Collectif Malunés is a Franco-Belgian contemporary circus company. Founded in 2009, in Belgium, it was born out of the insatiable desire to enrich itself artistically on stage and in the street.
Whilst simultaneously following a higher education program in circus arts in Tilburg (ACaPA), four young artists — 3 Flemish, and one French — formed this collective, overflowing with ambition and energy. 2010 saw the first tour of the street show Sens Dessus Dessous in Flanders and the Netherlands.
In 2011 the show won the international street arts festival prize at MiraMirO (Ghent), with the Grand Prix du Jury and the Prix du Public.
In 2012, the show crossed the borders into Spain.
From 2013-15, after finally leaving school, the show responded to high demand and was taken under the wing of the renowned agency Frans Brood Productions. The tour dates tripled and the show continued to play further afield – in England, France, Lithuania, Austria, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Venezuela and not forgetting, Belgium and the Netherlands – a total of 250 performances to date!
In autumn 2015, Sens Dessus Dessous gave way to the second show of the Collectif Malunés: Forever, Happily…
wherein the collective grew and now consists of 7 artists on stage, 3 techniciens, and 2 producers. The show takes place under a burgundy tent like the beautiful archaic caravan of its beginnings. Here the artists take great pleasure in deconstructing and reinventing the characters of the fairy-tales of yesteryear. Forever, Happily… is currently touring Europe. The show received the Cultural Prize for Circus 2016 in Belgium.
Today, as our society becomes increasingly individualistic, we want to defend a collective vision. Even if it may seem utopian, the Collective wants to continue to experiment, play and work towards solidarity between companies, artists, spectators and countries.
We are interested in research on falls, misfires, indispensable elements of safety (safety-lines and spotting), hence the need for solidarity and regular group work, which is the strength of the collective.
The idea of creating a collective artform is to share an honest, physical and real experience. Circus – especially the nomadic circus with the installation of its tent – changes the infrastructure of a town, and creates a new dynamic where people come to see a show on their doorstep, thus mixing all social categories.