Le Cadre Noir

Programming

After my Japanese detour yesterday, back to France.
Not just any France: that of the Cadre Noir de Saumur – it’s a riding school.
Not just any school : it’s the best there is.

Yes, I say that.

And I don’t want to know if there are not too bad riding schools in your countries. I’m French. Toc.

I didn’t get to know it through the theatre, but through my eldest son: one of whose friends had the honor of entering the Cadre Noir.

There, it’s not even love for horses anymore, it’s so much more. Nothing exists without first of all a kind of contact with the animal, a complicity that is created between the rider and his horse, an absolute mutual trust.

And once this bond is created, it becomes possible for both to achieve exploits – and in Altair’s case, choreographic exploits.
I insist on both, because the rider and his mount must “give themselves” together.
It is this bond that makes the shows so moving – as well as impressive.

“The horse must return to the stable as cheerful as he came out of it” is Saumur’s motto.

Since the 2000s, the shows also associate “classical” artists – dancers. And there, it is a lot of work to teach the horses to meet the artists.
to meet the music
to enter also in the heart of the show

And that gives… that :

These last video presents a version of Coppélia… with dancers and horses, together – for a show that’s just amazing.
Of course, I don’t have an English version here – but the words are not useful.

It changes a bit, doesn’t it?

I think what I like the most is to have known the real link to be created between man and animal in order to achieve this.

I know, there is great companies that work with horses – I know. Today, it was the best one.

And last but not least… what other great culture loves the horse? And can only crack completely when Altair will present on stage the last show of the Cadre Noir?
In Dubai, horses are a little more precious than anything else. I’m just saying it.

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Featured Image : from Le Cadre Noir – annual show. Are the hearts on the horses’ chest a JoJo reference? Normally not – but it could have been, they are very young people in Saumur.- Pour le reste : merci.