Le Petit Cirque
Le PeTiT CiRqUe (Fr, The Little Circus) (pronounced lə pəti siʁk) is an all-youth professional circus company based in Los Angeles, California. LPC was founded in 2012 by Nathalie Yves Gaulthier, a former child actress and competitive gymnast.[1] LPC consists of a wide array of cirque specialists, including acrobats, aerialists, contortionists, hand balancers, and foot archers, and other performing specialists, such as vocalists, dancers, hoop dancers, and martial artists. The troupe has performed in the United States, Canada, Norway, and the United Arab Emirates.[2]
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Type | Privately held company |
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Industry | Entertainment |
Founded | 2012 |
Founder | Nathalie Yves Gaulthier |
Headquarters | Inglewood, California |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Nathalie Yves Gaulthier, Founder |
Website | www.LPCLA.com |
Humanitarian contributions
Nathalie Yves Gaulthier believes cirque is a tool for social change and education. A large percentage of LPC's performances are for charities, especially those that support children's causes. In the children's fundraising arena, Le PeTiT CiRqUe's performances have raised money for at-risk children (Ometz),[3] children with heart disease (Camp del Corazon), hospitalized children (Starlight Children's Foundation), youth athletics (California State Games), children with Treacher Collins Syndrome (Children's Craniofacial Association), and children with life-threatening diseases (Make-A-Wish Foundation). LPC performances have also helped raise funds for world peace (the Norwegian Nobel Institute), Native American scholarships (Theresa A. Mike Scholarship Foundation),[4] breast cancer research (Breast Cancer Research Foundation), animal care (Performing Animal Welfare Society), the performing arts (TuTu Foundation),[5] and homeless veterans (Heroes Helping Heroes).
Film and television appearances (2017–present)
- Little Big Shots US television series[6]
- Little Big Shots Australia television series[7]
- Hallmark Channel's Home & Family Series[8]
- Pickler & Ben television show, Nashville, Tennessee[9]
- Born This Way, A&E US television series[10]
- Saving Flora independent film (2018 release)[11]
Key performances (2015–present)
- Nobel Peace Prize Concert, Telenor Arena, Oslo, Norway[12][13]
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama Global Summit and Birthday Celebration, Bren Center, University of California Irvine[14][15]
- Agence Ometz charity fundraisers for children, Place des Arts, Montreal, Canada[16]
- Dream Halloween fundraisers for Starlight Children's Foundation, Los Angeles, California[17]
- Camp del Corazon's's Gala del Sol event to provide summer camp for children with heart disease, Dolby Theatre, Hollywood, California
- Jump, Jive & Thrive to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Pauley Pavilion, UCLA, Los Angeles, California[18]
- World Choreography Awards, Saban Theatre, Beverly Hills, California[19]
- Miller Children's Hospital, Long Beach, California
Awards
National Youth Awards, 2016-17
- Outstanding Production, Junior Division
- Outstanding Group Vocal Performance, Junior Division
- Outstanding Direction (to Nathalie Yves Gaulthier)
National Youth Awards, 2015-16
- Outstanding Production, Junior Division
- Outstanding Lead Actor (to Diego Mariano Pasillas)
- Outstanding Lead Actress (to Angelina Capozzoli)
- Outstanding Supporting Actress (to Kaelyn Mei Whaley)
- Outstanding Direction (to Nathalie Yves Gaulthier)
Collaboration
Le PeTiT CiRqUe is not formally affiliated with Cirque du Soleil. But LPC's performers have received instruction at their Los Angeles studio from many current and former Cirque du Soleil artists, including aerialists Uuve Jansson, Ginger Ana Griep-Ruiz, Zoe Sabattie, Lisanna Paloma, Stuart McKenzie, and Petra Sprecher; contortionist Otgo Waller; hand balancers Tatiana Gousarova and Olga Pikhienko; acrobat Galabina Kamemova; physical actor Joshua Zehner; and choreographers Alixa Sutton, Alain Gauthier, and Debra Lynne Brown.[20] One of LPC's current aerialists, Ellowyn Stanton, will appear as a series regular in a new Cirque du Soleil-sponsored television show about a group of young performers attending a circus school.[21]
References
- Ms. Gaulthier discusses her background and influences in this 2011 video interview for the Career Day television series. One year after this video was made, Ms. Gaulthier created Le PeTiT CiRqUe. LPC's origin and development were also the subject of a recent article in Southbay.
- "Shoppers Transfixed as Young Acrobats Perform Amazing Feats at City Centre Mirdif". MENA Herald. January 21, 2016. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
- Toledano, Tanya. "Kids Helping Kids Fight Child Poverty -- A Chance to Shine Event with Le PeTiT CiRqUe". Montreal Mom. May 13, 2015. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
- "Check out 21st Annual Theresa A. Mike Fashion Show at Spotlight 29 Casino on Jun 16, 2018". Eventful. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
- The TuTu Foundation has two goals: to promote the work of professional and emerging artists, and to enable underprivileged children to experience the thrill of live performances. The Foundation presents an annual showcase of dance and performing arts called Lipstick, Shoes & Fancy Moves. The TuTu Foundation posted this video of LPC’s 2015 performance with TAIKOPROJECT.
- Little Big Shots US posted a video highlight of LPC's performance.
- Little Big Shots Australia posted a performance video of LPC contortionist Emerald Gordon Wulf.
- Home & Family posted this video profile of LPC, including a brief performance.
- Pickler & Ben posted this video of LPC's performance on their show.
- "Mozart Dee Sings on 'Born This Way' TV Show!" Soultravelers3. November 16, 2017. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
- The cast and crew of Saving Flora includes several LPC performers, with Nathalie Yves Gaulthier as choreographer.
- The Nobel Peace Prize Concert published this video of LPC’s performance at the concert. The troupe performed for an audience of 10,000, including the Norwegian Royal Family and ICAN, the recipient of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. The concert was hosted by actor David Oyelowo, and included performances by LPC, John Legend, Zara Larsson, Lukas Graham, Matoma, Sigrid, Shy Martin, and Adam Douglas.
- LPC's Nobel Peace Prize Concert performance has been the subject of several news profiles: "Nobels fredspriskonsert 2017". Royal House of Norway. December 11, 2017. Retrieved on December 23, 2017. "Youth Performance Company Le PeTiT CiRqUe to Perform at 24th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert". Broadway World. November 27, 2017. Retrieved on December 23, 2017. Cash, Kayla. "Santa Barbara Contortionist Kid to Perform at Nobel Peace Prize Concert". KSBY television. November 27, 2017. Retrieved on December 23, 2017. Garza, Victoria. "The Children's Circus Troop is Ready for the Nobel Concert". Norway Today. November 22, 2017. Retrieved on December 23, 2017. Wyoming News Exchange. "Former Resident Miah Green to Perform at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert". Gillette News Record. December 11, 2017. Retrieved on December 23, 2017. Campodonico, Christina. "Talent For a Cause: Westchester's Le PeTiT CiRqUe Heads to Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize Concert". The Argonaut. December 6, 2017. Retrieved on December 23, 2017. Contortionist Corrinne Calhoun shows off her skills!, WBIR News video interview. December 7, 2017. Retrieved on January 3, 2018. "Local Teens Perform in 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway". Stu News Laguna. January 19, 2018.
- Bharath, Deepa. "Dalai Lama Says Students Must Be Taught Basic Human Values". The Orange County Register. July 7, 2015. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
- "Tani Tinuviel of KUCI's 'What Would Arwen Do?' radio show interviews 13 year old hooper Haley Rovner about hooping, performing with Le PeTiT CiRqUe, and learning circus and other performing skills at Le Studio". KUCI radio interview. July 8, 2015. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
- LPC produced a highlight video of their 2015 performance at Montreal’s Place des Arts. LPC also performed for this event in 2017.
- LPC has performed at Starlight’s Dream Halloween event for the past several years, most recently in October 2017.
- Salkin, Karen. "Jump, Jive, and Thrive". It's Not About Me. October 18, 2017. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
- Forsyth, Sondra. "Exclusive: 2017 World Choreography Awards Announces Actor/Dancer Kenny Wormald As Host". Broadway World. October 17, 2017. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
- In addition to the instruction they receive from their professional coaching staff and from current and former Cirque du Soleil artists, LPC is very fortunate to have received choreography guidance from Doriana Sanchez. Ms. Sanchez is an Emmy and two-time American Choreography Award nominated choreographer and director.
- Cirque du Soleil’s June 2017 press release describes the show, which is a collaboration among Cirque du Soleil Images, Discovery Kids, TVOKids, and Apartment 11. The show was also the subject of an article in the Montreal Gazette.
External links
- Performer Portraits
- Video profile of Le PeTiT CiRqUe created by Steve & Kate's Camps
- Video interview with musician Stewart Copeland about LPC's performance to benefit the Performing Animal Welfare Society
- Rovner, Jeffrey (2016). The Values of Le PeTiT CiRqUe. Montreal, Canada.