- Equestrian Arts : performer : Andréanne Dumont, show and behind the scene’s pictures © CAVALIA INC., music : Festa by Michel Cusson.
Circus Spaces section
- 360 Video : performer : Vanessa Kneale, music : Little Lily Swing © Tri-Tachyon
- Big Top : poster, France © Jacob-William collection, TOHU
- Permanent circus : Winter Circus in Paris, poster, c. 1930, France © Jacob-William Collection, TOHU
Creative Process section
- 360 Video : performers : Vanessa Kneale, , Jamie Adkins, Jacob Grégoire, Dylan Herrera, Camille Tremblay, Méliejade Tremblay Bouchard, music : Black Cat White Cat © Bubamara Brass Band
- Zebra costumes : Three Zebras on Unicycles, . Costume design created by Pascal Jacob for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, 1996. Pascal Jacob Collection, © Library of the National Circus School.
- The Fratellini’s Dressing Room : at Circus Médrano, photograph, c.1920, Paris © Jacob-William collection, TOHU.
- Video capsule « Création du spectacle - L’amour et les extraterrestres » directed by Didier Lucien for the National Circus School, 2017
- Video capsule « Maquillages et costumes – Où vont les fleurs? » directed by Alain Francoeur for the National Circus School, 2019
Contemporary circus section
- 360 video: music : Olivier Landry-Gagnon, performers : [CS2] Eric Bates, Tristan Nielsen, Agathe Bisserier, Adrien Malette Chénier, Stéfanie Fournier, Anne-Marie Godin, Heidi Blais
- Machine de Cirque Show :Director, co-writer and original idea: Vincent Dubé, Co-writers, co-directors: Yohann Trépanier, Raphaël Dubé, Maxim Laurin, Ugo Dario & Frédéric Lebrasseur, Music: Frédéric Lebrasseur, Artists: Guillaume Larouche, Thibault Macé, Philippe Dupuis, Samuel Hollis, Laurent Racicot, Musician: Frederic Lebrasseur or Steve Hamel or Olivier Forest (one musician at a time), Artistic advisors: Patrick Ouellet, Harold Rhéaume & Martin Genest, Scenography advisors: Josée Bergeron-Proulx, Julie Lévesque & Amélie Trépanier. Costume Designer: Sébastien Dionne, Lighting Designer: Bruno Matte, Sound Designer: René Talbot, Mechanical engineer : David St-Onge, Technical Direction: Patrice Guertin machinedecirque.com, facebook.com/machinedecirque
- Transit Show, Flip Fabrique : Original concept FLIP Fabrique Artistic Direction Bruno Gagnon, Director Alexandre Fecteau, Assistant Director Sophie Thibeault, Scenic Design Ariane Sauvé, Choreography Annie Saint-Pierre Costumes Geneviève Tremblay, Lighting Design Bruno Matte, Musical Arrangement Antony Roy, Interpretation : Bruno Gagnon, Christophe Hamel, Francis Julien, Hugo Ouellet-Côté, Jade Dussault, Jérémie Arsenault, poster : photo by Emmanuel Burriel, design by Nicolas Gilbert, teaser : Take Cover Film
- Ripopée Show, L’Aubergine : Original idea and director : Christine Rossignol, Co-Stage Director and Clown Coaching : Michel Dallaire, Scenario : Ariane Cabana, Michel Dallaire, Philibert Hébert-Filion, Vanessa Kneale, Christine Rossignol, Myriam Sutton, Interpretation : Valérie Boutin, Ariane Cabana, Félix Imbault, Vanessa Kneale, Scenography : Huguette Lauzé, Original music : Fred Lebrasseur, Lighting : Emilie Vachon, Masks : Myriam Sutton
- Spectacle UnikkaaqtuatUnikkaaqtuat show : Original Idea Neil Christopher. Executive Producer Les 7 doigts de la main. A collaboration between ArtCirq, The 7 Fingers & Taqqut Productions Inc.
- Africa in Circus Show, Kalabanté Productions : Poster : Nuits d’Afrique, Teaser : Transe Création
- Life Cycle Show, DynamO Théâtre : Ideator and Director Yves Simard; Text Pascal Brullemans; Text translation (English) Alexis Diamond; Set and Costume Designer Pierre-Étienne Locas; Lighting Designer Martin Sirois Composer Claude Lamothe; Makeup and Hair Designer Suzanne Trépanier; Creative Team Andréanne Joubert, Xavier Malo, Frédéric Nadeau, Hugues Sarra-Bournet Collaboration to the production Josée Fontaine-Ruby, Marie-Chantal Bonin; Assistant Director, Stage Manager and Sound Mixing, Élianne Désilets-Dubé Illustration Sébastien Thibault; Performers Andréanne Joubert, Mathieu Aumont, Hugues Sarra-Bournet. Chorus⎥ Students from Mrs. Catherine Dumont’s welcome class, École François-de-Laval (2018)
- Cirkopolis Show, Cirque Éloize Artistic Director and Co-Director : Jeannot Painchaud, Co-Director and Choreographer: Dave St-Pierre, music : Stéfan Boucher
- Timber! Show, Cirque Alfonse Director : Alain Francoeur, Music : David Boulanger, Lights and production : Nicolas Descoteaux, Performers : Antoine Carabinier Lépine, Julie Carabinier-Lépine, Arthur Casaubon, Jonathan Casaubon, Francis Roberge, Alain Carabinier, Musicians : Josianne Laporte, André Gagné, David Simard
- O Show, Cirque du Soleil : Director : Franco Dragone
- Bolt out of the Blue Show, Wonderbolt Productions et Fire Crown Productions
Legal
Unless otherwise indicated, this website and its content are the property of TOHU.
With the exception of educational use and personal research, the contents of this exhibition, may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written authorization of TOHU or the owner of the content in question, if applicable, and proper acknowledgment of the copyright owner and the online exhibition.