Valérie's Early Years
Born and raised in Quebec, Valérie was surrounded with creativity and invention. Her avant-garde parents, a sports teacher and an engineer, instilled in Valérie a worldview that looked beyond normal convention. Imagination and wonder existed everywhere she turned. This philosophy of life took Valérie into social work and then to the Circus School of Quebec in 2001, followed by the rewarding experience of teaching acrobatics in developing countries including Brazil, Haiti and Burkina Faso. Through her elite gymnastics training, fascination for Cyr wheel, and need to express her emotions through physical movement, Valérie has ascended to the top of the most renowned circuses in the world.
Cyr-Wheel Pioneer
The Cyr wheel, once a relatively unknown acrobatic apparatus, came into Valérie’s world when the director of her circus school insisted she explore this new discipline. This fascinating piece of equipment was still unfamiliar to the circus community at that time, and there was an unspoken rule that permission first must be asked of its inventor, Daniel Cyr, to use the wheel. Sure, she was intimidated initially in meeting Mr. Cyr, but working with the Cyr wheel for the first time felt, for Valérie, like the impossible had just become a reality. A child-like enthusiasm enveloped her, bringing back memories of the the centrifuging feeling that accompanies spinning on swings in the playground. Mr. Cyr saw her joy and undeniable potential, and, thus, it became clear: Valérie and the wheel were a match made of destiny. Since then, Valérie’s inventive mind, her understanding of biomechanics and her experience in coaching gymnastics has helped her succeed in creating the “vocabulary of movement” that is now the root of today’s Cyr wheel practice.
Artist Career
In 2005, Valérie created Inertie, her imaginative circus persona that earned her a great number of awards. Inertie was like poetry in motion echoing the softness of the wind. A swirling angel dancing with the law of physics; a sublime combination of power and grace. This truly hypnotic experience for audiences earned Valérie international recognition in the circus community including prestigious award such as the Audience 1st Choice, the Silver Clown, the Bronze Lion and others listed in her CV here below.
Years of physical training and determination refined her skills so she could become one with the Cyr wheel. This has allowed Valérie to expand her capacity to control every wheel movement with incredible precision in a way that seems to defy gravity. Hours of spinning motion have deepened her physical and creative perception and defined the artist that she is today. The expression of poetry through body motion and the coloring of the space around it with moving images is the source of her artistic identity.
Multidisciplinary Productions
When it comes to the use of the Cyr wheel in the development of show productions, Valérie is, by far, the most experienced in this field. Between her research into the construction of wheel devices alongside her engineer father and her mastery of its uses in venues of all types, Valérie has enabled the innovation of wondrous new acrobatic devices. Whether it’s a wheel flying across a stadium, glowing in the dark or spinning on ice or water, it is most likely to Valérie’s credit.
In addition to her expertise in acrobatic prop development, Valérie works in collaboration with artistic directors, music composers, lighting designers and choreographers to help materialize her creative ideas and lead her own artistic projects. Coaching and guiding artists to grow technically and artistically is another wonderful aspect of the creative process and one of Valerie’s most natural ability.
She has worked as an artistic consultant and aerial coach for Friedrichstadt Palast, a props designer and acrobatic choreographer for Art On Ice and a significant contributor to the research and creation of the Opening Ceremony for the first European Games. These experiences have given Valérie a keen insight into the creative process throughout all stages of show production.
And, It Continues…
The art of Cyr wheel has carried Valérie through the vast world of show-business across the globe. Be it through teaching, creating mesmerizing performances or integrating acrobatic concepts into major events, Valerie’s aspiration is to invite each audience to experience an expansive palette of emotions, which she believes to be the genuine source of all creative impulses and a re-connection to our true nature.
Video Interview
Valérie’s CV
Stage Experience
2020 Switzerland - Youth Olympics Games, Lausanne
2019Saudi Arabia - Diriyah Oasis Festival, Ryiadh
2019 Germany - Wintergarten Variété, Berlin
2019 USA - Circus Sarasota, Florida
2018-2019 Germany - 125 of Hansa Theatre, Hamburg
2017-2018 Germany - Hannover Weihnachten, Hannover
2016-2018 Germany - Tigerpalast, Frankfurt
2017 Canada - 150 CANADA / 45 Degree
2016-2017 Germany - FriedrichstadtPalast, Berlin
2016 Switzerland - Art On Ice / Zurich, Lausanne, Davos
2015 - 2016 Switzerland - Himmel of Erden/ Zurich
2015 China - 15th Wuqiao International Circus Festival
2015 Azerbaijan - 1st European Games, Baku
2015 USA - MEGA Media Entertainment, LA
2015 USA - Million Dollar Theater w Derek McCoy,LA
2015 China - TEDxWanChai, Hongkong
2014 Switzerland - Obrasso Classical Event, Zurich
2013 - 2014 Germany - Flic Flac Weihnachten, Kassel
2013 Denmark - Big City Brain (HCA Tivoli), Copenhagen
2013 Denmark - Vild med Dans (TV2), Copenhagen
2013 India - Tango Brand Entertainment, Chennai
2012 - 2013 Germany - Weltweihnachts Circus, Stuttgart
2012 Switzerland - Cirque Knie Tour
2011 - 2012 Nederland - Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amsterdam
2011 Russia - Great Moscow State Circus, Moscow
2011 Monaco - Sporting Club / Todes Show
2011 Monaco - 35ème Festival de Cirque de Monte-Carlo
2011 Germany - Hansa Theatre, Hamburg
2010 France - Le plus Grand Cabaret du Monde/TV5, Paris
2010 Germany - Verstehen Sie Spaß / TV SWR
2010 Germany - Urbanatix
2010 Germany - Wintergarten
2009 USA (NY) - Wintuk/Cirque du Soleil
2009 Switzerland - Ursus & Nadeschkin Freaks & Special Guest
2009 Germany - Roncalli Apollo Variété
2007 - 2009 Germany - GOP Variéte
2006 - 2007 Caribbean - Celebrity Cruise /Cirque du Soleil
2005 - 2019 Planet earth - Countless events for diverse organisations
Prizes & Awards
2015 China - 15th Wuqiao International Circus Festival «Bronze Lion»
2011 Monaco - 35ème International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo;
Winner awards of the Silver Clown and the Audience 1st Choice.
Special prize by the Société des Bains de Mer and the Association Monegasque des Amis du Cirque.
2011 Russia - Great Moscow State Circus, « Silver Buffon »
2011 Argentina - Impro-Cirque, «Star of the Match»
2009 Canada/QC - Grant from CALQ for research and creation.
2006 Canada/Belgium/Romania - Selected project by OQWBJ
2004 Canada/Brazil - Selected project by OQAJ
Previous Education & Certifications
2019Canada - Air Yogalates Montreal; Yoga & Pilates in suspension
2019 Canada - VPY Québec; Sailing maneuver
2007 Canada - Nautilus Plus Québec; Fitness Aerobic Instructor
2002 - 2005 Canada - Québec Circus School; Master in Cyr-wheel & Aerial
2002 - 2004 Canada - College François X-Garneau; Delinquency Studies
1999 - 2000 Canada - National Coaching Certification Program; NCCP level 3
Teaching Experience
2018 France - Casting Workshop for Norwegian Cruise Line
2017 Germany - Casting workshop for Duo Inertie
2014 - 2016 Germany - Aerial Classes - Friedrichstadt Palast
2014 - 2016 Germany - Mentoring Circus Instructor Program - ENC
2014 - 2016 CH/IT/NL/DL - Cyr Wheel Workshops
2009 - 2016 CA/CH/DE/RU/US - Private Cyr-wheel teaching
2005 Haiti - Port au Prince, Clown Without Border
2002 - 2004 Canada - Québec, Cirque du Monde
2004 Brazil - Bahia, Collegio Municipal d’Arial d’Ajuda
2003 Brazil - Sao Paulo, Instituto Cirança Cidada
2001 Burkina Faso - Ouagadougou, Cirque du Monde
2000 Canada - Vancouver, Flicka Gym
2000 - 2002 Canada - Vancouver, Ailanthus Achievement Center
Former Work Experience
2014 - 2016 Canada - Props design & quality control; Ateliers RB
2003 - 2004 CA/BR - Social Project Coordinator; Cirque Du Monde
2002 - 2004 CA - Social Work; Maison Marie Frederick and Le Grand Chemain
1999 - 2002 Canada - Residential care worker; DNSDRC, CRDI
Ongoing Interests
Classical Ballet, Tango, Fitness, Aerial Yoga, Physical rehabilitation, Snowboarding, Kite-Surfing, Sailing.