For Jessie, who has Lynda Lemay and Patrick Huard as parents, the artistic path was clear. While finishing her studies, the young woman passionate regarding flying trapeze has just founded her own company, Cirque Misfits, with her lover, William Parenteau. They even gave their first flying trapeze show at the beginning of September in Granby.
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If Jessie Huard now defies gravity from the top of her trapeze, it’s a bit the fault of her mother, Lynda Lemay. “My sister was regarding seven years old when she saw the film. Madagascar, in which animals were flying trapeze, and she said she wanted to try it. My mother found a school and accompanied her for the first time. The following week, she wanted to go back, and my mother offered to accompany them. I was 16 and I didn’t want to know anything. I went there to please them thinking just to watch. Finally, I let myself be tempted and I immediately had the sting.
Not only did she discover a passion, but she also later met the man who became her lover, William Parenteau. “I’ve quit and started a few times, but I’d say it’s been regarding four years since I got into it more seriously. When I met William, he was already doing shows and realizing that it might be a possibility, it motivated me to practice as much as possible in order to have the level. We motivate each other and push each other by having the same passion.”
EXTREME SENSATIONS
Evolving more than 25 or 30 feet in the air inevitably provides thrills. “I often say it’s my therapy,” admits the young girl, laughing. When you go trapeze, whatever is part of your regular life — work, school, or family issues — instantly fades away. There is also a social aspect. Our closest friends also do trapeze. We are happy to be together and to do this together.”
William explains that the practice requires such concentration that the rest no longer exists. “You have no choice but to be in the present moment when you’re doing trapeze. If you think regarding anything else, that’s where the injuries come in. This feeling of intense concentration, putting your head on one thing, allows you to disconnect from the rest, and you experience strong emotions.
Learning the flying trapeze requires a lot of diligence, will and hard work, but each success is lived with pride. “When we start, we have a belt and we are held by someone, explains Jessie. Then we start doing it without being attached; it is extremely stressful and scary. It’s psychologically taxing, even if it’s also very physical. But when we have succeeded in making a movement, the pride and the feeling of omnipotence that it gives us are exceptional. These are really extreme emotions.”
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A MULTIDISCIPLINARY COMPANY
William Parenteau has been part of a flying trapeze troupe in the past. “The place where I started doing trapeze had a company. I did shows with them. This summer, Jessie, two other people and I went overseas to work together. We then got the contract for a show in Granby, and they wanted to have a way to present us on social networks. We had the idea of starting a new company.
Cirque Misfits was born out of this opportunity. “Hopefully that’s the basis for more things to come,” Jessie said. We hope to be able to present this project to other people and obtain other contracts. We would like our company to grow and not necessarily be just flying trapeze. We would also like to offer aerial fabric or other circus apparatus. Moreover, most members of the troop also do trampoline, aerial strap, Russian swing or aerial silk. “When you enter the circus world, it’s rare that you only do one thing. When we train, we are often surrounded by people doing other things. You learn the basics, without being an expert, but the more multidisciplinary you are, the easier it is.”
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FEAR OF DANGER
The parents of the two young circus artists welcome their passion with pleasure, even if they do not all react in the same way to the danger of their activity. “My father is the worst, admits the comedian’s daughter. He gets really stressed. He saw me perform twice. Even though he had stars in his eyes following the performance, I know his heart skips a beat every time I step off the platform. For my mother, since she does trapeze herself, she understands the movements and the dangers.” Same sharing of parental fears on the side of William. “My mother always encouraged me to be a bit of a daredevil. As for my father, it was first thanks to him that I started, during vacations together. He saw me perform my first times, but since then he has never seen me perform. He is often traveling; his schedule never allowed him to be present.” Even though Jessie is finishing her last year of high school French teaching and William is a high school math teacher, the two would like their passion for flying trapeze to become their main activity. “We would like to make a career out of it, if possible. Anyone would like to live from their passion. There are many opportunities to grow the company. We can have performance contracts, but also coaching as we do with camps during the summer. It allows us to train a lot and we pass on our knowledge to children, teenagers or adults. With the end of the summer season, it is more difficult for artists to train. Finding a room 40 feet high is not easy, and it is often very expensive. And the opportunities to perform are also fewer. But remember the name Cirque Misfits: you might soon see them flying on their trapeze at an event or festival.
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