The Swiss national circus has set up its tent on the plain of Plainpalais, in Geneva, for the start of its tour in French-speaking Switzerland. Ivan Knie, who presents a dressage number worthy of the dynastic tradition, says he is optimistic for the future provided he knows how to modernize.
The circus tour 2022 started last March in Rapperswil-Jona (SG), stronghold of the Knie family. The singer Bastian Baker is part of it for the second consecutive year. For the French-speaking part, the show is accompanied by Duo Fullhouse, action-comedy comedians.
At 21, Ivan Knie presents an ambitious dressage act. He is in this field the faithful successor of his mother Géraldine and his grandfather Freddy. Alex Reed Thursday of La Matinale de la RTS, he describes a job that requires “a lot of patience with animals, a lot of passion and training every day”.
“You have to change all the time”
This representative of the 8th generation says he is optimistic regarding the future of the traditional circus. “But you have to modernize, you have to change the show all the time,” he says.
“We cannot stay with old ideas”, continues Ivan Knie. “You have to have the desire to change and not be afraid of change. And I believe that with this mentality, you can make up for your time.”
Several cities away from the tour
The national circus tour no longer passes through certain cities, in particular Delémont, Neuchâtel or La Chaux-de-Fonds in French-speaking Switzerland. Ivan Knie explains this choice by the heaviness of the technique and the equipment.
“You can only spend one or two days in a city anymore,” he explains. “But we change plans every year, so one year we will do Neuchâtel once more, another year another city.”
Interview by David Berger/oang
