The taming of the circus horse is left orphaned. It has lost one of its legends and teachers of equestrian art. The Frenchman Alexis Gruss died last Saturday, at the age of 79 in Paris. Considered a great genius in the world of entertainment, he dedicated his entire life to teaching and transmitting his passion.
Gruss founded his own company in the 70s, where he remained active with his four children, who did not hesitate to follow the family tradition. For the trainer, “the true transmission was the gesture” and his family achieved it, based on three major disciplines: “high school work, horseback riding and free riding,” Gruss explained to Le Monde. In fact, it all began in 1868, with the marriage of Charles Gruss and Maria Martinetti. The couple was one of the first to merge horse riding with the acrobatics of the most traditional circus acts.
“The secret to working as a family? Everyone at home and everyone together,” Gruss admitted to the French newspaper Le Figaro, and his passion was transmitted from generation to generation since the artist revolutionized entertainment with his Cirque a l’Ancienne. (1974) and, later, Les Folies Gruss. He did it in collaboration with Silvia Monfort, considered an important artist in the renewal of circus skills. In this exhibition, Gruss placed the horse at the center of the performance, thus contributing to the innovation and popularity of equestrian performances.
At only 27 years old he became the director of the circus. However, he is not only known for his outstanding equestrian performances, but he was also a renowned saxophonist and an outstanding acrobat. His merits under the tent were recognized with the awards of the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur.
