Guide pour L’intégration des technologies numériques dans les arts vivants
Chloé Brindos, Marion Cossin et Isabelle Domens, 2024
This document, co-written by Chloé Brindos, Marion Cossin, and Isabelle Domens, is a guide on integrating digital technologies into the performing arts. It aims to support creators in selecting and using technological tools to enhance their artistic approaches, offering practical advice, an overview of available technologies, and other considerations for their use.
Consult (in French)
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The embodied journey of an idea : an exploration of movement creativity in circus arts.
Veronique Richard, Vlad Glăveanu, Patrice Aubertin
The Journal of Creative Behavior, novembre 2022
In circus arts, performers are nowadays ‘owning’ their creativity making this performance domain fruitful to study embodied creativity. Building on socio-cultural creativity perspectives and radical embodied cognitive sciences, the current study aimed at exploring movement creativity by tracking the journey of embodied ideas in a circus school. Specifically, this research questioned how the interactions between actors, audiences, affordances, and actions support the emergence and evolution of movement ideas. The journey of an embodied idea is influenced by stimulating spaces and collaborative socio-cultural environment which ignite the artists’ desire to create. This desire, in turn, unfolds into multiple ideational pathways paved with research strategies (e.g., improvisation, constraints, variability) and emotions (i.e., pleasant and unpleasant). Embodied ideas then go through an assessment process leading (or not) to its growth. Results are discussed in light of embodied, pedagogical, and emotional considerations offering an alternative to the conceptualization of idea.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Clinical burden of injuries in students at a professional circus college : a 7.5-year longitudinal study
Melanie I. Stuckey, Brittany Bruinooge, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Medical Problems of Performing Artists , vol.37, n°2, p.98-105, June 2022
The objective of this research is to characterize clinical burden of injuries incurred by circus students enrolled in a 3-year college training program.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Toujours plus haut!
Marion Cossin
Acfas Magazine , May 2022
Sending a person into the air is no small feat. Circus artists from the discipline of the Korean plank know something about it. To perform their numbers, two acrobats, placed at each end of a long rocking board, catapult one after the other and perform acrobatic tricks. It is one of the most impressive disciplines: the artists jump from a height of 4 m high and land on a 40 cm wide board.
How to make a circus performance always more impressive? This may be due to the quality of the circus equipment, the technical mastery of the acrobat, or even both. Current research in biomechanics attempts to better understand the relationship between equipment design and artist performance. In order to optimize circus performances, my thesis led me to create a prototype of new kind of equipment!
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JOURNAL ARTICLE
The science of contortion
Marion Cossin
Circus Talk , February 2022
I was very impressed in 2019 at the 40th Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain when I saw the contortionist Enkhtsetseg Lodoï performing the same contortion act for which she had won the gold medal 36 years ago. I wondered how contortionists could fold like cooked spaghetti, whereas most people have trouble touching their toes. Are contortionists physiologically made like ordinary people or do they have superpowers hidden in their bodies? Their fascinating ability is now revealed by science.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Taking the circus to school : how kids benefit from learning trapeze, juggling and unicycle in gym class
Marion Cossin
Circus Talk , January 2022
Twelve public schools in Winnipeg are currently operating circus programs in physical education. Circus arts have been gaining popularity in schools around the world. Added to physical education programs, circus arts instruction not only seems to motivate children to exercise, but also has the potential to develop other abilities beyond the physical. My research team measured resiliency and physical literacy levels among students who started circus activities in physical education. Physical literacy is the competence, confidence and knowledge to be physically active for life.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Élastigirl ou l’incroyable capacité des contorsionnistes
Marion Cossin
La Fibre, vol.3, n° 2, p.18-21, October 2021
How can contortionists bend into a human pretzel, when most people struggle to touch the floor with their hands bending at the hips? In reality, they are not physiologically made up like ordinary people, but neither do they possess superpowers. Genetic considerations and years of training contribute to their contortion ability. Stretching increases the range of motion of the joints, but this effect is linked to the nervous system and to a decrease in perceived pain.
Consult (in French)
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Taking the circus to school : how kids benefit from learning trapeze, juggling and unicycle in gym class
Marion Cossin
The Conversation, September 2021
Circus arts have been gaining popularity in schools around the world. Added to physical education programs, circus arts instruction not only seems to motivate children to exercise, but also has the potential to develop other abilities beyond the physical.
My research team measured resiliency and physical literacy levels among students who started circus activities in physical education. Physical literacy is the competence, confidence and knowledge to be physically active for life.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Hanging by a Thread–Calculated Risks in Circus
Marion Cossin
Circus Talk, May 2021
Recently, an acrobat fell 25ft to the floor at the 2nd International Air Athletics Championship in Riga, Latvia. In 2018, a Cirque du Soleil acrobat died after a fall during a performance. In 2014, A ‘human chandelier’ fell during an aerial hair-hanging stunt at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus which sent eight acrobats plummeting to the ground. These are just three examples of the long history of circus accidents. Risk is part of circus performance. The existence of danger enthralls the public when the artists fly but makes them cringe when they fall. But risk can lead to injuries and in extremely rare cases, death. The risk might come from an acrobat’s error, but the performer’s life also depends on proper rigging.
REPORT
S’enfuir avec l’École du cirque
Christian Hrab, Patrice Aubertin
Actif pour la vie, 2013
Meeting with Patrice Aubertin to talk about the school and share his ideas on physical literacy.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Everyone is welcome under the big top: a multiple case study on circus arts instruction in physical education
Marco Antonio Coelho Bortoleto, J. J. Ross, Natalie Houser, Dean Kriellaars
Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, December 2022
This study aimed to explore the implementation and impact of circus arts instruction in physical education classes through a multiple case study design.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Circus-specific extension of the International Olympic Committee 2020 consensus statement : methods for recording and reporting of epidemiological data on injury and illness in sport
Stephanie Greenspan,David Munro, Joanna Nicholas, Janine Stubbe, Melanie I. Stuckey, Rogier M Van Rijn
BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine , September 2022
Indepth knowledge of injury and illness epidemiology in circus arts is lacking. That’s why international circus arts researchers specializing in injury and illness epidemiology and performing arts medicine formed a working group. This group elaborate a consensus statement contains circus-specific information on injury definitions and characteristics ; measures of severity and exposure, with recommendations for calculating the incidence and prevalence; a healthcare practitioner report form; a self-report form capturing health complaints with training and performance exposure; and a demographic, health history and circus experience intake questionnaire. This guideline facilitates comparing results across studies and enables combining data sets on injuries in circus arts. This guideline informs circus-specific injury prevention, rehabilitation, and risk management to improve the performance and health of circus artists.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Cirqiniq : the decolonising of social circus in Nunavik
Katie Lavers, Jon Burtt, Emmanuel Bochud
Theatre, Dance and Performance Training , vol.13, n° 2 : Performance training and well-being, p.180-195, June 2022
This writing sets out to explore the Social Circus program in Nunavik in the Arctic in Far North Canada which in various forms has now been running for nearly twenty years. The initial program begun by Cirque du Soleil in 2002 had little uptake by the Inuit. There was a lack of community support and very sporadic attendance by the Inuit young people and after five years it was discontinued. The Social Circus program now known as Cirqiniq developed out of this initial program. Its success can be gauged by the fact that every year young Inuit vote in a poll as to whether it should continue or not. The program now has the support to ensure it continues each year. This article asks questions about what it was that changed in order to cause this turnabout? What was it that changed to cause the involvement of young Inuit and Inuit communities? Did the approaches to training change? Did structural changes occur? The authors, two of whom have worked with Cirqiniq, set out to answer these questions. A series of interviews undertaken with Inuit and Qallunaat (non-Inuit) involved in the program, along with research undertaken in response to these interviews, revealed a process of structural and cultural decolonisation of the Social Circus program which the authors point to as the key component in the program’s current success.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Considerations for the medical management of the circus performance artist and acrobat
Véronique Richard, John Faltus
The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, vol. 17, n° 2, p.307-316, February 2022
Medical management of the circus performer encompasses a wide variety of multicultural, transdisciplinary and multifaceted decision-making considerations. There is a paucity of research evidence investigating both the unique diversity of skill sets and cultural considerations in addition to injury patterns of performers within the circus environment. Since a previously established framework for supporting the health and well-being of the circus performer across various aspects of medical management does not exist in the literature, most recommendations in this regard must come from practical experience working with this highly specialized performance athlete population. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to provide the reader with a greater understanding of the unique challenges associated with the medical management of performance artists and acrobats as well as recommendations for developing an integrated approach for mitigating injury risk within a highly specialized, diverse athlete population.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
A kinematic analysis of jumping technique in elite Korean teeterboard athletes : a case-study
Marion Cossin, Annie Ross, François Prince
Sports Biomechanics, December 2021
Korean teeterboard is a circus discipline that consists of a board pivoted at its centre upon which two acrobats are catapulted in turn performing acrobatic jumps. This paper presents one of the first studies that focuses on investigating the factors that contribute to jump height in Korean teeterboard. A total of 120 jumps were recorded from two acrobats using motion capture. Selected variables were input to a Boosted Regression Trees (BRT) analysis, corresponding to three specific events: acrobat landing, rotation of the teeterboard and acrobat take-off. Significant predictor variables were identified as: 1) body’s centre of mass vertical velocity at the first contact with the teeterboard (relative importance: 69.4%) for landing, 2) maximum downward vertical teeterboard velocity for teeterboard rotation (72.7%) and 3) maximum upward vertical teeterboard velocity for take-off (50.4%). Kinematic parameters such as hip range of motion during take-off also contributed significantly to jump height (37.2%). The results provide understanding of the complex kinematics between two acrobats and a flexible pivoting board. Teeterboard designers, acrobats and trainers should be aware that maximising these parameters are the best strategies to improve jump height.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Effect of jump heights, landing techniques, and participants on vertical ground reaction force and loading rate during landing on three different Korean teeterboards
Marion Cossin, Annie Ross, François Prince
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, November 2021
Korean teeterboard is one of the most physically and technically demanding circus disciplines. Two performers take turns jumping vertically and land with high impact. The aims of this study were to compare the stiffness across three different teeterboards, and compare Peak Landing Force (PLF) and Maximal Loading Rate (MLR) of four acrobats performing jumps from three teeterboards using four landing techniques (normal, smooth, straight legs, and empty board). Pressure sensors were used to determine recorded forces under the feet, while Boosted Regression Trees (BRT) was used to analyze factors contributing to PLF and MLR. Standard static loading protocol was used to estimate teeterboard stiffness. PLF and MLR increased with jump height. PLF and MLR were reached when landing on the teeterboard with the highest stiffness. The “normal” and “straight legs” landing techniques were associated with higher PLF and MLR. The BRT model was able to associate both PLF and MLR with jump height, participant, teeterboard, and landing technique factors. PLF reached 13.5 times the body weight when landing on the stiffer teeterboard using the straight legs technique. Trainers should be aware of the injury risk to teeterboard acrobats during landing.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Factor structure of Play Creativity : a new instrument to assess movement creativity
Veronique Richard, Patrice Aubertin, Yan Yun Yang, Dean Kriellaars
Creativity Research Journal, vol.32 n°4, p. 383-393, September 2020
Few assessment tools have been designed to assess motor creativity, and the existing tools have limitations. To bridge this gap, this study aimed at designing a new movement creativity assessment tool that considers the unique features underlying the expression of creativity through movement and provides a useful tool to assess and promote movement creativity.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Physical Literacy and Resilience in Children and Youth
Philip Jefferies, Michael Ungar, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Front Public Health, vol.19 n°7, art.346, 7 p., November 2019
A study of the association between multidimensional concepts of physical literacy and resilience in children at a key developmental stage.
BOOK ARTICLE
Creativity : the emergence of a new dimension of sport expertise
Véronique Richard, Mark A. Runco
G. Tenenbaum (ed.) & R. C. Eklund (ed.), Handbook of Sport Psychology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p.632-649, 2020
*Available at the School Library
ENCYCLOPEDIC ARTICLE
Sport and Creativity
Véronique Richard
Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology, Elsevier, 5 p., October 2019
Artists who aspire to the highest level in sport and performing arts must reinvent themselves on a regular basis. This article reviews the key theoretical concepts underlying motor and tactical creativity. It also presents empirical data highlighting the cognitive, environmental, and affective resources needed to foster these skills in artists.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Does engaging in creative activities influence the use of coping skills and perception of challenge-skill balance in elite athletes?
Véronique Richard, Yang Yanyun, Mark A. Runco, Ahmed M. Abdulla Alabbasi, Gershon Tenenbaum
IAFOR Journal of Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences, vol.5 (si): p.3-20, October 2019
The purpose of this study was to test the notion that engagement in creative activity directly influences the balance between challenges and abilities, and indirectly through coping strategies in sport.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The Impact of circus arts instruction in physical education on the physical literacy of children in grades 4 & 5
Dean Kriellaars, John Cairney, Marco A.C. Bortoleto, Tia K. M. Kiez , Dean Dudley, Patrice Aubertin
Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, vol.38 n°2, p.162-170, April 2019
Impact of teaching circus arts in physical education on the physical literacy of 4th and 5th grade children.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Developing cognitive and motor creativity in children through an exercise program using nonlinear pedagogy principles
Veronique Richard, Jean-Charles Lebeau, Fabian Becker, Nataniel Boiangin, Gershon Tenenbaum
Creativity Research Journal, vol. 30 n°4, p.391-401, December 2018
Motor creativity is a key factor in children’s motor development, yet very few exercise programs promote the development of motor creativity in children. To address this gap in the literature, this study tested the effectiveness of a creative exercise program on children’s motor and cognitive creativity, as well as their likelihood of adaptation to exercise challenges.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Gender Asymmetry and Circus Education
Alisan Funk
Performance Matters, vol.4 n°1-2 : Circus and Its Others, p.19-35, July 2018
This study explores the issue of gender equality in circus schools where graduates obtain the skills to start a professional career in circus arts and the measures that the circus community can take to promote parity.
BOOK ARTICLE
La perception des programmes de formation en arts du cirque au Québec
Alisan Funk, Louisane LeBlanc
T. Froissart & C. Thomas (dir.), Arts et spectacle vivant : les formations en arts du cirque et en activités physiques artistiques. Éditions et presses universitaires de Reims, p.131-144, 2018
*Available at the School Library
CONFERENCE
The Impact of Circus Arts Instruction on Physical Literacy
Alisan Funk
Calgary Physical Literacy Summit, 31 p., 2018
BOOK ARTICLE
Les arts du cirque dans le cadre de l’enseignement primaire au Canada : genèse d’une recherche et d’un projet d’innovation sociale
Patrice Aubertin, Alisan Funk
T. Froissart & C. Thomas (dir.), Arts et spectacle vivant : les formations en arts du cirque et en activités physiques artistiques. Éditions et presses universitaires de Reims, p.157-173, 2018
*Available at the School Library
MEMORANDUM
Circus education in Québec : balancing academic and kinaesthetic learning objectives through an artistic Lens
Alisan Funk
Concordia University, 148 p. , 2017
This research studies the coexistence of academic and kinesthetic goals in post-secondary circus arts education in Quebec, specifically exploring how students, circus teachers, academic teachers, and administrators value elements of the curriculum as well as their perception of their institution’s program goals.
RESEARCH REPORT
Aujourd’hui le collégial, demain le monde : étude sur la préparation des étudiant.e.s du collégial pour le travail à l’étranger
Matthieu Boutet-Lanouette, Alexandre Jobin-Lawler, Anna-Karyna Barlati, Myriam Villeneuve
Campus Notre-Dame-de-Foy ; CRITAC – Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque, 244 p., 2017
The objective of our research is to understand how to adequately train Quebec college students whose study programs offer opportunities to work abroad after graduation.
Consult (in French)
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The making of expert performers at Cirque du Soleil and the National Circus School : A performance enhancement outlook
Edson Filho, Patrice Aubertin, Bernard Petiot
Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, n°[February 11, 2016], 13 p. , February 2016
*Available at the School Library
THESIS
Pedagogy in performance : an investigation into decision training as a cognitive approach to circus training
Jonathan Burtt
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Edith Cowan University, 386 p., Joondalup (Australie), 2016
BOOK ARTICLE
Introduction of decision training into elite circus arts training program
Jonathan Burtt, Sylvain Lafortune, Patrice Aubertin
L.P.Leroux, Batson, C.R. (dir.), Cirque Global : Quebec’s expanding circus boundarie, McGill-Queen’s University Press, p.240-265, 2016
*Available at the School Library
RESEARCH REPORT
L’introduction de l’entraînement à la prise de décision dans la formation supérieure en arts du cirque et ses effets sur les stratégies d’enseignement et sur l’apprentissage et sur la performance
Jonathan Burtt, Sylvain Lafortune, Patrice Aubertin
CRITAC – Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque, 96 p., 2013
This research aims to test the introduction of a training approach derived from sports practice, decision-making training, in circus arts higher education. Through the identification of important cognitive skills to develop and the use of pedagogical tools promoting their acquisition, decision-making training develops self-regulation in the student, a skill deemed important for a professional circus artist.
Consulter (in French)
TECHNICAL REPORT
North American Practices of the Russian Bar Circus Discipline : Practical Guide
Amiel Ross Soicher Clarke, Marion Cossin, Pierre Schmidt
CRITAC – Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque, 45 p., October 2023
This guide provides an overview of good Russian Bar practice in North America, with recommendations for safe learning and practice. The document also presents static flexion test results for several Russian Bars used by various organizations in Quebec.
TECHNICAL REPORT
Development of a new aerial apparatus: “Asymmetrical straps”
Marceau Bidal, Marion Cossin (review)
CRITAC – Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque, 11 p., May 2023
This report presents the design stages of a new circus apparatus : the asymmetrical straps. We will see the different stages of design, as well as the development of a specific acrobatic vocabulary of asymmetrical straps. Then, the challenges encountered and the recommendations to be drawn from them will be discussed.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
COVID-19: Reopening the National Circus School in Montreal – A Case-Study
Marion Cossin
Circus Talk, November 2020
For the National Circus School (NCS), as well as all circus schools around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic represents an exceptional challenge, for which there are no preconfigured guidelines that can dictate appropriate responses. As Quebec researcher Dr. Caroline Quach said, “Fighting COVID-19 is like building the airplane while you are still flying it. At NCS, the decision to reopen the school and the question of how to reopen it was guided by a risk-based approach to maximize the educational, wellness and health benefits for our students, teachers, staff and the entire circus community.
TECHNICAL REPORT
Comparative analysis of nine gripping configurations for aerial straps
Marion Cossin
CRITAC – Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque, 19 p., January 2020
For the first time, a strap discipline study compared and measured multiple tether configurations according to several criteria. Nine attachment configurations were measured according to three criteria: safety, comfort, and set-up time. Thanks to this study, aerial strap professionals will have different options at their disposal.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Quand Cirque rime avec risque
Marion Cossin
Dire : la recherche à votre portée, vol.28 n°1, p.12-18, Winter 2019
Risk-taking is fundamental in circus arts and can lead to accidents causing serious injury. However, the latest advances in circus medicine, engineering and risk education allow for better risk management while maintaining impressive circus performances.
Consult (in French)
REPORT
Équilibre au cirque
Marion Cossin, Carine Monat
L’oeuf ou la poule, CHOQ.ca, UQAM, Episode of October 28, 2019, [approx. 9 min.]
« L’équilibre au cirque » with Marion Cossin, PhD student at Polytechnique Montréal, who studies circus acrobats during their performances.
Consult (in French), sections 16:00 – 22:00 et 25:00 – 30:50
REPORT
Normes de sécurité en cirque
Marion Cossin, Pierre Chastenay, Rabii Rammal, Marianne Desautels-Marissal, Éric Morin, Estelle Bouchard, Marc Carbonneau
Électrons libres, Télé-Québec, Episode of March 14, 2017
A researcher analyzed the movements of 16 acrobats to establish a reliable safety standard for the cable anchor point. According to her calculations, it should be able to support 33 times the weight of an average acrobat.
Consult (in French)
JOURNAL ARTICLE
La science des acrobates
Daniel Carrière, Louis Faure, Marion Cossin, Patrice Aubertin, François Prince
Découvertes, Radio-Canada, Epidose of September 20, 2015
The Montreal National Circus School has been training circus artists for 30 years. This year, the School turned to science to improve its training program. These measures help prevent injuries and make it possible to better appreciate the work of these high-level artist-athletes.
Consult (in French)
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Assessment of professional circus students’ psychological characteristics at four strategic timepoints over the scholastic year : a longitudinal study using the stress process model
Adam Decker, Veronique Richard, John Cairney, Philip Jefferies, Natalie Houser, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Medical Problems of Performing Artists, vol.37 n°4, p.249-258, December 2022
The circus professionalization process entails extensive training to mitigate the high-risk demands which increase stress in artists. In high-risk professions, everyday hassles (challenges) contribute greatly to overall stress. To capture the impact of daily challenges on student-artists, the aim of the current study was to describe the magnitude and pattern of daily challenges as well as their relationships with perceived coping, anxiety, fatigue, and psychological distress.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Effects of Bali yoga program for athletes (BYP-A) on psychological state related to performance of circus artists
Elena Grilli Cadieux, Véronique Richard, Gilles Dupuis
International Journal of Yogic, Human Movement and Sports Sciences, vol.7 n°1, p.23-33, 2022
Yoga and the practice of mindfulness have gained popularity as performance psychology interventions, by promoting a relaxed state of focus, increasing body flexibility, and improving awareness during performances. Like professional athletes, circus performers invest a great deal of time, resources, and mental and physical energy in their performances. The present pilot project focuses on the effect of the Bali Yoga Program, adapted for athletes (BYP-A), on the general psychological state, quality of life, performance anxiety, and perceived athletic performance of circus artists studying at the National Circus School in Montreal. Over 8 weeks, student circus artists (n= 18) attended 90-min yoga session. Results showed that following the intervention, participants reported decreased depressive and somatic symptoms, decreased cognitive and somatic performance anxiety and enhanced coping abilities (relaxation, mental distractions). BYP-A has initially shown to provide benefits for circus artists, such as factors related to improved psychological health and mental state related to performance. Future avenues for research should explore yoga intervention more thoroughly and pursue to investigate the differences existing between circus arts and other performance fields.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Supporting holistic wellbeing for performing artists during the COVID-19 Pandemic and recovery : study protocol
Melanie Stuckey, Véronique Richard, Adam Decker, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Frontiers in Psychology, vol.12 , art. 577882, 8 p., February 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the abrupt closure of circus schools, venues, and companies, introducing a myriad of new stressors. Artists and students must now attempt to maintain their technical, physical, artistic, creative, and cognitive abilities without in-person support from their trainers and must manage the isolation from their training and performing spaces. For circus artists, the transposition of the work space to a home environment is not possible, which creates new stressors that could lead to the exacerbation and escalation of mental health issues. The purpose of this study is to develop, implement and evaluate a holistic interventional program based on the socio-ecological model of resilience and operationalized through physical literacy.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Body composition adaptations throughout an elite circus Student-Artist Training Season
Adam Decker, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, vol.25 n°1, p. 46-54, March 2021
The goal was to perform a longitudinal body composition assessment of student circus performers as part of a three-year elite college training program. Male and female student artists differed significantly on all absolute and relative body composition variables. Discipline-specific differences in body composition were also detected. Significant differences were observed between student artists grouped by years of schooling. Over the training year, there was a positive adaptation for muscle and fat mass despite the negative adaptation experienced during the winter vacation period.
*Available at the School Library
BOOK ARTICLE
Organisation du suivi médical en école supérieure professionnelle de cirque
Patrice Aubertin, Stéphanie Simonin, Alain Taillard, Sylvai Ubieta
P. Goudard, D. Barrault (dir.), Médecine et cirque, p. 293-298 , 2020
*Available at the School Library
BOOK ARTICLE
Approche des mécanismes impliqués dans une hausse du taux de blessures après les vacances chez les étudiant.e.s en formation supérieure en arts du cirque
Adam Decker, Melanie Stuckey, Richard Fleet, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
P. Goudard, D. Barrault (dir.), Médecine et cirque, p. 169-178, 2020
*Available at the School Library
BOOK ARTICLE
Les problèmes de santé dans les arts du cirque, une revue de la littérature
Isabelle Lavallée-Bourget, Luc Lapointe, Patrice Aubertin, Richard Fleet
P. Goudard, D. Barrault (dir.), Médecine et cirque, p. 149-166, 2020
*Available at the School Library
THESIS
Longitudinal assessment of physical, physiological and psychological characteristics of elite circus student-artists
Adam Decker
University of Manitoba, 150 p., 2020
The circus arts have grown rapidly over the past thirty years, and performers require a unique combination of technical, physical, and artistic abilities with a performance schedule and culture distinct from sport. Yet the development of elite circus performers continues to rely on sports-based and traditional circus training methods. Research on performance and health factors in a circus student-artist context would provide valuable information for the development of current training and injury prevention strategies related to the practice of circus arts. The purpose of this thesis is to characterize the physical, physiological, and psychological factors in a high-performance circus training environment. The information in this thesis can be used by circus trainers, artists, and performance science and medical personnel to guide future research and influence teaching methods for circus artists, worldwide.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Cirque du Monde as a health intervention, Perceptions of medical students and social circus experts
Cynthia Fournier, Mélodie-Anne Drouin, Jérémie Marcoux, Patricia Garel, Emmanuel Bochud, Julie Théberge, Patrice Aubertin, Gil Favreau, Richard Fleet
Canadian Family Physician, vol. 60 n°11, p. 548-553, November 2014
To introduce Cirque du Soleil’s Cirque du Monde program and its potential as a primary health care intervention for family physicians.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Sleep and fatigue of elite circus student-artists during on year of training
Adam Decker, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Medical Problems of Performing Artists, vol.34 n°3, p.125-131, September 2019
To introduce Cirque du Soleil’s Cirque du Monde program and its potential as a primary health care intervention for family physicians.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Don’t take down the monkey bars : rapid systematic review of playground-related injuries
Nicolas Bergeron, Catherine Bergeron, Luc Lapointe, Dean Kriellaars, Patrice Aubertin, Brandy Tanenbaum, Richard Fleet
Canadian Family Physician, vol.65 n°3, p.121-128, March 2019
Synthesis of currently available data on playground injuries and determine their prevalence in young children.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Empirical development of a screening method for mental, social, and physical wellness in amateur and professional circus artists
Brad Donohue, Yulia Gavrilova, Marina Galante, Bryan Burnstein, Patrice Aubertin, Elena Gavrilova, Alisan Funk, Al Light, Stephen D. Benning
Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, October 2018
This study examines the mental, social and physical health of artists in two circus settings (circus school, professional circus). The objectives were to assess overall health and develop data-based wellness screening methods in these populations, to help establish guidelines to optime the performance and health of artists.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The relationship between problem-solving skills and factors that interfere with performance in the world’s elite circus artists
Marina Galante, Brad Donohue, Yulia Gavrilova, Corey Phillips, Bryan Burnstein, Patrice Aubertin, Andrea Corral
Journal of Performance Psychology, n°11, p.1-17, December 2017
In this study, researchers are evaluating the relationship between problem-solving skills and factors influencing the performance of 109 circus performers at Cirque du Soleil and 21 graduates of the Montreal National Circus School.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Making single-point aerial circus disciplines safer
Marion Cossin, Annie Ross, Frédérick P. Gosselin
Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, vol.231 n°4, p.362–373, December 2017
The purpose of this study was to measure the dynamic tension force between the apparatus and suspended equipment of five aerial circus apparatuses and to recommend minimum loading requirements in the setup and design.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Repeatability of force signals in aerial circus straps
Marion Cossin, Annie Ross, Frédérick P. Gosselin
Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, vol.232 n°3, p.225–235, October 2017
The purpose of this study is to develop a method for evaluating the variability of movements of circus acrobats. An analysis of the repeatability of force signals is used to quantify the variability.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Cirque du Monde en tant qu’intervention en santé
Cynthia Fournier, Mélodie-Anne Drouin, Jérémie Marcoux, Patricia Garel, Emmanuel Bochud, Julie Théberge, Patrice Aubertin, Gil Favreau and Richard Fleet
Canadian Family Physician, vol. 60 n°11, p. 548-553, November 2014
To introduce Cirque du Soleil’s Cirque du Monde program and its potential as a primary health care intervention for family physicians.
BOOK ARTICLE
« The circus card trick » : langage performatif, communauté interprétative et éthique de la tromperie
Joseph Culpepper
F. Kessler, J-M. Larrue, G. Pisano (dir.), Machines. Magie. Médias. Presses universitaires du Septentrion, p.49-60, 2018
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Toujours plus haut!
Marion Cossin
Acfas Magazine , May 2022
Sending a person into the air is no small feat. Circus artists from the discipline of the Korean plank know something about it. To perform their numbers, two acrobats, placed at each end of a long rocking board, catapult one after the other and perform acrobatic tricks. It is one of the most impressive disciplines: the artists jump from a height of 4 m high and land on a 40 cm wide board.
How to make a circus performance always more impressive? This may be due to the quality of the circus equipment, the technical mastery of the acrobat, or even both. Current research in biomechanics attempts to better understand the relationship between equipment design and artist performance. In order to optimize circus performances, my thesis led me to create a prototype of new kind of equipment!
Consult (in French)
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The science of contortion
Marion Cossin
Circus Talk , February 2022
I was very impressed in 2019 at the 40th Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain when I saw the contortionist Enkhtsetseg Lodoï performing the same contortion act for which she had won the gold medal 36 years ago. I wondered how contortionists could fold like cooked spaghetti, whereas most people have trouble touching their toes. Are contortionists physiologically made like ordinary people or do they have superpowers hidden in their bodies? Their fascinating ability is now revealed by science.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Taking the circus to school : how kids benefit from learning trapeze, juggling and unicycle in gym class
Marion Cossin
Circus Talk , January 2022
Twelve public schools in Winnipeg are currently operating circus programs in physical education. Circus arts have been gaining popularity in schools around the world. Added to physical education programs, circus arts instruction not only seems to motivate children to exercise, but also has the potential to develop other abilities beyond the physical. My research team measured resiliency and physical literacy levels among students who started circus activities in physical education. Physical literacy is the competence, confidence and knowledge to be physically active for life.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Élastigirl ou l’incroyable capacité des contorsionnistes
Marion Cossin
La Fibre, vol.3, n° 2, p.18-21, October 2021
How can contortionists bend into a human pretzel, when most people struggle to touch the floor with their hands bending at the hips? In reality, they are not physiologically made up like ordinary people, but neither do they possess superpowers. Genetic considerations and years of training contribute to their contortion ability. Stretching increases the range of motion of the joints, but this effect is linked to the nervous system and to a decrease in perceived pain.
Consult (in French)
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Taking the circus to school : how kids benefit from learning trapeze, juggling and unicycle in gym class
Marion Cossin
The Conversation, September 2021
Circus arts have been gaining popularity in schools around the world. Added to physical education programs, circus arts instruction not only seems to motivate children to exercise, but also has the potential to develop other abilities beyond the physical.
My research team measured resiliency and physical literacy levels among students who started circus activities in physical education. Physical literacy is the competence, confidence and knowledge to be physically active for life.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Hanging by a Thread–Calculated Risks in Circus
Marion Cossin
Circus Talk, May 2021
Recently, an acrobat fell 25ft to the floor at the 2nd International Air Athletics Championship in Riga, Latvia. In 2018, a Cirque du Soleil acrobat died after a fall during a performance. In 2014, A ‘human chandelier’ fell during an aerial hair-hanging stunt at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus which sent eight acrobats plummeting to the ground. These are just three examples of the long history of circus accidents. Risk is part of circus performance. The existence of danger enthralls the public when the artists fly but makes them cringe when they fall. But risk can lead to injuries and in extremely rare cases, death. The risk might come from an acrobat’s error, but the performer’s life also depends on proper rigging.
REPORT
S’enfuir avec l’École du cirque
Christian Hrab, Patrice Aubertin
Actif pour la vie, 2013
Meeting with Patrice Aubertin to talk about the school and share his ideas on physical literacy.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Everyone is welcome under the big top: a multiple case study on circus arts instruction in physical education
Marco Antonio Coelho Bortoleto, J. J. Ross, Natalie Houser, Dean Kriellaars
Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, December 2022
This study aimed to explore the implementation and impact of circus arts instruction in physical education classes through a multiple case study design.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Circus-specific extension of the International Olympic Committee 2020 consensus statement : methods for recording and reporting of epidemiological data on injury and illness in sport
Stephanie Greenspan,David Munro, Joanna Nicholas, Janine Stubbe, Melanie I. Stuckey, Rogier M Van Rijn
BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine , September 2022
Indepth knowledge of injury and illness epidemiology in circus arts is lacking. That’s why international circus arts researchers specializing in injury and illness epidemiology and performing arts medicine formed a working group. This group elaborate a consensus statement contains circus-specific information on injury definitions and characteristics ; measures of severity and exposure, with recommendations for calculating the incidence and prevalence; a healthcare practitioner report form; a self-report form capturing health complaints with training and performance exposure; and a demographic, health history and circus experience intake questionnaire. This guideline facilitates comparing results across studies and enables combining data sets on injuries in circus arts. This guideline informs circus-specific injury prevention, rehabilitation, and risk management to improve the performance and health of circus artists.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Cirqiniq : the decolonising of social circus in Nunavik
Katie Lavers, Jon Burtt, Emmanuel Bochud
Theatre, Dance and Performance Training , vol.13, n° 2 : Performance training and well-being, p.180-195, June 2022
This writing sets out to explore the Social Circus program in Nunavik in the Arctic in Far North Canada which in various forms has now been running for nearly twenty years. The initial program begun by Cirque du Soleil in 2002 had little uptake by the Inuit. There was a lack of community support and very sporadic attendance by the Inuit young people and after five years it was discontinued. The Social Circus program now known as Cirqiniq developed out of this initial program. Its success can be gauged by the fact that every year young Inuit vote in a poll as to whether it should continue or not. The program now has the support to ensure it continues each year. This article asks questions about what it was that changed in order to cause this turnabout? What was it that changed to cause the involvement of young Inuit and Inuit communities? Did the approaches to training change? Did structural changes occur? The authors, two of whom have worked with Cirqiniq, set out to answer these questions. A series of interviews undertaken with Inuit and Qallunaat (non-Inuit) involved in the program, along with research undertaken in response to these interviews, revealed a process of structural and cultural decolonisation of the Social Circus program which the authors point to as the key component in the program’s current success.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Considerations for the medical management of the circus performance artist and acrobat
Véronique Richard, John Faltus
The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, vol. 17, n° 2, p.307-316, February 2022
Medical management of the circus performer encompasses a wide variety of multicultural, transdisciplinary and multifaceted decision-making considerations. There is a paucity of research evidence investigating both the unique diversity of skill sets and cultural considerations in addition to injury patterns of performers within the circus environment. Since a previously established framework for supporting the health and well-being of the circus performer across various aspects of medical management does not exist in the literature, most recommendations in this regard must come from practical experience working with this highly specialized performance athlete population. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to provide the reader with a greater understanding of the unique challenges associated with the medical management of performance artists and acrobats as well as recommendations for developing an integrated approach for mitigating injury risk within a highly specialized, diverse athlete population.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
A kinematic analysis of jumping technique in elite Korean teeterboard athletes : a case-study
Marion Cossin, Annie Ross, François Prince
Sports Biomechanics, December 2021
Korean teeterboard is a circus discipline that consists of a board pivoted at its centre upon which two acrobats are catapulted in turn performing acrobatic jumps. This paper presents one of the first studies that focuses on investigating the factors that contribute to jump height in Korean teeterboard. A total of 120 jumps were recorded from two acrobats using motion capture. Selected variables were input to a Boosted Regression Trees (BRT) analysis, corresponding to three specific events: acrobat landing, rotation of the teeterboard and acrobat take-off. Significant predictor variables were identified as: 1) body’s centre of mass vertical velocity at the first contact with the teeterboard (relative importance: 69.4%) for landing, 2) maximum downward vertical teeterboard velocity for teeterboard rotation (72.7%) and 3) maximum upward vertical teeterboard velocity for take-off (50.4%). Kinematic parameters such as hip range of motion during take-off also contributed significantly to jump height (37.2%). The results provide understanding of the complex kinematics between two acrobats and a flexible pivoting board. Teeterboard designers, acrobats and trainers should be aware that maximising these parameters are the best strategies to improve jump height.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Effect of jump heights, landing techniques, and participants on vertical ground reaction force and loading rate during landing on three different Korean teeterboards
Marion Cossin, Annie Ross, François Prince
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, November 2021
Korean teeterboard is one of the most physically and technically demanding circus disciplines. Two performers take turns jumping vertically and land with high impact. The aims of this study were to compare the stiffness across three different teeterboards, and compare Peak Landing Force (PLF) and Maximal Loading Rate (MLR) of four acrobats performing jumps from three teeterboards using four landing techniques (normal, smooth, straight legs, and empty board). Pressure sensors were used to determine recorded forces under the feet, while Boosted Regression Trees (BRT) was used to analyze factors contributing to PLF and MLR. Standard static loading protocol was used to estimate teeterboard stiffness. PLF and MLR increased with jump height. PLF and MLR were reached when landing on the teeterboard with the highest stiffness. The “normal” and “straight legs” landing techniques were associated with higher PLF and MLR. The BRT model was able to associate both PLF and MLR with jump height, participant, teeterboard, and landing technique factors. PLF reached 13.5 times the body weight when landing on the stiffer teeterboard using the straight legs technique. Trainers should be aware of the injury risk to teeterboard acrobats during landing.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Factor structure of Play Creativity : a new instrument to assess movement creativity
Veronique Richard, Patrice Aubertin, Yan Yun Yang, Dean Kriellaars
Creativity Research Journal, vol.32 n°4, p. 383-393, September 2020
Few assessment tools have been designed to assess motor creativity, and the existing tools have limitations. To bridge this gap, this study aimed at designing a new movement creativity assessment tool that considers the unique features underlying the expression of creativity through movement and provides a useful tool to assess and promote movement creativity.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Physical Literacy and Resilience in Children and Youth
Philip Jefferies, Michael Ungar, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Front Public Health, vol.19 n°7, art.346, 7 p., November 2019
A study of the association between multidimensional concepts of physical literacy and resilience in children at a key developmental stage.
BOOK ARTICLE
Creativity : the emergence of a new dimension of sport expertise
Véronique Richard, Mark A. Runco
G. Tenenbaum (ed.) & R. C. Eklund (ed.), Handbook of Sport Psychology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p.632-649, 2020
*Available at the School Library
ENCYCLOPEDIC ARTICLE
Sport and Creativity
Véronique Richard
Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology, Elsevier, 5 p., October 2019
Artists who aspire to the highest level in sport and performing arts must reinvent themselves on a regular basis. This article reviews the key theoretical concepts underlying motor and tactical creativity. It also presents empirical data highlighting the cognitive, environmental, and affective resources needed to foster these skills in artists.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Does engaging in creative activities influence the use of coping skills and perception of challenge-skill balance in elite athletes?
Véronique Richard, Yang Yanyun, Mark A. Runco, Ahmed M. Abdulla Alabbasi, Gershon Tenenbaum
IAFOR Journal of Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences, vol.5 (si): p.3-20, October 2019
The purpose of this study was to test the notion that engagement in creative activity directly influences the balance between challenges and abilities, and indirectly through coping strategies in sport.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The Impact of circus arts instruction in physical education on the physical literacy of children in grades 4 & 5
Dean Kriellaars, John Cairney, Marco A.C. Bortoleto, Tia K. M. Kiez , Dean Dudley, Patrice Aubertin
Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, vol.38 n°2, p.162-170, April 2019
Impact of teaching circus arts in physical education on the physical literacy of 4th and 5th grade children.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Developing cognitive and motor creativity in children through an exercise program using nonlinear pedagogy principles
Veronique Richard, Jean-Charles Lebeau, Fabian Becker, Nataniel Boiangin, Gershon Tenenbaum
Creativity Research Journal, vol. 30 n°4, p.391-401, December 2018
Motor creativity is a key factor in children’s motor development, yet very few exercise programs promote the development of motor creativity in children. To address this gap in the literature, this study tested the effectiveness of a creative exercise program on children’s motor and cognitive creativity, as well as their likelihood of adaptation to exercise challenges.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Gender Asymmetry and Circus Education
Alisan Funk
Performance Matters, vol.4 n°1-2 : Circus and Its Others, p.19-35, July 2018
This study explores the issue of gender equality in circus schools where graduates obtain the skills to start a professional career in circus arts and the measures that the circus community can take to promote parity.
BOOK ARTICLE
La perception des programmes de formation en arts du cirque au Québec
Alisan Funk, Louisane LeBlanc
T. Froissart & C. Thomas (dir.), Arts et spectacle vivant : les formations en arts du cirque et en activités physiques artistiques. Éditions et presses universitaires de Reims, p.131-144, 2018
*Available at the School Library
CONFERENCE
The Impact of Circus Arts Instruction on Physical Literacy
Alisan Funk
Calgary Physical Literacy Summit, 31 p., 2018
BOOK ARTICLE
Les arts du cirque dans le cadre de l’enseignement primaire au Canada : genèse d’une recherche et d’un projet d’innovation sociale
Patrice Aubertin, Alisan Funk
T. Froissart & C. Thomas (dir.), Arts et spectacle vivant : les formations en arts du cirque et en activités physiques artistiques. Éditions et presses universitaires de Reims, p.157-173, 2018
*Available at the School Library
MEMORANDUM
Circus education in Québec : balancing academic and kinaesthetic learning objectives through an artistic Lens
Alisan Funk
Concordia University, 148 p. , 2017
This research studies the coexistence of academic and kinesthetic goals in post-secondary circus arts education in Quebec, specifically exploring how students, circus teachers, academic teachers, and administrators value elements of the curriculum as well as their perception of their institution’s program goals.
RESEARCH REPORT
Aujourd’hui le collégial, demain le monde : étude sur la préparation des étudiant.e.s du collégial pour le travail à l’étranger
Matthieu Boutet-Lanouette, Alexandre Jobin-Lawler, Anna-Karyna Barlati, Myriam Villeneuve
Campus Notre-Dame-de-Foy ; CRITAC – Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque, 244 p., 2017
The objective of our research is to understand how to adequately train Quebec college students whose study programs offer opportunities to work abroad after graduation.
Consult (in French)
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The making of expert performers at Cirque du Soleil and the National Circus School : A performance enhancement outlook
Edson Filho, Patrice Aubertin, Bernard Petiot
Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, n°[February 11, 2016], 13 p. , February 2016
*Available at the School Library
THESIS
Pedagogy in performance : an investigation into decision training as a cognitive approach to circus training
Jonathan Burtt
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Edith Cowan University, 386 p., Joondalup (Australie), 2016
BOOK ARTICLE
Introduction of decision training into elite circus arts training program
Jonathan Burtt, Sylvain Lafortune, Patrice Aubertin
L.P.Leroux, Batson, C.R. (dir.), Cirque Global : Quebec’s expanding circus boundarie, McGill-Queen’s University Press, p.240-265, 2016
*Available at the School Library
RESEARCH REPORT
L’introduction de l’entraînement à la prise de décision dans la formation supérieure en arts du cirque et ses effets sur les stratégies d’enseignement et sur l’apprentissage et sur la performance
Jonathan Burtt, Sylvain Lafortune, Patrice Aubertin
CRITAC – Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque, 96 p., 2013
This research aims to test the introduction of a training approach derived from sports practice, decision-making training, in circus arts higher education. Through the identification of important cognitive skills to develop and the use of pedagogical tools promoting their acquisition, decision-making training develops self-regulation in the student, a skill deemed important for a professional circus artist.
Consulter (in French)
TECHNICAL REPORT
North American Practices of the Russian Bar Circus Discipline : Practical Guide
Amiel Ross Soicher Clarke, Marion Cossin, Pierre Schmidt
CRITAC – Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque, 45 p., October 2023
This guide provides an overview of good Russian Bar practice in North America, with recommendations for safe learning and practice. The document also presents static flexion test results for several Russian Bars used by various organizations in Quebec.
TECHNICAL REPORT
Development of a new aerial apparatus: “Asymmetrical straps”
Marceau Bidal, Marion Cossin (review)
CRITAC – Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque, 11 p., May 2023
This report presents the design stages of a new circus apparatus : the asymmetrical straps. We will see the different stages of design, as well as the development of a specific acrobatic vocabulary of asymmetrical straps. Then, the challenges encountered and the recommendations to be drawn from them will be discussed.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
COVID-19: Reopening the National Circus School in Montreal – A Case-Study
Marion Cossin
Circus Talk, November 2020
For the National Circus School (NCS), as well as all circus schools around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic represents an exceptional challenge, for which there are no preconfigured guidelines that can dictate appropriate responses. As Quebec researcher Dr. Caroline Quach said, “Fighting COVID-19 is like building the airplane while you are still flying it. At NCS, the decision to reopen the school and the question of how to reopen it was guided by a risk-based approach to maximize the educational, wellness and health benefits for our students, teachers, staff and the entire circus community.
TECHNICAL REPORT
Comparative analysis of nine gripping configurations for aerial straps
Marion Cossin
CRITAC – Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque, 19 p., January 2020
For the first time, a strap discipline study compared and measured multiple tether configurations according to several criteria. Nine attachment configurations were measured according to three criteria: safety, comfort, and set-up time. Thanks to this study, aerial strap professionals will have different options at their disposal.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Quand Cirque rime avec risque
Marion Cossin
Dire : la recherche à votre portée, vol.28 n°1, p.12-18, Winter 2019
Risk-taking is fundamental in circus arts and can lead to accidents causing serious injury. However, the latest advances in circus medicine, engineering and risk education allow for better risk management while maintaining impressive circus performances.
Consult (in French)
REPORT
Équilibre au cirque
Marion Cossin, Carine Monat
L’oeuf ou la poule, CHOQ.ca, UQAM, Episode of October 28, 2019, [approx. 9 min.]
« L’équilibre au cirque » with Marion Cossin, PhD student at Polytechnique Montréal, who studies circus acrobats during their performances.
Consult (in French), sections 16:00 – 22:00 et 25:00 – 30:50
REPORT
Normes de sécurité en cirque
Marion Cossin, Pierre Chastenay, Rabii Rammal, Marianne Desautels-Marissal, Éric Morin, Estelle Bouchard, Marc Carbonneau
Électrons libres, Télé-Québec, Episode of March 14, 2017
A researcher analyzed the movements of 16 acrobats to establish a reliable safety standard for the cable anchor point. According to her calculations, it should be able to support 33 times the weight of an average acrobat.
Consult (in French)
JOURNAL ARTICLE
La science des acrobates
Daniel Carrière, Louis Faure, Marion Cossin, Patrice Aubertin, François Prince
Découvertes, Radio-Canada, Epidose of September 20, 2015
The Montreal National Circus School has been training circus artists for 30 years. This year, the School turned to science to improve its training program. These measures help prevent injuries and make it possible to better appreciate the work of these high-level artist-athletes.
Consult (in French)
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Assessment of professional circus students’ psychological characteristics at four strategic timepoints over the scholastic year : a longitudinal study using the stress process model
Adam Decker, Veronique Richard, John Cairney, Philip Jefferies, Natalie Houser, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Medical Problems of Performing Artists, vol.37 n°4, p.249-258, December 2022
The circus professionalization process entails extensive training to mitigate the high-risk demands which increase stress in artists. In high-risk professions, everyday hassles (challenges) contribute greatly to overall stress. To capture the impact of daily challenges on student-artists, the aim of the current study was to describe the magnitude and pattern of daily challenges as well as their relationships with perceived coping, anxiety, fatigue, and psychological distress.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Effects of Bali yoga program for athletes (BYP-A) on psychological state related to performance of circus artists
Elena Grilli Cadieux, Véronique Richard, Gilles Dupuis
International Journal of Yogic, Human Movement and Sports Sciences, vol.7 n°1, p.23-33, 2022
Yoga and the practice of mindfulness have gained popularity as performance psychology interventions, by promoting a relaxed state of focus, increasing body flexibility, and improving awareness during performances. Like professional athletes, circus performers invest a great deal of time, resources, and mental and physical energy in their performances. The present pilot project focuses on the effect of the Bali Yoga Program, adapted for athletes (BYP-A), on the general psychological state, quality of life, performance anxiety, and perceived athletic performance of circus artists studying at the National Circus School in Montreal. Over 8 weeks, student circus artists (n= 18) attended 90-min yoga session. Results showed that following the intervention, participants reported decreased depressive and somatic symptoms, decreased cognitive and somatic performance anxiety and enhanced coping abilities (relaxation, mental distractions). BYP-A has initially shown to provide benefits for circus artists, such as factors related to improved psychological health and mental state related to performance. Future avenues for research should explore yoga intervention more thoroughly and pursue to investigate the differences existing between circus arts and other performance fields.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Supporting holistic wellbeing for performing artists during the COVID-19 Pandemic and recovery : study protocol
Melanie Stuckey, Véronique Richard, Adam Decker, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Frontiers in Psychology, vol.12 , art. 577882, 8 p., February 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the abrupt closure of circus schools, venues, and companies, introducing a myriad of new stressors. Artists and students must now attempt to maintain their technical, physical, artistic, creative, and cognitive abilities without in-person support from their trainers and must manage the isolation from their training and performing spaces. For circus artists, the transposition of the work space to a home environment is not possible, which creates new stressors that could lead to the exacerbation and escalation of mental health issues. The purpose of this study is to develop, implement and evaluate a holistic interventional program based on the socio-ecological model of resilience and operationalized through physical literacy.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Body composition adaptations throughout an elite circus Student-Artist Training Season
Adam Decker, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, vol.25 n°1, p. 46-54, March 2021
The goal was to perform a longitudinal body composition assessment of student circus performers as part of a three-year elite college training program. Male and female student artists differed significantly on all absolute and relative body composition variables. Discipline-specific differences in body composition were also detected. Significant differences were observed between student artists grouped by years of schooling. Over the training year, there was a positive adaptation for muscle and fat mass despite the negative adaptation experienced during the winter vacation period.
*Available at the School Library
BOOK ARTICLE
Organisation du suivi médical en école supérieure professionnelle de cirque
Patrice Aubertin, Stéphanie Simonin, Alain Taillard, Sylvai Ubieta
P. Goudard, D. Barrault (dir.), Médecine et cirque, p. 293-298 , 2020
*Available at the School Library
BOOK ARTICLE
Approche des mécanismes impliqués dans une hausse du taux de blessures après les vacances chez les étudiant.e.s en formation supérieure en arts du cirque
Adam Decker, Melanie Stuckey, Richard Fleet, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
P. Goudard, D. Barrault (dir.), Médecine et cirque, p. 169-178, 2020
*Available at the School Library
BOOK ARTICLE
Les problèmes de santé dans les arts du cirque, une revue de la littérature
Isabelle Lavallée-Bourget, Luc Lapointe, Patrice Aubertin, Richard Fleet
P. Goudard, D. Barrault (dir.), Médecine et cirque, p. 149-166, 2020
*Available at the School Library
THESIS
Longitudinal assessment of physical, physiological and psychological characteristics of elite circus student-artists
Adam Decker
University of Manitoba, 150 p., 2020
The circus arts have grown rapidly over the past thirty years, and performers require a unique combination of technical, physical, and artistic abilities with a performance schedule and culture distinct from sport. Yet the development of elite circus performers continues to rely on sports-based and traditional circus training methods. Research on performance and health factors in a circus student-artist context would provide valuable information for the development of current training and injury prevention strategies related to the practice of circus arts. The purpose of this thesis is to characterize the physical, physiological, and psychological factors in a high-performance circus training environment. The information in this thesis can be used by circus trainers, artists, and performance science and medical personnel to guide future research and influence teaching methods for circus artists, worldwide.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Cirque du Monde as a health intervention, Perceptions of medical students and social circus experts
Cynthia Fournier, Mélodie-Anne Drouin, Jérémie Marcoux, Patricia Garel, Emmanuel Bochud, Julie Théberge, Patrice Aubertin, Gil Favreau, Richard Fleet
Canadian Family Physician, vol. 60 n°11, p. 548-553, November 2014
To introduce Cirque du Soleil’s Cirque du Monde program and its potential as a primary health care intervention for family physicians.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Sleep and fatigue of elite circus student-artists during on year of training
Adam Decker, Patrice Aubertin, Dean Kriellaars
Medical Problems of Performing Artists, vol.34 n°3, p.125-131, September 2019
To introduce Cirque du Soleil’s Cirque du Monde program and its potential as a primary health care intervention for family physicians.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Don’t take down the monkey bars : rapid systematic review of playground-related injuries
Nicolas Bergeron, Catherine Bergeron, Luc Lapointe, Dean Kriellaars, Patrice Aubertin, Brandy Tanenbaum, Richard Fleet
Canadian Family Physician, vol.65 n°3, p.121-128, March 2019
Synthesis of currently available data on playground injuries and determine their prevalence in young children.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Empirical development of a screening method for mental, social, and physical wellness in amateur and professional circus artists
Brad Donohue, Yulia Gavrilova, Marina Galante, Bryan Burnstein, Patrice Aubertin, Elena Gavrilova, Alisan Funk, Al Light, Stephen D. Benning
Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, October 2018
This study examines the mental, social and physical health of artists in two circus settings (circus school, professional circus). The objectives were to assess overall health and develop data-based wellness screening methods in these populations, to help establish guidelines to optime the performance and health of artists.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The relationship between problem-solving skills and factors that interfere with performance in the world’s elite circus artists
Marina Galante, Brad Donohue, Yulia Gavrilova, Corey Phillips, Bryan Burnstein, Patrice Aubertin, Andrea Corral
Journal of Performance Psychology, n°11, p.1-17, December 2017
In this study, researchers are evaluating the relationship between problem-solving skills and factors influencing the performance of 109 circus performers at Cirque du Soleil and 21 graduates of the Montreal National Circus School.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Making single-point aerial circus disciplines safer
Marion Cossin, Annie Ross, Frédérick P. Gosselin
Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, vol.231 n°4, p.362–373, December 2017
The purpose of this study was to measure the dynamic tension force between the apparatus and suspended equipment of five aerial circus apparatuses and to recommend minimum loading requirements in the setup and design.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Repeatability of force signals in aerial circus straps
Marion Cossin, Annie Ross, Frédérick P. Gosselin
Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, vol.232 n°3, p.225–235, October 2017
The purpose of this study is to develop a method for evaluating the variability of movements of circus acrobats. An analysis of the repeatability of force signals is used to quantify the variability.
*Available at the School Library
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Cirque du Monde en tant qu’intervention en santé
Cynthia Fournier, Mélodie-Anne Drouin, Jérémie Marcoux, Patricia Garel, Emmanuel Bochud, Julie Théberge, Patrice Aubertin, Gil Favreau and Richard Fleet
Canadian Family Physician, vol. 60 n°11, p. 548-553, November 2014
To introduce Cirque du Soleil’s Cirque du Monde program and its potential as a primary health care intervention for family physicians.
BOOK ARTICLE
« The circus card trick » : langage performatif, communauté interprétative et éthique de la tromperie
Joseph Culpepper
F. Kessler, J-M. Larrue, G. Pisano (dir.), Machines. Magie. Médias. Presses universitaires du Septentrion, p.49-60, 2018
*Available at the School Library
