Cavalia "Horse Circus" Returns to Arlington Sept. 11-27
Submitted by: Betsy Burke Parker
Phone: 540-364-2929
Email Address: betsyp(at)crosslink.net
Date Added: 9/10/2009
Calling It A “Horse Circus” Doesn't Go Nearly Far Enough
Cavalia show returns to Washington area to critical acclaim as well as local ardor
By Betsy Burke Parker
Virginia horseman Jimmy Buchanan has taken the term “running away with the circus” to an entirely new level.
The 24-year-old grew up riding in Virginia's storied horse country, but for the past four years he's been touring with two of the nation's top equestrian theatres, the Dixie Stampede, based in Myrtle Beach, and, more recently, the Montreal-based Cavalia. The upcoming Sept. 11-27 Cavalia showing in Arlington marks Buchanan's first return to the D.C. area with the traveling show as a rider.
Cavalia, which incorporates several dozen horses – some white Andalusian stallions, high school dressage horses, trick horses and more – 10 riders and a like number of aerialists, is in an extended run at Pentagon City. The show, last in region in 2005, runs through the end of the month, though sold-out shows might get organizers to extend their stay.
“They are amazing,” said horsewoman and equestrian writer Beth Rera. “They do things on horseback you wouldn't even imagine.” She said that the level of horsemanship – and horses – is reason alone enough to take in the show, but if those aren't enough, gravity-defying acrobatics, aerial tricks, live music, an ever-changing video backdrop and an overall mystical fair feeling at the 20,000 square foot big top tent should entice people to see the show.
Buchanan says he's “thrilled” to perform for a hometown crowd. He recently took a minute out of preparations for the show to discuss his early childhood, spent on horseback in Virginia, the unusual path he's taken to become a performance artist, and his excitement “about being back home.”
He began riding at age 2 at his grandparent's farm near Washington, taking lessons and spending countless hours on horseback at Giles Run Stable in nearby Lorton. He loved it, saying that though he attended many area shows he didn't compete much, prefering to spend time “just riding” and learning as much as he could about horses and horsemanship.
Horses leaped from avocation to vocation when, near his family's new home in Myrtle Beach during high school he attended the well-known “Dixie Stampede” equestrian dinner theatre.
It changed his life.
Buchanan was intrigued by the trick riding in the wild-west style show. He applied for a riding position there the next day, impressing the director with his riding ability. “I think they were pretty happy to find a rider they could teach to perform. It's harder to find a performer that can learn to ride.
“It was nerve-wracking, getting up in front of thousands of people at first,” he said, but, “you get to where you love the crowd, love the energy.”
His next move was a big step. Buchanan had attended a performance of Cavalia while visiting friends in Seattle in 2004, wowed by the high-level horsemanship. Buchanan joined Cavalia as a groom in 2005. He knew he'd have to work his way up: he spoke no French – though multi-national, most members of the Montreal-based group speak French as their native language. He learned what he calls “barn French” and exercised horses between shows – the troupe shifts every couple months – hoping to grow into a riding role. "I was amazed how they upped the ante on equestrian arts with its use of multimedia, acrobats and live music," he said.
He spent a year toiling in the stables for Cavalia, but finally was “over the groom thing,” and since there were no rider openings at Cavalia, Buchanan returned to the Dixie Stampede. There, he perfected his Roman riding – standing atop two galloping horses, and trick riding in hopes to rejoining Cavalia as a rider. He worked at an upper level dressage barn in California to learn difficult haute ecole movements.
Buchanan saw a 2007 Cavalia show in Vegas, heading backstage to greet his old friends there.
Cornered by founding equestrian director Frederic Pignon, Buchanan – unexpectedly – got his chance at a rider role.
“I was very nervous,” Buchanan recalled of his trick rider audition. “They tossed me up on this Quarter Horse. I rode around a few minutes to get a feel for him.” Buchanan could hear whispers in the background – French, which he still barely understood, as the other riders gathered to watch. He hung by his heels next time through, dragging the sand with his fingers at a gallop, just as he'd seen Cavalia's senior riders do years before. “They sort of didn't say anything.”
The next day, Buchanan was hired. “ 'I hope you don't mind,' they said, 'but we leave next week for Europe. I was thrilled,” he said of joining Cavalia for their 2007 European tour.
Worldwide Acclaim
Nervous and excited about the adventure, Buchanan redoubled his efforts to learn correct French, sold his car and updated his passport. Cavalia spent the past two years on the road circling Europe, only returning to Montreal in spring, 2009.
Head horse trainer and rider Frederic Pignon left Cavalia after Europe; impressed with Buchanan's hard work and ability, new equestrian director Benjamin Aillaud put Buchanan into several new acts in addition to the trick riding. He now rides in “la vida” and “bungee cavaliers” that combine riders with aerialists, plus the dangerous Roman riding.
Show creator and artistic director Normand Latourelle called Buchanan "a very versatile rider who's climbed the ladder."
Buchanan is still awed by the sheer athleticism required by riders and acrobats alike, as well as the horses, in the show. "One of the greatest challenge rests in learning to work with acrobats. It’s one thing to know how to ride and understand horses, but there is a lot to learn when you work on stage with aerialists,” he said. “We push our coordination to a higher level, take into account the horse’s pace, be aware of our environment and the acrobats around us, all while maintaining a personal rhythm."
Buchanan said that of the different horses he rides throughout the two-hour show each evening, “it’s important to build a relationship with them. Each horse has a different personality. Going in front of 2,000 people each night it’s important keep building trust. (It's) the challenging aspect of my work.
"It’s never the same. Horses are like humans – some days they are in a good mood and sometimes they need encouragement."
A personal favorite is Nacarado, a white Andalusian stallion he rides in the Carousel, a quadrille team with eight matching horses. “I know it's part bloodlines, part training,” he said of circus horses' magic. “But this horse just has something else.” Nacarado is a ham, Buchanan said, always cuddling up to him before and after performances, in the stable or when Buchanan hand-grazes him a few minutes each day for relaxation. “He's a special animal.”
Like show horses, performance days bring baths and special grooming to Cavalia's equine stars.
Stage makeup application, he added, takes about 20 minutes to apply for the human performers – mostly heavy foundation and smoky layers of eyeliner and mascara. It enhances the “mystical” feel of the show, Buchanan said, like the requisite long hair on all the riders and acrobats.
Like the other riders and acrobats, Buchanan stretches his muscles for 15-20 minutes. “Especially my back,” he said, for the contortions of trick riding, something that's tough on the lower back.
With shows every day except Mondays, Buchanan has grown accustomed to at the gallop: Cavalia sells out every city they visit, usually extending runs to six or eight weeks, with just a few days downtime as the troupe moves to a new location. “It's a hard life,” he said. “But I love it.” Buchanan allowed that a few more years could be enough of life on the road. “It's weird, not having a 'home base',” he said. “I live out of a suitcase.” Still, he figures he can put his riding and horsemanship skills to use someday, maybe as a trainer, he said, or maybe in Hollywood as a stunt rider. “You never know,” he said.
Cavalia's area run begins Sept. 11. Log onto www.Cavalia.net for ticket information and to see a video clip.
|
Click Image to View Larger
|
