Difference between revisions of "Marie-Pierre Bénac"

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[[Image:M P Benac And A Gruss Poses Equestres.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Marie-Pierre Bénac and Alexis Gruss]]Marie-Pierre Bénac was not born to the circus, yet, during a circus career that spanned 12 years on two continents, she has proven an extremely gifted and amazingly versatile performer. Born in Toulouse, France, on August 3, 1956, she began training in gymnastics at age 12, at the Lycée of Font-Romeu in the French Pyrenées Mountains, where she had been send to treat her asthma: Font-Romeu had a training facility for the French national gymnastics team.  
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[[Image:M P Benac And A Gruss Poses Equestres.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Marie-Pierre Bénac and Alexis Gruss]]Marie-Pierre Bénac was not born to the circus. Yet during a circus career that spanned twelve years and two continents, she proved herself a gifted and versatile performer. Born in Toulouse, France, on August 3, 1956, she began training in gymnastics at age twelve, studying at the Lycée of Font-Romeu in the French Pyrenées Mountains, where she had been sent to treat her asthma. Font-Romeu was home to a training facility for the French national gymnastics team.  
  
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Upon graduation from high school, she went on to study design at Paris University, but she missed the physical activity she had had in Font-Romeu. In 1976, to "keep in shape," she decided to apply for the Conservatoire National des Arts du Cirque, directed by Alexis Gruss—France's first circus school and, created in 1974, the Western world's very first professional circus school.  
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Upon graduating from high school, Marie-Pierre went on to study design at Paris University, but she found that she missed the physical activity she had enjoyed in Font-Romeu. In 1976, to "keep in shape," she decided to apply to the Conservatoire National des Arts du Cirque, directed by Alexis Gruss. Founded in 1974, the Conservatoire was the very first professional circus school in the West.
  
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Marie-Pierre's gymnastics background impressed Alexis Gruss enough to prompt him to take her into the company of his Cirque à l'ancienne. [[Alexis Gruss]]'s [[Cirque à l'ancienne]] (old-time circus) was a repertory circus part of the Paris Cultural Center's activities; it has been credited for spearheading the European circus renaissance of the 1970s, and the "new circus" movement. It would become, in the 1980s, the French National Circus.  
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Alexis Gruss was sufficiently impressed with Marie-Pierre's gymnastics background that he brought her into his Cirque à l'ancienne. A repertory circus that formed part of the Paris Cultural Center, [[Alexis Gruss]]'s [[Cirque à l'ancienne]] (Old-Time Circus) has been credited with spearheading the European circus renaissance of the 1970s and the "new circus" movement. It would become, in the 1980s, the French National Circus.  
  
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Trained subsequently within the Gruss family, Marie-Pierre has performed fifteen different acts during her seven years with the Cirque à l'ancienne, including Russian Barre; several equesrian acts, including a unique acrobatic adagio on horseback with Alexis Gruss; flying trapeze; Roman Rings; floor acrobatics; and even a teeterboard act with elephants, to name but a few.
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Marie-Pierre performed fifteen different acts over the course of her seven years with the Cirque à l'ancienne, including: Roman Rings; flying trapeze; Russian Barre; floor acrobatics; several equestrian acts, including a unique acrobatic adagio on horseback with Alexis Gruss; and even a teeterboard act with elephants.
  
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Marie-Pierre Bénac moved to the United States in 1984 and joined the [[Big Apple Circus]]'s resident company of performers. There she went on the recreate her Russian Bar act with [[David Dimitri]] and [[Sacha Pavlata]], and for six years, she again showed her remarkable versatility, performing among other acts a superb tight-wire duet and a pas-de-deux on the back of two elephants with David Dimitri. She was also featured in a trapeze act, and she performed for the last time her Russian Barre act in 1992-1993 with [[Glen Nicolodi]] and [[Julian Stachowski]].
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In 1984, Marie-Pierre moved to the United States, where she joined the [[Big Apple Circus]]'s resident company of performers. She recreated her Russian Barre act with [[David Dimitri]] and [[Sacha Pavlata]]. For six years, she displayed her remarkable versatility, performing—among other acts—a superb tight-wire duet and a pas-de-deux on the back of two elephants, with David Dimitri. She was also featured in a trapeze act, and she performed for the last time her Russian Barre act in 1992-93 with [[Glen Nicolodi]] and [[Julian Stachowski]].
  
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In 1988, Marie-Pierre Bénac and David Dimitri performed their tight-wire act with [[Circus Knie]] in Switzerland, and in 1989, a Russian Barre act with David Dimitri and [[Franco Knie]]. She returned to the Big Apple Circus in 1991, and was again a member of its resident company until 1993. She then retired from the circus and married musician Dino Govoni. After working for a while as a physiotherapist, she went back to college, got an Associate degree in Art and Humanities, and Master degrees in Adolescent Education and French. She and Dino separated in 2008. They have a son, Michael.
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Marie-Pierre and David Dimitri performed their tight-wire act with [[Circus Knie]] in Switzerland in 1988, and in 1989, they performed a Russian Barre act with [[Franco Knie]]. Marie-Pierre returned to the Big Apple Circus in 1991, again becoming a member of its resident company. She remained there until 1993, when she retired from the circus, marrying musician Dino Govoni. After working for a time as a physiotherapist, she went back to college, earning an Associate degree in Art and Humanities, and Masters degrees in French and in Adolescent Education. She and Dino separated in 2008. They have a son, Michael.
  
 
==Image Gallery==
 
==Image Gallery==

Revision as of 03:17, 6 January 2009

Acrobat, Aerialist

By Dominique Jando


Marie-Pierre Bénac and Alexis Gruss
Marie-Pierre Bénac was not born to the circus. Yet during a circus career that spanned twelve years and two continents, she proved herself a gifted and versatile performer. Born in Toulouse, France, on August 3, 1956, she began training in gymnastics at age twelve, studying at the Lycée of Font-Romeu in the French Pyrenées Mountains, where she had been sent to treat her asthma. Font-Romeu was home to a training facility for the French national gymnastics team.

Upon graduating from high schoolA display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école), Marie-Pierre went on to study design at Paris University, but she found that she missed the physical activity she had enjoyed in Font-Romeu. In 1976, to "keep in shape," she decided to apply to the Conservatoire National des Arts du Cirque, directed by Alexis Gruss. Founded in 1974, the Conservatoire was the very first professional circus school in the West.

Alexis Gruss was sufficiently impressed with Marie-Pierre's gymnastics background that he brought her into his Cirque à l'ancienne. A repertory circus that formed part of the Paris Cultural Center, Alexis Gruss's Cirque à l'ancienne (Old-Time Circus) has been credited with spearheading the European circus renaissance of the 1970s and the "new circus" movement. It would become, in the 1980s, the French National Circus.

Marie-Pierre performed fifteen different acts over the course of her seven years with the Cirque à l'ancienne, including: Roman Rings; flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze); Russian Barre; floor acrobatics; several equestrian acts, including a unique acrobatic adagioAcrobatic act, generally involving a man and a woman, presented in a slow or romantic mood. on horseback with Alexis Gruss; and even a teeterboardA seesaw made of wood, or fiberglass poles tied together, which is used to propel acrobats in the air. act with elephants.

In 1984, Marie-Pierre moved to the United States, where she joined the Big Apple Circus's resident company of performers. She recreated her Russian Barre act with David Dimitri and Sacha Pavlata. For six years, she displayed her remarkable versatility, performing—among other acts—a superb tight-wire duet and a pas-de-deux on the back of two elephants, with David Dimitri. She was also featured in a trapeze act, and she performed for the last time her Russian Barre act in 1992-93 with Glen Nicolodi and Julian Stachowski.

Marie-Pierre and David Dimitri performed their tight-wire act with Circus Knie in Switzerland in 1988, and in 1989, they performed a Russian Barre act with Franco Knie. Marie-Pierre returned to the Big Apple Circus in 1991, again becoming a member of its resident company. She remained there until 1993, when she retired from the circus, marrying musician Dino Govoni. After working for a time as a physiotherapist, she went back to college, earning an Associate degree in Art and Humanities, and Masters degrees in French and in Adolescent Education. She and Dino separated in 2008. They have a son, Michael.

Image Gallery

  • Marie-Pierre Bénac and Alexis Gruss, Poses Equestres (1978)

  • Acrobatic act rehearsal (Marie-Pierre on top), Cirque Alexis Gruss, Paris (1981)

See Also

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