The Values of Le PeTiT CiRqUe

The Values Of Le PeTiT CiRqUe

JEFFREY SCOTT ROVNER Foreword by Gilles Ste-Croix & Debra Lynne Brown

The Values Of Le PeTiT CiRqUe JEFFREY SCOTT ROVNER

Foreword by Gilles Ste-Croix & Debra Lynne Brown Afterword by Nathalie Yves Gaulthier

For my wife, Marrie, and my daughter, Haley Elizabeth (aka Hooping with Haley)

CONTENTS Foreword

i

Preface iii Acknowledgements

v

Portraits

1

Circus Values 17 Teamwork 18 Perseverance 32 Self-Reliance 48 Introspection 56 Compassion 68 Enchantment 82 Trust 100 Circus Arts 107 Afterword by Nathalie Yves Gaulthier

135

Performer Index 139 Plates 140

FOREWORD I

discovered circus very late. I first played on the streets on stilts. But as we were developing a new type of circus without animals, my thoughts went to my own youth. How I wished I would have learned these acrobatic techniques as a child. While doing casting for Cirque du Soleil, I visited many circus schools around the world and I saw so many children engaged in learning circus arts. It is an individual challenge for any child to learn to juggle, to climb a trapeze, to do somersault, to walk on stilts. What a reward to see the smile on the face of a child who has mastered a new trick. Through their engagement, their persistence and concentration, these children learn to address their fears, discipline and commitment. They might not become circus artists as they grow older, but through those non-competitive exercises, they will become stronger individuals and better adults. Long live Le PeTiT CiRqUe. Gilles Ste-Croix Montreal, Canada Mr. Ste-Croix co-founded Cirque du Soleil in 1984. He is also the co-founder of Circo de Los Niños. ***

I

have had the pleasure of working with Le PeTiT CiRqUe on several different occasions and their creative environment really stands out. It is a protected and kind atmosphere that allows the young artists and creative process to fully blossom—I have even heard it repeated as a mantra and guiding principle that “kindness is the law.” Nathalie has nurtured a safe place to explore and stretch the boundaries of each artist, consciously evolving them as people as well as performers. In this empowered environment, they are exposed to many innovative and talented professional artists and coaches with world-class experience and expertise. Le PeTiT CiRqUe brings this beautiful spirit and energy through every artist to every performance. It is a true joy to watch when Le PeTiT CiRqUe takes the stage.

Debra Lynne Brown Toronto, Canada Ms. Brown is an Emmy Award-winning choreographer whose credits include more than 11 Cirque du Soleil productions.

i

PREFACE

N

athalie Yves Gaulthier is a force of nature. She brims with beautiful dreams, and she moves heaven and earth to bring those dreams to life. To meet her is to be swept up in her enthusiasms. And she reserves her greatest enthusiasm for her all-kids humanitarian cirque troupe, Le PeTiT CiRqUe. A mutual friend introduced me to Nathalie in late 2014. A few months later, Nathalie welcomed my hula hoop-dancing daughter into the troupe. In the year that followed, Nathalie created life-changing experiences for the kids in LPC. They traveled to Montreal, Dubai, and throughout the United States. They performed at the invitation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to celebrate his 80th birthday. They helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for charities that combat child heart disease, domestic abuse, and animal cruelty. They performed in theaters and stadiums before thousands of spectators, and also at private clubs and schools. Their work introduced them to a legendary family of trapeze artists and some of the top stars of the circus world.

But more important than these experiences are the values Nathalie cultivated in her young performers: teamwork, perseverance, self-reliance, introspection, compassion, enchantment, and trust. Through their work with the troupe, all of the performers—from age two to eighteen—have grown to embody those values. I feel privileged to have captured some of that growth in my photographs.

Welcome to the magic of Le PeTiT CiRqUe. Jeffrey Scott Rovner Laguna Beach, California

ii

iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

S

pecial thanks to Peter Morrison & Elaine Rubenstein for their generous encouragement of this book and of my photography generally. To Don Bonsey and Kelly Serfoss for their expert advice on the book and for coaching me on the proper use of lighting equipment, without which the Circus Arts section of this book would not have been possible. To Brooke & Steve Smith-Lubensky, for generously rescuing me on more than one occasion, and for their incisive aesthetic suggestions.

And to my brilliant photographic mentors who have led me this far: Craig Semetko; Cotton Coulson (may he rest in peace) and Sisse Brimberg of National Geographic; and Constantine Manos of Magnum Photos. One day I hope to be worthy of your lessons.

I would also like to thank the parents of Le PeTiT CiRqUe’s A Team for welcoming me, my wife, and my daughter into the LPC family, and for the myriad kindnesses and warmth you have shown to all of us.

Finally, I acknowledge Nathalie Yves Gaulthier, without whom none of this would have been possible. As I hope this book makes clear, you have given all of us a unique and enduring gift. Thank you.

JSR

iv

v

PORTRAITS

1

Plate 1 2

Plate 2 3

Plate 3 4

Plate 4 5

Plate 5 6

Plate 6 7

Plate 7 8

Plate 8 9

Plate 9 10

Plate 10 11

Plate 11 12

Plate 12 13

Plate 13 14

Plate 14 15

CIRCUS VALUES

17

TEAMWORK When you’re in the circus, you have a circus family....

They always have your back and you always have theirs.

Fanny (age 13)

Plate 15

18

19

Plate 16

20

Plate 17

21

Plate 19

Plate 18

22

23

Plate 20

24

Plate 21

25

Plate 22 26

Plate 23 27

Plate 24

28

Plate 25

29

Plate 26

30

Plate 27

31

PERSEVERANCE Perseverance is more than just not giving up. It means long-term, consistent motivation and determination focused on producing the best show. You know you’re doing it right when the audience responds.

Kaelyn (age 13)

I really try my best when I practice for shows. Sometimes it’s hard, but it’s only fun when I give my best effort. I like to make it fun, so I always give my best.

Declan (age 6)

Plate 28 32

33

Plate 29

34

Plate 30

35

Plate 31

36

Plate 32

37

Plate 33

38

Plate 34

39

Plate 35

40

Plate 36

41

Plate 38 Plate 37

42

43

Plate 39 44

Plate 40 45

Plate 41

46

Plate 42

47

SELF-RELIANCE Throughout my time performing with Le PeTiT CiRqUe, I have learned my success depends on my own determination and my performance is a reflection of my preparation.

Cora (age 14)

Plate 43 48

49

Plate 44

50

Plate 45

51

Plate 46

52

Plate 47

53

Plate 48

Plate 49 54

55

INTROSPECTION (reection + humility)

I joined Le Studio when I was nine. Now that I am older, I have started to appreciate circus as an art form. The shapes and motions we are able to do in the air and on the ground are beautiful, but it is also beautiful that a group of girls from all different backgrounds and of all different ages are able to come together and work hard and support each other to come up with those beautiful shapes and motions.

Cleo (age 18)

Plate 50 56

57

Plate 51

58

Plate 52

59

Plate 53

60

Plate 54

61

Plate 55

62

Plate 56

63

Plate 58

Plate 57

64

65

Plate 60 Plate 59

66

67

COMPASSION (loving kindness + humanitarianism)

Compassion is taught, experienced, and practiced by Le PeTiT CiRqUe. I felt this compassion from the members of LPC when they welcomed me into their world. They showed me how things worked and helped me when in need. The most beautiful part of LPC is that it is a humanitarian troupe that makes it a priority to help others around the world. I am honored to be part of such an amazing team.

Corrinne (age 14)

Plate 61

68

69

Plate 63

Plate 62 70

71

Plate 64

72

Plate 65

73

Plate 67

Plate 66 74

75

Plate 68

76

Plate 69

77

Plate 71

Plate 70

78

79

Plate 72

Plate 73 80

81

ENCHANTMENT (wonder + playfulness)

Performing has shown me that everyone is ready to witness wonder. And when you put on a costume and makeup, they will look at you expectantly.

Aspen (age 18)

There’s nothing better than traveling with a circus troupe.

In elevators, airports, and everywhere else, we spontaneously break into our acts. Contortion, acrobatics, you name it.

We get the funniest looks from strangers.

Haley (age 14)

Plate 74 82

83

Plate 75

Plate 76 84

85

Plate 77

Plate 78 86

87

Plate 80

Plate 79 88

89

Plate 82

Plate 81 90

91

Plate 83 92

Plate 84 93

Plate 85

94

Plate 86

95

Plate 87

96

Plate 88

97

Plate 89

Plate 90

98

99

TRUST When my student puts all their trust in my hands, I have already succeeded as a coach.

Uuve Jansson (LPC coach and Cirque du Soleil trapeze star)

Entrusting your safety to someone else is difďŹ cult. But once you ďŹ nally let go, the relief of completing that new trick is extraordinary, and the connection between coach and student only grows.

Teagan (age 17)

Plate 91

100

101

Plate 92 102

Plate 93 103

Plate 94 104

Plate 95 105

CIRCUS ARTS

107

Plate 96

Plate 97 108

109

Plate 98

Plate 99

110

111

Plate 100 112

Plate 101 113

Plate 102 114

Plate 103 115

Plate 104 116

Plate 105 117

Plate 107

Plate 106 118

119

Plate 108 Plate 109

120

121

Plate 110 122

Plate 111 123

Plate 113 Plate 112

124

125

Plate 114

Plate 115 126

127

Plate 117 Plate 116

128

129

Plate 118 130

Plate 119 131

Plate 120

Plate 121 132

133

AFTERWORD

W

hen I created Le PeTiT CiRqUe in 2012, I brought together two important themes from my life.

The first is my love of the circus arts. I trained as a gymnast for several years, and found a gift for trapeze in my 20’s with Main Space Circus in Toronto. I went on to become a professional trapeze artist and to perform with my esteemed colleague, Dreya Weber, in one of the first duo trapeze acts in Los Angeles. Though I gave up performing to work behind the scenes, my love of the circus and its culture continues undiminished.

The second is my belief that youth need not be a barrier to high achievement. At age seven, I wrote and directed a play at my grade school. You see, no one had told me children weren’t supposed to be playwrights and directors. Through that and other experiences, I learned that with the right training, motivation, and opportunity, a kid can accomplish extraordinary things.

A chance event in 2001 brought these themes together. I was a children’s talent agent in Los Angeles, with a trapeze bar hanging in my office. A parent visited my office one day, pointed to the trapeze, and asked me to teach her child on “that thing hanging there.” That offhand request led me to create Le Studio, which has become one of the premiere youth cirque training facilities in the world.

As Le Studio grew, so did the accomplishments of its students. I began receiving a steady stream of requests to have the kids perform at prestigious events. To meet this demand, I created a performance troupe attached to Le Studio. Thus was born Le PeTiT CiRqUe (LPC).

134

135

My vision for LPC has been to educate our students to become skilled, creative artists and community-minded team members. We provide unmatched professional training and experience while emphasizing an appreciation of the joyous and imaginative world of circus and acrobatics.

LPC promotes strong self-confidence, self-respect, integrity, and discipline, and we use this unique art form to give back through humanitarian action. LPC’s performers include not only students from Le Studio, but also child prodigies from other elite programs throughout the United States. LPC has performed for world leaders, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Sultan of Brunei. The troupe has performed in the United Arab Emirates, Montreal’s Place Des Arts, Qualcomm Stadium, and soon Central America. Over the past three years, LPC has proudly raised money for international charities and organizations devoted to children, the elderly, disease prevention, LGBTQ, and animal rights.

The kids of Le PeTiT CiRqUe inspire me every day to be a better human. After 35 years of working with children, I still get choked up at every new trick they master, every look of pride in their eyes, every moment of growth, and every show.

I believe we can change the world with our artistry—one heart, one show, one child at a time.

Thanks to my wife Shelly Fitzpatrick, who is one of LPC’s biggest supporters. We couldn’t do it without you! *** When I met Jeff Rovner, I knew our journey was going to be about creating enchanting things together. He gifted us with a magical hula-hooping daughter. And out of his profound passion for photography, his remarkable eye, and his generous heart, he captured moments from Le PeTiT CiRqUe that communicated many significant tales. His photographs convey the multi-faceted magic behind Le PeTiT CiRqUe. Nathalie Yves Gaulthier Los Angeles, California

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137

PERFORMER INDEX Plates Amelia

acro, aerialist, hand balancer

12, 15, 18, 53, 57, 62, 69, 71, 89, 97, 106

Angelina

rhythmic gymnast

2, 35, 36, 37, 38, 44, 52, 55, 57, 69, 71, 72

Anne

aerialist, contortionist, tumbler

15, 24, 30, 35, 36, 37, 52, 58, 59, 69, 89, 101, 104, 111, 117

Ashlen dancer, vocalist 55, 57 Aspen

aerialist, tightwire walker

Preface, 6, 37, 39, 42, 48, 57, 70, 71, 78, 86

Bixby*

aerialist, stiltwalker

43, 119

Brinkley* aerialist, unicyclist

119

Brooklyn* aerialist, unicyclist

119

Chiara

acro, aerialist, stiltwalker, tumbler

Preface, 15, 21, 25, 29, 35, 36, 55, 57, 58, 69, 71, 86, 108

Cleo

aerialist, unicyclist

Cora

acro, aerialist, tumbler

Corrinne

hand balancer

8, 36, 52, 57, 58, 63, 69, 71

Preface, 10, 15, 19, 24, 33, 35, 36, 37, 50, 52, 55, 57, 58, 59, 67, 69, 71, 77, 86, 89, 107, 108, 121 102, 103

David hand balancer, juggler, tumbler 56, 71 Declan

martial artist

Preface, 14, 24, 35, 39, 42, 55, 57, 58, 63, 69, 71, 73, 76, 87

Diego

dancer

Eliana

acro, aerialist, stiltwalker, tumbler

Ellowyn

aerialist, tumbler

Fanny

acro, aerialist, tightwire walker

Georgia

aerialist, contortionist

Haley

hoop dancer

Hannah

aerialist, tightwire walker, tumbler

7, 35, 40, 41, 55, 57, 58, 69, 71

Preface, 4, 15, 21, 25, 29, 32, 35, 36, 42, 45, 55, 57, 58, 76, 86, 108, 112

118, 120

Cover, 11, 15, 22, 23, 27, 36, 42, 55, 57, 69, 76, 85, 86, 110, 120 Preface, 15, 21, 37

3, 15, 16, 34, 35, 46, 52, 54, 55, 57, 59, 63, 67, 69, 71, 79, 88, 89, 99 28, 91, 96, 118

Harry clown

15

Heather

acro, aerialist, contortionist, tumbler

93

Julia

aerialist, contortionist

94

Kaelyn

martial artist

13, 40, 42, 55, 57, 58, 63, 69, 71, 73, 76

Kailia aerialist, contortionist 24, 76 Kaylie aerialist 34, 47, 83, 84, 89, 90 Lila

aerialist, cellist, contortionist, dancer

Lilou

aerialist

27, 31, 49, 76, 89, 92, 98, 105, 114

95

Lucy aerialist Mary Jo

stiltwalker

15, 33, 35, 37, 39, 52, 55, 58, 60, 69, 71

Murphey* aerialist

15

Olivia

acro, aerialist, contortionist

Scarlett

aerialist, globewalker, stiltwalker

Shira

acro, aerialist, contortionist

Sidonie

aerialist, globewalker

Teagan

acro, aerialist, juggler

70

11, 15, 17, 22, 23, 27, 37, 51, 66, 74, 75, 76, 85, 89, 108, 110, 113, 120

100, 115

Preface, 9, 15, 37, 44, 68, 71, 89, 116 Preface, 5, 15, 20, 34, 37, 42, 55, 63, 69, 81, 87

1, 15, 19, 33, 35, 36, 37, 42, 52, 55, 57, 58, 59, 63, 67, 69, 71, 86, 107, 108, 117

Zoe acro, aerialist, contortionist, hand balancer, tumbler 15, 37 _________________________ 138

*Performer-in-training

139

PLATES

Perseverance 28 Hannah 29 Eliana & Chiara

COVER PREFACE

Fanny Nathalie & Le PeTiT CiRqUe (LPC)

Portraits 1 Teagan 2 Angelina 3 Haley 4 Eliana 5 Sidonie 6 Aspen 7 Diego 8 Cleo 9 Shira

30 Anne 31 Lila 32 Eliana 33 Mary Jo, Cora & Teagan 34 Kaylie, Haley & Sidonie 35 LPC 36 LPC 37 LPC 38 Angelina 39 Mary Jo, Declan & Aspen 40 Kaelyn & Diego 41 Diego 42 LPC

10 Cora

Self-Reliance

11 Fanny & Olivia

43 Bixby

12 Amelia

44 Angelina & Shira

13 Kaelyn

45 Eliana saving the day backstage

14 Declan

46 Haley at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego

Teamwork 15 LPC at Cirque Du Sukkot Festival 16 Haley

47 Kaylie 48 Aspen 49 Lila

17 Olivia

Introspection

18 Amelia

50 Cora

19 Teagan & Cora

51 Olivia

20 Sidonie

52 LPC

21 Eliana, Georgia & Chiara

53 Amelia at Egyptian Theater, Hollywood

22 Fanny & Olivia at Disneyland Hotel

54 Haley

23 Fanny & Olivia

55 LPC

24 Anne, Declan, Cora & Kailia

56 David

25 Eliana & Chiara

57 LPC

26 Wig repair day at Le Studio

58 LPC learning about The Dalai Lama

27 Lila, Olivia & Fanny

59 LPC 60 LPC

140

Compassion

Circus Arts

61 LPC box of love

96 Hannah

62 Amelia with bomb-sniffing dog at UC Irvine

97 Amelia

63 Teagan, Sidonie, Cleo, Kaelyn, Declan & Haley

98 Lila

at UC Irvine

99 Haley

64 Global Compassion Summit at UC Irvine

100 Scarlett

65 Monk at Global Compassion Summit

101 Anne

66 Nathalie & Olivia

102 Corrinne

67 Cora, Haley & Teagan

103 Corrinne

68 Shira, Shannon & Baby Lucy

104 Anne

69 LPC

105 Lila

70 Nathalie, Murphey & Aspen

106 Amelia

71 LPC

107 Teagan & Cora

72 Angelina with offering for The Dalai Lama

108 Teagan, Cora, Olivia, Eliana & Chiara

73 Kaelyn & Declan

109 LPC

Enchantment 74 Olivia 75 Olivia 76 LPC

77 Cora 78 Aspen 79 Haley 80 Audience at Cirque Du Sukkot Festival 81 Sidonie at Dolby Theater, Hollywood 82 LPC 83 Kaylie & LPC 84 Kaylie 85 Fanny & Olivia 86 LPC 87 Declan & Sidonie 88 Haley & Tom Arnold at Dolby Theater 89 Kaylie & LPC 90 Kaylie

110 Olivia & Fanny 111 Anne 112 Eliana 113 Olivia 114 Lila 115 Scarlett 116 Shira 117 Anne & Teagan 118 Hannah & Ellowyn 119 Brinkley, Brooklyn & Bixby 120 Fanny, Olivia & Ellowyn 121 Cora

AFTERWORD Nathalie

Trust 91 Hannah with coach Ernie Thrash 92 Lila with coach Uuve Jansson 93 Heather with Nathalie and coach Ernie Thrash 94 Julia with coaches Olivia Brown and Gabe Hilden-Reid 95 Lilou with coach Olivia Brown

141

Copyright Š 2016 by Jeffrey Scott Rovner Le PeTiT CiRqUeŽ is a registered trademark of Nathalie Yves Gaulthier All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce images in a review.

Photographs are available for exhibition, purchase, and licensing from the author.