The uncertain future of a social circus school in Cuba, Cirabana Circus, in a disadvantaged neighborhood of Havana, challenged a teacher from the Rosemont CEGEP, Mirabelle Ricard, who gave herself a mission: to give back a little hope to this school troop and do everything she can to help it survive.
Mirabelle Ricard, who usually travels “light” with a small piece of hand luggage, will arrive in Cuba at the beginning of January with four huge suitcases filled with costumes, equipment and circus accessories. Climbing ropes, carabiners, harnesses, ballet slippers, makeup, but also two unicycles, juggling pins, diabolos, stilts, lark!
It was his mother, Marguerite Daigneault, former costume designer at Radio-Canada and sewing teacher at the Pierre-Dupuy school, who designed the 80 costumes that will be delivered to the two founders of Cirabana Circus, Carlos Capetillo and Aramis Quintana, who keep this training troop alive against all odds.
“My mother has spent nearly 1,000 hours since September working on these costumes,” Mirabelle Ricard tells us. We asked for the measurements of the young people who attend the school, we bought the fabrics and she made custom clothes. This is what I asked him for my 50th birthday in the fall: time for this project that is close to my heart. If there are any who don’t believe in Santa Claus, I can say that I personally know an elf! »
It was during a trip to Cuba last summer that Mirabelle Ricard met the founders of Cirabana Circus.
“I was there for a photojournalism project on Cuban artists,” explains this communications professor, who also worked as a social worker in the past. I took photos in 2015 during the Contemporary Art Biennale [for Vie des arts magazine], but the situation has really deteriorated since then. I did not rediscover the joy of living of the Cubans I had met at that time. »
The return of the embargo under the presidency of Donald Trump (lifted during the mandate of Barack Obama), galloping inflation, government debt (in particular to find a vaccine against COVID), the shortage of oil, the problems food supply, power cuts, daily life is more and more difficult for Cubans.
In short, when she visited the Cirabana Circus school, which has existed for 14 years, she fell in love instantly.
“They are based in an old disused theater in Havana, the roof is leaking, the floor is concrete, there is not much light, but they have a space to practice and they do street shows, she tells us. They are so motivated, but they lack everything, and when I was there there were only 15 young people participating. Their future was increasingly uncertain. I said to myself: I have to do something to help them. »
In October, she exhibited around forty of her photos of the circus school troupe at the Rosemont CEGEP. Exhibition that she wishes to offer at Tohu and in cultural centers next year.
She also organized a fundraiser, which brought in around $1,500, which, again, allowed her to purchase essential accessories and equipment for the school troop. The rest will be given to them in cash.
Why not contact Cirque du Soleil, which funds many social circus projects, or the National Circus School of Montreal?
Mirabelle Ricard thought about it, contacted the Cirque, but there was no response to her requests. So she decided to take matters into her own hands. Ultimately, what motivated Mirabelle Ricard to devote, alone, so much energy to giving a respite to this training troop, of whose existence she was unaware barely six months ago?
“I have traveled a lot, I have seen poverty elsewhere and I find it a shame to see young people limited in their desires and their dreams, especially when I see people using the arts to do good, as this circus school, she answers. In this neighborhood, there is no park, no play modules, no community swimming pool, so this circus fulfills a need to have fun, to shine. I just said to myself: for my party, my gift, it’s going to be to give them a helping hand. »