Cirque Ma’Ceo: An enchanting ride!

When publicist Elizabeth McCall reached out to cover the Cirque Ma’Ceo, and after checking their website, www.CirqueMaCeo.com, I knew we were up, my sons and I, for a magical and enchanting event. Cirque Ma’Ceo is a mesmerizing live production under an intimate 650-seat Big Top, and with a captivating mix of dressage, liberty ( a method where a horse and trainer communicate without physical restraints, like a halter or lead rope, fostering a deep bond and trust through body language, cues, and positive reinforcement), trick riders, and bareback riders, together with aerialists (like Eliza Pulco and her captivating and exhilarating chandelier aerial) and acrobats. 9th-generation equestrian artist creates this breathtaking experience: Olissio Zoppe, who has mastered the arts of Liberty, Dressage, Cossack riding, Roman riding, and the perilous art of bareback riding.

And like every Cirque, you do have moments of humor and fun, such as when Olissio has a funny interaction with a miniature stallion comedian with a big personality. We were all laughing so loudly because this beautiful horse was so funny and shameless. Writing about horses, we need to mention the fantastic equine lineup featuring Andalusians, Friesians, two rare Akhal-Teke horses, as well as a Gypsy yearling colt.

In their voices, let’s director Olissio Zoppe, multi-talented equestrian Delphine Berthier, and publicist Elisabeth McCall elaborate more about what you are about to see:

Q: How did it start?

Olissio: As an acrobat and a rider, you have a limited shelf life. So, I wanted to create something for me and my family to have an infinite career. The idea was to perform but also to produce and direct various shows. And have a traveling show until our later years. 

Q: Why the name Cirque Ma’Ceo?

Olissio:   Ma’Ceo is an ancient Latin name. It translates to “Gift of God”. I thought this was very suitable because it reflects my feelings about horses.

Q: What is the biggest challenge of putting on a show like this one?

Olissio: There are so many challenges. Logistics is, maybe, the biggest one.  Moving a small village from week to week, from place to place. And when you are doing this, you always run out of time.  Being able to have time for yourself is very rare. We always look forward to going home after a long tour like this one to finally relax (note: they have been on the road since January, non-stop crossing America from Florida to, now, the West Coast!) But in spite of everything, we love our work, and we are passionate about our performances.

Q: Hello Delphine, tell us more about yourself.

Delphine: I’ve been an equestrian for the last 8 years. I’m from France and I now live in Marseilles, in the South of France. Now I’m on the road with Cirque Ma’Ceo for 10 months every year. It’s a fascinating journey all over the USA.

Q: Delphine, what was your biggest challenge during this tour?

Delphine: To have a “Liberty” (explained above) was a new thing for me. It was great working with these two young Akhal-Teke horses from Turkmenistan. These horses are so smart, and they teach me a lot. Because they are young, they don’t always do what they need to do, so it’s teaching about finding ways to fix it. It’s horse psychology in a way.

Olissio: And for the horses, it was also interesting to work with a new equestrian.  Delphine was learning new skills, and the horses were learning about her and a new act.

Q: Do you change the show every year and its themes?

Olissio: We don’t re-invent everything, but we do try to change the acts a little bit. And we always bring new people in, like Delphine. We are in a transition right now where we bring in young new horses. We have lots of horses that are retiring because of their age. In terms of themes? Well, let’s say it’s a Gypsy equestrian show. 

Q: What do you hope people get and appreciate from watching your show?

Olissio: I like showing people something they have never seen that they didn’t even know existed. When people see our show, they recognize it’s an ancient art form because it has a very organic feel. There are lots of connections between the artists, because we work closely together. And also, the connections we have with the horses. Because the tent is small, it’s a very intimate atmosphere. And those connections are very visible to the audience. So, they feel like they are being let in on a secret.

Delphine: I hope the audience will see and appreciate the relationship we have with our horses. I hope it moves them, within themselves. It’s all about the feeling within.

And the feeling you get when watching Cirque Ma’Ceo is a feeling of Freedom, a feeling of being able to ride Life with no limits, no boundaries. You are the Gypsy King, the Gypsy Queen, taking your Destiny into your hands. Riding into the sunset of the Promised Land. Get your tickets at www.CirqueMaCeo.com  and get the feeling we felt that night, watching this amazing show and meeting these passionate souls: a feeling of Eternity. 

Let’s all keep on riding! Our Destiny is waiting.

Thank you, Elizabeth MCCall, Olissio Zoppe, and his entire team of amazing artists: Eliza Pulco (amazing aerial chandelier and bareback riding), Delphine Berthier, Galina Krylova (splendid aerial and acrobat), Mairbek Dotsoev (daredevil Cossack rider), Sean Riley (fantastic Ringmaster), and Jai Riley for a stunning audiovisual performance.