Les Objets Volants
Encyclopedia
Les Objets Volants is a juggling
group from France
that mixes juggling with humor, movement and theatre. The group has been producing shows in France and around the world since 1999, including elements of circus, theater, visual arts and even mathematics. It is under the direction of Denis Paumier, and focused on the experimentation with objects and new techniques of manipulating them.
Juggling rapidly rose in popularity in France at the end of the 1980s, with names such as the like Institut de Jonglage and Jérôme Thomas
creating innovations that would influence later jugglers. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Centre National des Arts du Cirque de Châlons-en-Champagne was an important operating center for jugglers with names such as Didier André
, Thierry André, Jörg Müller
, Mads Rosenbeck, Laurent Pareti as well as Denis Paumier. The company was founded in 1999 by Denis Paumier, Toon Schuermans and David Fischer
. The three first met at the tenth congress of the Center National des Arts du Cirque. The first show the trio produced was called Impers et Passes, which mixed juggling, theater, movement, music and humor. Since then, the group has remained under the direction of Denis Paumier but with new members. Les Objets Volants continues to participate actively in international juggling events as this allows the troupe to have contacts with other artists from around the world and to incorporate ideas from these events into their own work.
In 2001, Les Objets Volants performed at the Dans la Jongle des Villes Festival.
Since 2006, the group has collaborated with the Circo Aereo
from Finland
to create and perform a show called "Espresso". Espresso is a show featuring four artists who create scenes and stories, on the ground and in the air, with juggling, dance and aerials, but no words. The show is a fast-paced history of the circus. Circo Aereo director Maksim Komaro states that it follows his own circus experience, from the traditional to cabaret and the contemporary circus
of Europe and elements of each are found in the show.
Espresso is one of Circo Aereo's biggest successes. Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat
called the work "a treasure chest filled with beautiful sights, meticulous efforts and inventive surprises", while France's Le Monde
said, "intelligence and virtuosity are embedded in the magical vignettes". The show toured extensively for three years, with the venues during the first year mainly being the Parc de la Villette
in Paris, the Théâtre de Vidy-Lausanne in Switzerland
and the Damascus Opera House
, Syria
. In 2009, Circo Aereo toured the United States for four weeks, performing the show Espresso in theaters in mostly eastern states. This tour was considered important to opening up the North American circus market to less-traditional shows.
In 2011, the show was presented at Wabash College
, Brigham Young University
and at the Festival Internacional Cervantino
in Guanajuato
, Mexico
.
Juggling
Juggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
group from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
that mixes juggling with humor, movement and theatre. The group has been producing shows in France and around the world since 1999, including elements of circus, theater, visual arts and even mathematics. It is under the direction of Denis Paumier, and focused on the experimentation with objects and new techniques of manipulating them.
Juggling rapidly rose in popularity in France at the end of the 1980s, with names such as the like Institut de Jonglage and Jérôme Thomas
Jérôme Thomas
Jérôme Thomas is a boxer from France, competing in the flyweight division....
creating innovations that would influence later jugglers. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Centre National des Arts du Cirque de Châlons-en-Champagne was an important operating center for jugglers with names such as Didier André
Didier André
Didier Andre is a race car driver born in Lyon, France. In the late 1990s he competed in Indy Lights, driving in the Indy Racing League in 2001 and Nissan World Series from 2003 until the present day. During 2006 he drove in the Le Mans Series Championship, initially in LMP2 for the team Paul...
, Thierry André, Jörg Müller
Jörg Müller
Jörg Müller is a Dutch-born German race driver.- Racing career :In 1989 Müller won the titles in German Formula Opel Lotus Challenge and in European Formula Ford 1600....
, Mads Rosenbeck, Laurent Pareti as well as Denis Paumier. The company was founded in 1999 by Denis Paumier, Toon Schuermans and David Fischer
David Fischer
David Fischer is an American ice hockey defenseman. He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, 20th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Fischer is currently playing in the ECHL for the Florida Everblades.-Amateur career:Fischer played for Apple Valley High School in the...
. The three first met at the tenth congress of the Center National des Arts du Cirque. The first show the trio produced was called Impers et Passes, which mixed juggling, theater, movement, music and humor. Since then, the group has remained under the direction of Denis Paumier but with new members. Les Objets Volants continues to participate actively in international juggling events as this allows the troupe to have contacts with other artists from around the world and to incorporate ideas from these events into their own work.
In 2001, Les Objets Volants performed at the Dans la Jongle des Villes Festival.
Since 2006, the group has collaborated with the Circo Aereo
Circo Aereo
Circo Aereo is a circus group based in Finland and France, under the direction of Maksim Komaro, the artistic director, and Jani Nuutinen, the artistic consultant. This group was established in 1996 as part of the “new circus” movement and travels frequently around the world...
from Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
to create and perform a show called "Espresso". Espresso is a show featuring four artists who create scenes and stories, on the ground and in the air, with juggling, dance and aerials, but no words. The show is a fast-paced history of the circus. Circo Aereo director Maksim Komaro states that it follows his own circus experience, from the traditional to cabaret and the contemporary circus
Contemporary circus
Contemporary circus, or nouveau cirque , is a genre of performing art developed in the later 20th century in which a story or a theme is conveyed through traditional circus skills. Animals are rarely used in this type of circus, and traditional circus skills are blended with a more character-driven...
of Europe and elements of each are found in the show.
Espresso is one of Circo Aereo's biggest successes. Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. In 2008, its daily circulation was 412,421 on weekdays and 468,505 on Sundays...
called the work "a treasure chest filled with beautiful sights, meticulous efforts and inventive surprises", while France's Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
said, "intelligence and virtuosity are embedded in the magical vignettes". The show toured extensively for three years, with the venues during the first year mainly being the Parc de la Villette
Parc de la Villette
The Parc de la Villette is a park in Paris at the outer edge of the 19th arrondissement, bordering the Boulevard Périphérique, which is a ring road around Paris, and the suburban department of Seine-Saint-Denis.-History:...
in Paris, the Théâtre de Vidy-Lausanne in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and the Damascus Opera House
Damascus Opera House
Damascus Opera House is the national opera house of Syria. It is located in central Damascus, on the Umayyad Square. It was inaugurated on May 7, 2004.-History:...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. In 2009, Circo Aereo toured the United States for four weeks, performing the show Espresso in theaters in mostly eastern states. This tour was considered important to opening up the North American circus market to less-traditional shows.
In 2011, the show was presented at Wabash College
Wabash College
Wabash College is a small, private, liberal arts college for men, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Morehouse College, Wabash is one of only three remaining traditional all-men's liberal arts colleges in the United States.-History:Wabash College was founded...
, Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and at the Festival Internacional Cervantino
Festival Internacional Cervantino
The Festival Internacional Cervantino takes place each fall in the city of Guanajuato, located in central Mexico. This is a small colonial-era city with history of having a large cultural scene. The origins of the festival are from the mid 20th century, when short plays by Miguel de Cervantes...
in Guanajuato
Guanajuato, Guanajuato
Guanajuato is a city and municipality in central Mexico and the capital of the state of the same name. It is located in a narrow valley, which makes the streets of the city narrow and winding. Most are alleys that cars cannot pass through, and some are long sets of stairs up the mountainsides....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.