Montreal, September 26, 2023 — The partnership between the Cirque du Soleil Group and the Aléo Foundation has today resulted in the recognition of eight student-athletes competing in disciplines related to the circus arts. One freestyle skier, four gymnasts, one figure skater, and two artistic swimmers received a scholarship of 4,000 $!

Through this partnership, the Cirque du Soleil Group will provide 80,000$ over two years in the form of scholarships and services to selected student-athletes. This partnership is also intended to serve as a bridge to the professional transitions of Aléo Foundation scholarship recipients, as Cirque du Soleil aims to recruit many of these elite athletes at the end of their careers. The skills these athletes have acquired make them prime candidates for the job market that is opening up to them.

In their own words:

«We are very proud to support the athletic and academic excellence of student-athletes who perform in a discipline related to the performing arts. The connections between competitive athletes and the various circus professions are numerous, including discipline, rigor, perfectionism, and this pursuit of the perfect moment. This new partnership with the Aléo Foundation is therefore completely natural for us.»

– Nicolas Panet-Raymond, Chief Health and Safety Director to the Cirque du Soleil Group

«The Aléo Foundation is thrilled to team up with Cirque du Soleil, not only for the bursaries that the recipients received today, but also for the stepping stone it provides between an athletic career and the job market. This type of partnership fits perfectly with the range of services deployed by the Aléo Foundation in its mission to shape the leaders of tomorrow. We are convinced that student-athletes are exceptional candidates for any workplace.»

– Patricia Demers, Executive Director of the Aléo Foundation

 

2023 Recipients of the Cirque du Soleil Group Scholarship Program

Rémi Aubin
Gymnastics - Trampoline
21 years old – Rosemère
4000 $ – Cirque du Soleil’s First Scholarship

• 8th place at the World Championships in Bulgaria in 2022
• Graduated from Collège de Maisonneuve in police technology

Remi, or Rem to his friends and family, was a diver before taking up trampoline in 2013. After dedicating 10 years to his discipline, he can count execution height among his technical strengths. A highlight of the past few years was winning his third gold medal at the 2019 Canada Games, seeing his dream of a triple crown come true right in front of his father. Remi also enjoys reading, riding motorcycles, and playing basketball. Fouki and Koriass are the soundtrack to his ears. Remi dreams of the Paris Games and competing in the Olympic final in front of his family.

Flavie Aumond
Freestyle skiing – aerials
20 years old – Lac-Beauport
4000 $ – Cirque du Soleil’s First Scholarship

• Olympian at Beijing 2022, 19th
• 2022 Junior World Champion
• Studies Natural Sciences at Cégep Limoilou, Charlesbourg Campus

Flavie grew up on the ski slopes. On skis at age six, she later tried snowboarding before following in her younger brother's footsteps at age 11 in freestyle skiing. Jumping, moguls, and slopestyle—she specialized in aerials at the age of 14 under the supervision of coach Nicolas Fontaine. Her journey led her to a junior world champion title in 2022 at age 19, just a few weeks after her first participation in the Olympic Games in Beijing. She also has a talent for music, dreams of studying physiotherapy, and above all hopes to find an exciting job surrounded by the people she loves!

Félix Blaquière
Artistic gymnastics
21 years old – Repentigny
4,000 $ – 1st grant from Cirque du Soleil and 2nd from the Aléo Foundation

• Silver medalist in the team event at the 2023 Pan American Championships
• Study for a bachelor's degree in finance at Concordia University

Félix started gymnastics at the age of 6. While it wasn't love at first sight for his sport, over the years he has developed a real passion that motivates him on a daily basis. During his very first World Cup, in Slovenia, the Repentigny-born athlete reached the rings final alongside gymnasts who had been finalists at the Olympic Games. Certainly one of the most memorable moments of his career. Having just started a bachelor's degree in finance at Concordia University, he hopes to go into business and own his own company after his studies.

Zachary Lagha
Figure skating – Ice dancing
24 years old – Longueuil (Saint-Hubert)
4,000 $ – 1st grant from Cirque du Soleil and 2nd from the Aléo Foundation

• 2019 World Junior Ice Dancing Champion
• Qualified for the free skate (the final) at the 2022 Beijing Olympics
• Studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts, contemporary dance major at Concordia University

Zachary and his partner Marjorie Lajoie, also an Aléo Foundation bursary recipient, made their mark on the international scene in 2019 by being crowned junior world champions in ice dancing. A milestone moment for the duo, who subsequently continued their journey all the way to the Beijing Olympics, where they successfully qualified for the free dance. This season, the duo is aiming for a top-5 at the World Championships, which will be held in Montreal in March! In addition to his talent on the ice, Zachary is an accomplished artist. He is studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a specialization in contemporary dance at Concordia University, and is also a pianist who has performed and won at prestigious competitions! When art meets sport, or when sport meets art!

Kiara Quieti
Artistic swimming
21 years old – Montreal (Saint-Léonard)
4000 $ – Cirque du Soleil’s First Scholarship

• 6th in the acrobatic routine at the 2023 World Championships in Japan
• Studies social sciences at Cégep à distance

Kiara is a member of the national artistic swimming team. She is one of the swimmers the team launches into the air during certain spectacular routines! The child of an artistic swimming mother, Kiara tried every sport growing up before finally finding her passion, too, in dancing in the water. While the team finished sixth in the acrobatic routine at the last World Championships in Japan, Kiara's goal for the coming weeks is to qualify for the Paris Olympics at the Pan American Games, which will be held in late October in Chile. She continues her studies with Cégep à distance and harbors the dream of one day working for Cirque du Soleil!

Leandre Sauve
Artistic gymnastics
20 years old – Laval
4000 $ – Cirque du Soleil’s First Scholarship

• Two-time World Cup ski jumping silver medalist in 2022
• Study Social Science with Mathematics at Cégep à distance

«What I appreciate most in gymnastics is the feeling of flying through the air, that the body is separated from the ground! It is a way of seeing freedom! Léandre has been a gymnast since he was 3 years old! Following in his big sister's footsteps at the Gymnix club, he climbed the ranks all the way to the national team and onto the World Cup podium twice in 2022 on vault! What is he aiming for in the coming years? The gymnast cannot be too specific, but he hopes his sport continues to make him happy and make him travel! Two more than noble goals. After his sports career, the Cégep à distance humanities student would like to become a Cirque du Soleil artist! Another noble and achievable goal!

Suzanna Shahbazian
Rhythmic gymnastics
18 years old – Montreal (Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce)
4000 $ – Cirque du Soleil’s First Scholarship

• Double medalist (team and ball) at the Commonwealth Games and Pan American Games
• Studying Natural Sciences at Cégep de Saint-Laurent

At only 18 years old, rhythmic gymnast Suzanna is already a double medalist (team and ball) at the Commonwealth Games and the Pan American Games held in the summer of 2022! The Montrealer began rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 4, after her mother fell in love with the beauty of the sport. Determined, Suzanna overcomes the obstacles that arise in her athletic journey to continually pursue her dreams of the Olympic Games and studying medicine.

Florence Tremblay
Artistic swimming
19 years old – Rimouski
4000 $ – Cirque du Soleil’s First Scholarship

• Silver medalist in the acrobatic team event and bronze medalist in the free team event at the World Cup Super Final in June 2023
• Study in Natural Sciences at Cégep Garneau

As a fresh double medalist from the Artistic Swimming World Cup Super Final in June, Florence is on the doorstep of the Olympic Games, needing to help the Canadian team qualify for the planet's biggest sporting event while also securing her own spot on the team! The Pan American Games taking place in late October in Chile will be a crucial step in the qualification process. Passionate about artistic swimming since her beginnings in Rimouski at the age of 6, Florence later pursued her young career in Quebec City with the Québec Excellence Synchro club, under the supervision of Jojo Carrier-Thivierge, who had a major influence on her journey. After her career in the pool, the natural sciences student at Cégep Garneau would like to be admitted to dentistry or another branch of healthcare.

 

About the Cirque du Soleil Group
Cirque du Soleil Group is a leader in the entertainment industry Live. In addition to producing internationally renowned circus arts shows, Cirque du Soleil Group brings its creative approach to a wide variety of entertainment forms, including multimedia productions, immersive experiences, and special events. Beyond its diverse creations, the company aims to have a positive impact on people, communities, and the planet through its most important tools: creativity and art. Since its inception in 1984, more than 378 million people have been inspired across 6 continents and in 86 countries. Today, the Canadian company employs over 4,000 people, including 1,200 artists of 80 different nationalities. For more information about Cirque du Soleil Group, visit the website CirqueduSoleilGroup.com.

About the Aléo Foundation
Established in 1985, the Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence (FAEQ) has awarded over $20 million in scholarships to nearly 4,000 outstanding student-athletes from across Quebec. With the goal of clarifying the organization's mission to propel athletes beyond sports, in 2022 the FAEQ rebranded and changed its name to Fondation Aléo. In addition to continuing its provision of scholarships and support services to tomorrow's leaders, it confirms its personalized approach, focusing on the overall well-being and development of its scholarship recipients in their performance.

For more information: fondationaleo.ca as well as the Aléo Foundation's official pages on our platforms:

LinkedIn
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Spotify

– 30 –

For more information:

Annie Dubé
Director of Communications and Marketing
Aléo Foundation
438-884-6626

Marc-Étienne Nolin
Senior Public Relations Advisor
Cirque du Soleil Group
438-337-0681

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and the Aléo Foundation

Partnering for Today and Tomorrow

Montreal, September 26, 2023 – Earlier today, eight student-athletes competing in sports related to the circus arts were honored, thanks to a partnership between Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and the Aléo Foundation. One freestyle skier, four gymnasts, one figure skater, and two artistic swimmers each received a $4,000 scholarship!

Through its partnership with the Aléo Foundation, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group will award $80,000 in scholarships and services to selected students over a two-year period. The partnership between the two organizations will also serve as a bridge to professional opportunities for Aléo Foundation scholarship recipients, as Cirque du Soleil aims to recruit a number of elite athletes as they approach the end of their sports careers. The skills of these athletes make them ideal candidates for the job market that awaits them.

In their own words:

“We are very proud to support the academic and athletic excellence of student-athletes in performance-based sports. Competitive athletes share many traits with circus artists, including discipline, attention to detail, perfectionism and the pursuit of the perfect moment. Our new partnership with the Aléo Foundation is therefore a natural fit.”

– Nicolas Panet-Raymond, Global Head of Health and Safety at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group

“The Aléo Foundation is thrilled to partner with Cirque du Soleil, not only because of the scholarships awarded today, but also because of the bridge this partnership will build between life as an athlete and life in the job market. This type of partnership aligns perfectly with the services offered by the Aléo Foundation as part of its mission to shape the leaders of tomorrow. We believe student-athletes are ideal candidates for all employers.”

– Patricia Demers, Executive Director of the Aléo Foundation

 

Recipients of the 2023 Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship Program

Rémi Aubin
Gymnastics – Trampoline
21 years old – Rosemère
$4,000 – First Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship

• Eighth place at the 2022 World Championships in Bulgaria
• Graduate of the Police Technology program at Collège de Maisonneuve

Before taking up trampoline in 2013, Rémi (or Rem to his friends) was a diver. Today, after dedicating ten years to his sport, one of Rémi’s technical strengths is his ability to reach great heights. In recent years, a highlight of his career was winning a third gold medal at the 2019 Canada Games, which allowed him to fulfill his dream of completing a hat trick while his father watched. Rémi also enjoys reading, riding his motorcycle, and playing basketball. With the music of Fouki and Koriass filling his ears, Rémi dreams of making it to the Paris Olympic Games and competing in the final as his family watches.

Flavie Aumond
Freestyle skiing – Aerials
20 years old – Lac-Beauport
$4,000 – First Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship

• Nineteenth place at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games
• 2022 Junior World Champion
• Currently studying science at Cégep Limoilou, Charlesbourg campus

Flavie grew up on the slopes. She started skiing at age six, then tried snowboarding before following in her younger brother’s footsteps and taking up freestyle skiing at age eleven. After trying aerials, moguls, and slopestyle, she decided to specialize in aerials under coach Nicolas Fontaine at age fourteen. In 2022, at the age of nineteen, she became junior world champion, just a few weeks after competing in her first Olympic Games in Beijing. Flavie also has a talent for music, and she dreams of studying physical therapy. More than anything, she hopes to find an exciting job where she is surrounded by the people she loves!

Félix Blaquière
Artistic gymnastics
21 years old – Repentigny
$4,000 – First Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group scholarship and Second Aléo Foundation

• Silver medal in the team event at the 2023 Pan American Championships
• Currently studying finance at Concordia University

Félix began practicing gymnastics at the age of six. Although he did not immediately fall in love with the sport, over the years he developed a passion for it that now motivates him every day. At his first World Cup in Slovenia, the Repentigny native advanced to the rings final, competing against gymnasts who had been finalists at the Olympic Games. It was one of the most memorable moments of his career. When he graduates from Concordia University with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Félix would like to start his own business.

Zachary Lagha
Figure Skating – Dance
24 years old – Longueuil (Saint-Hubert)
$4,000 – First Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group scholarship and second Aleo Foundation

• 2019 Junior World Champion in ice dancing
• Qualified for the free skating (final) at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games
• Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Concordia University, specializing in contemporary dance

Zachary and his skating partner Marjorie Lajoie—also a recipient of an Aléo Foundation scholarship—made their mark on the international stage in 2019, when they were crowned junior world ice dancing champions. It was a pivotal moment for the pair, who have continued to advance, notably to the Beijing Olympics, where they qualified for the long program. This season, the two skaters have their sights set on a top-five finish at the World Championships, which will be held in Montréal in March! In addition to his talent on the ice, Zachary is also an accomplished artist. The bachelor of fine arts student in contemporary dance at Concordia University is also a pianist who has performed in and won prestigious competitions! Art meets sport—or sport meets art!

Kiara Quieti
Artistic swimming
21 years old – Montreal (Saint-Léonard)
$4,000 – First Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship

• Sixth place in the acrobatic routine at the 2023 World Championships in Japan
• Currently studying social sciences through Cégep's distance learning program

Kiara is a member of the national artistic swimming team. She is one of the swimmers who is tossed into the air by her teammates during spectacular moves! Kiara, whose mother is also an artistic swimmer, tried many sports as a child before discovering a passion for dancing in the water. After finishing sixth in the team acrobatic routine at the recent World Championships in Japan, Kiara’s goal over the next few weeks is to qualify for the Paris Olympics at the Pan American Games, which will be held in Chile in late October. She is pursuing her studies through Cégep’s distance learning program and is considering working for Cirque du Soleil someday.

Leandre Sauve
Artistic gymnastics
20 years old – Laval
$4,000 – First Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship

• Two-time silver medalist on the vault at the 2022 World Cup
• Currently studying social sciences and mathematics through Cégep's distance learning program

“The thing I like most about gymnastics is the feeling of flying through the air, of my body being completely separated from the ground! It gives me such a feeling of freedom!” Léandre has been a gymnast since he was three years old. Having followed in his big sister’s footsteps at Club Gymnix, he made it all the way to the national team and stood on the World Cup podium twice in vault events in 2022! What does he see himself doing over the next few years? The gymnast was not able to go into detail, but he hopes his sport will continue to make him happy and keep him travelling. Noble pursuits, those! Once his sports career is over, the social sciences student in Cégep à distance learning would like to become an artist at Cirque du Soleil. Another noble goal, and one that is definitely achievable!

Suzanna Shahbazian
Rhythmic gymnastics
18 years old – Montreal (Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce)
$4,000 – First Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship

• Two-time medallist (team and ball) at the Commonwealth Games and the Pan-American Games
• Beginning her studies in science at Cégep de Saint-Laurent

At only 18 years of age, rhythmic gymnast Suzanna has already been a two-time medallist (team and ball) at the Commonwealth Games and the Pan-American Games, both of which were held in the summer of 2022! The Montréaler took up rhythmic gymnastics at the age of four, when her mother fell in love with the beauty of the sport. Suzanna determinedly overcomes any obstacles she faces on the path to her dreams, which are to compete in the Olympic Games and to pursue her studies in medicine.

Florence Tremblay
Artistic swimming
19 years old – Rimouski
$4,000 – First Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship

• Silver medal in team acrobatic and bronze medal in team free in the World Cup Super Final in June 2023
• Currently studying science at Cégep Garneau

Florence, a member of the artistic swimming team that recently won two medals at the World Cup Super Final in June, is standing at the threshold of the Olympic Games. She must help Team Canada qualify for the world’s largest sporting event, while also making sure she qualifies for the team! The Pan-American Games, which will take place in Chile in October, are a crucial step in the qualification process. Florence, who has been passionate about artistic swimming since she took it up in Rimouski at the age of six, later pursued her burgeoning career in Quebec City, at the Québec Excellence Synchro Club, where she trained under Jojo Carrier-Thivierge, who has greatly influenced her career. Once her swimming career is over, the science student at Cégep Garneau hopes to study dentistry or another health-related discipline.

 

About Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is a world leader in live entertainment. In addition to producing world-renowned circus arts shows, the Company brings its creative approach to a large variety of entertainment forms, such as multimedia productions, immersive experiences, and special events. Going beyond its various creations, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group aims to positively impact people, communities and the planet with its most important tools: creativity and art. Since its creation in 1984, more than 378 million people have been inspired on 6 continents and 86 countries. The Canadian company now employs more than 4000 employees, including 1200 artists from 80 different nationalities. For more information about Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, please visit CDSentertainmentgroup.com.

About the Aléo Foundation
Created in 1985, the Foundation for Athletic Excellence (FAEQ) has awarded more than $$20 million in bursaries to nearly 4,000 exceptional student-athletes from all over Québec. In order to better reflect the organization’s mission of elevating athletes beyond sport, the FAEQ changed its name and brand image in 2022, becoming the Aléo Foundation. In addition to continuing to provide bursaries and guidance services to the leaders of tomorrow, it maintains its personalized approach, where the overall development and well-being of its bursary recipients are at the heart of its activities.

For more information, please visit fondationaleo.ca or the Aléo Foundation's social media pages:

LinkedIn
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Spotify

– 30 –

For more information:

Annie Dubé
Director, Marketing and Communications
Aleo Foundation
438-884-6626

Marc-Étienne Nolin
Senior Advisor, Public Relations
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group
438-337-0681