Couch-talk – Bridie Hooper
Meet Bridie Hooper, former student at the ÉNC
One of the acrobats of the australien company Circa has been living in Montreal for a few years since she was studying at the École nationale de cirque. So we wanted to know more about her, obviously!
TOHU: Can you tell us a little about your background?
Bridie: I’ve been doing circus since the age of 11, it began as a casual after school activity and then I became completely addicted. I loved the physical challenges, the creativity and the encouragement and love that everyone shared with one another. Upon deciding that I wanted to pursue a career in circus, I moved to the Fruit Fly Circus, which is another youth circus in Australia and after two years of training there and finishing high school I applied for and was then accepted into L’École Nationale de Cirque de Montreal. So I moved to Montréal, it was my first international journey and I was petrified, but I had an incredible time training and performing at the school. I graduated in 2012 and worked in Quebec and then Europe before joining Circa.
TOHU: Can you tell us a bit more about your experience since you’ve been working with Circa?
Bridie: Circa has taught me so much more about circus and its complex, beautiful ability to transform actions, relations and intentions into work that really resonates in very individual ways with audiences. I’ve experienced what it is to work in a group and as an acrobat, and how it is to share not only the stage with your cast mates but also your life. We become family by touring, travelling and performing together all the time. It’s pretty incredible.
TOHU: How is it to work with Yaron Lifschitz?
Bridie: Terrifying in an exciting, thought provoking, fast paced way. He is full of knowledge about all sorts of subjects and I love hearing these snippets of substance and how they may or may not influence the work he makes. We have a lot of freedom to create and pursue acrobatic endeavours, which is always great.
TOHU: Since you were part of the Minutes COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE, could you describe it in your own words?
Bridie: It’s a fun way to illuminate circus and spread the word and the energy of the circus festival through the streets of Montreal. The flash circus idea of Les Minutes makes snippets of circus accessible to everyone! I had such a great time both years that I performed in Les Minutes, it was always great fun being one of Anthony Venisses minions, flipping around St Denis, obeying his commands.
TOHU: What would be your Montreal hotspots?
Bridie: Well it’s been a few years since I’ve enjoyed Montréal’s hot spots but I always did love riding my bike everywhere. I like stopping in at Jean Talon Markets, getting great coffee at Picolo on Avenue Parc, or stopping for some food at the funky graffiti cafe Chez Jose on Duluth. I really love wandering down the alleys of all the streets between St Denis and St Laurent and catching glimpses of people enjoying BBQs and being outside in the summer!
