The equestrian tradition
It's mainly through their reputation as "equestrians" that, quite rapidly, the Gruss's fame spread, a fame that would only grow with each generation.
A circus of creation
Alexis Gruss created "le Cirque à l'Ancienne" (the Old-Fashioned Circus) on May 24, 1974, Mother's Day, on the initiative of Silvia Monfort, director of the "Carré Thorigny", the city of Paris' cultural centre. That was for the bicentennial of the setting up in the Marais of "the inventor" of the circus : the British Major Philip Astley. The veritable initiator of the new circuses of creation, this "Cirque à l'Ancienne" has the particularity of being composed essentially of the same family.
A great family of artists in the ring
In the ring this year 9 of the 15 artists are Grusses. Performing with Alexis and his wife Gipsy (daughter of the great liontamer Firmin Bouglione) are their children and grandchildren :
Stephan, Firmin and Maud, represent the fifth generation of Grusses, with Stephan's wife Nathalie, also of circus origins, and with Laure, Firmin's wife.
The hour has now come for the sixth generation of Grusses, with Charles and Alexandre (the twins) and their little brother Louis, the first three sons of Stephan and Nathalie, to appear in the ring. Joseph, the fourth brother, is already in the wings stamping his feet in impatience. As to Jeanne, Laure and Firmin's daughter, born September 10, 2006, first girl of the sixth generation, you can bet that it won't be long before she joins her cousins in the ring, as soon as her age permits.
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