How did you get your stage name?

Circe is the daughter of the Sun God. Gifted with the power of metamorphosis, she is feared both for her beauty and for her magic spells and potions. Alégria is a Spanish word that translates to happiness, joy, jubilation, ecstasy. 

How did you get into dance? 

I was born in Toulon… in the middle of roses! My parents are horticulturists that specialize in roses. When I was about three, I went to a dance school with my parents and told them that I wanted to be a dancer… but at the highest level! From that point onwards, I took dance classes. When I was ten, I went to live with a host family while I followed a course in classical and contemporary dance at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille. I stayed there for ten years. I danced more than twenty hours a week and studied the rest of the time. After my baccalaureate, I danced for a few months with the Opéra de Nice, where we were performing Don Quixote. Then Covid stopped me in my tracks; it was difficult to find stage work during that period. I went back to the dance school in Marseille which had started a post-baccalaureate class to help us to continue to improve and grow. This time, I had the chance to participate in prestigious workshops with renowned choreographers like Preljocaj. Then I started to think seriously about the Crazy Horse. I had known about this cabaret since I was a little girl, because when I did dance shows for my parents, they used to say “you’ll wind up a dancer at Crazy Horse Paris! “. When you’re little, you don’t really understand what it means. As a teenager, who’s not necessarily comfortable with your body, you reject the idea. Then as an adult, all you see is the beauty of the show, and you think “if only…”. Without ever having danced in heels, I went to an audition at Crazy Horse Paris. I didn’t believe I would get it at all, it was more of a challenge and an experience for me. Looking at the other girls who were there that day, I felt out of place. At my other auditions, I was always told that I was too young and too thin. And finally here I am! What I am experiencing is unreal…

What makes you particularly proud to be a Crazy Horse dancer?

I am proud to be part of a company that promotes the image of a woman who is both beautiful and strong, who shines as much by her art as by her intelligence. Today I’m a Crazy Girl myself, but when I pass other dancers in the hallways, I always feel starry-eyed. 

What message do you want to convey to the public when you dance at Crazy Horse Paris? 

My message would be to have fun and put your heart into everything you do. Life is full of surprises at any age. If you give it everything you’ve got, sometimes you can achieve unexpected, incredible, spectacular results. 

What is the source of Crazy Horse Paris magic that has endured for more than 70 years?

It’s the entire team that sustains the magic of the Crazy Horse. The dressers who make the made-to-measure costumes that enhance the girls’ bodies; the artists and technicians who create the show’s magical light effects; the high-flying dancers who perform original choreographies, some of which are signature Crazy Horse routines handed down from one generation to the next… This entire team passionately cultivates what André Bernardin started: a show that is still unique in the world.

What have you discovered about yourself since becoming a cabaret dancer? 

Intensive dance delayed my puberty until I was eighteen, which was not always easy to live with. Now in my twenties, I am in the middle of a transformation. I am just discovering myself as a woman, both on a physical and a cerebral level. Dancing at Crazy Horse Paris gives me an opportunity to construct who I am, surrounded by the best possible models. Every woman is unique, and the one I am becoming has grown from the child I was: a warm, bright, generous and spontaneous person… with seduction as an added bonus! 

What would you say today to the little girl you once were?

Hang on! Believe in yourself! Trust in life and to stand firm despite competition, adversity and how hard it is to overcome these obstacles far from your parents. I would also like to congratulate her. Today I can truly say that I am proud of that little girl and where she has taken me.

Which of the Totally Crazy! group acts is your favorite?

Scanner is the act with the most freedom: depending on the day, you can approach it as a warrior, or with a gentle, slightly sexy weariness. I also really like Vestal’s Desire; its hypnotic and enigmatic effects  raise the dancers to the height of goddesses. 

Discover Circé Alégria in video : 

Photos : Paul-Henri Pesquet, Ficheraz

Video : Paul-Henri Pesquet