Type Private company Area served Worldwide Founder Normand Latourelle | Industry Entertainment Number of employees 500 Founded 2003 | |
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Key people Normand LatourelleDominique Day(Co-Founders) |
Odysseo by cavalia trailer
Cavalia Inc. is an entertainment company that specializes in the creation, production and touring of shows for audiences of all ages. Its shows display equestrian and acrobatic techniques such as Trick Riding, Vaulting, Haute École, Pas De Deux, and unbridled displays. So far, Cavalia has produced two shows: Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse, and Odysseo.
Contents
- Odysseo by cavalia trailer
- Name origin
- History
- First Production Cavalia A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse
- Horses used in production
- Human performers
- About the White Big Top
- Cavalias village includes nine tents
- Second Production Odysseo
- Odysseos key players
- The Big Top
- The exterior
- The interior
- Assembly and transport
- Touring history
- References
Name origin
Cavalia is a fabricated word, inspired by the Spanish and French words for horse (caballo and cheval) and the English word cavalier.
History
Created in 2003 by Normand Latourelle under the name of "Voltige", the very first show was held in Shawinigan, Quebec. The large-scale multimedia performance the company delivers is often compared to Cirque du Soleil, of which he was one of the four original co-founders as well as Managing Director and Executive Vice-President from 1985 to 1990. Apart from Latourelle's history, Cavalia has no affiliation with Cirque du Soleil and remains a separate entity. The company's original production, Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse, has been touring since 2003 and has reached over 4 Million spectators across North America, Europe and Australia through more than 2,200 performances (as of September 2013). Odysseo, Cavalia's newest show, premiered in October 2011 in Laval, Quebec.
In May 2009, the Government of Canada provided Cavalia with a $4-million loan to Cavalia Inc. to develop new productions and construct a horse-training facility in Sutton, Quebec.
First Production: Cavalia, A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse
The first show is a tribute to the relationship between humans and horses throughout history. It is described as an equestrian ballet, it expresses a "dream of freedom, cooperation and harmony". Riders, acrobats, dancers and musicians share the stage with horses. A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse features about 50 horses, 5 musicians and 45 artists including riders, aerialists, and acrobats.
Horses used in production
Many of the horses are Lusitanos, and the remainder are Andalusian (PRE), Canadian Horses, American Quarter Horses, Paint horses, Belgians, Percherons, Arabians, and Appaloosas. The show's horses were originally from Canada, France, Spain, and the United States. These horses eat 40 bales of hay per day; they consume 900 kg (1980 lb) of grain and 20 kg (44 lb)carrots.
Human performers
The show also features over 20 human stars from Canada, France, Kyrgyzstan, United States, Australia, Mexico, and Morocco.
About the White Big Top
Cavalia’s village includes nine tents
Second Production: Odysseo
Odysseo was launched in 2011, and 900,000 people so far have watched the show. Cavalia summarizes the show as depicting "horses and humans leaving together to meet a world between dream and reality by traveling through the great wonders that nature has offered, deserts, waterfalls, canyons and glaciers." This second show portrays equestrian arts, acrobatics, music, multimedia projections and special effects under one Big Top. It features some 300 different costumes. Non-riders do acrobatics and sing west African songs.
Odysseo's key players
The Big Top
Like the first production's Big Top, Odysseo's tent was designed specifically for the needs of the show and the vision of its creators. It is two and a quarter times bigger than the first one and is (as of September 2013) the largest touring tent in the world.
The exterior
The interior
Assembly and transport
Touring history
With its eponymous show, Cavalia has toured around the world and performed in the following cities:
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
With its second production, Odysseo, the company has toured in North America, visiting:
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016