Cavalia

Cavalia Inc. is an entertainment company that specializes in the creation, production and touring of shows for audiences of all ages. Its shows display equestrian and acrobatic techniques such as Trick Riding, Vaulting, Haute École, Pas De Deux, and unbridled displays. So far, Cavalia has produced two shows: Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse, and Odysseo.

Name origin

Cavalia is a fabricated word, inspired by the Spanish and French words for horse (caballo and cheval) and the English word cavalry. Normand Latourelle often says he'd love to open a dictionary some day and see "Cavalia" defining his multimedia production about the historical relationship between humans and horses.

History

Created in 2003 by Normand Latourelle under the name of "Voltige", the very first show was held in Shawinigan, Quebec. The large-scale multimedia performance the company delivers is often compared to Cirque du Soleil, of which he was one of the four original co-founders as well as Managing Director and Executive Vice-President from 1985 to 1990. Apart from Latourelle's history, Cavalia has no affiliation with Cirque du Soleil and remains a separate entity. The company's original production, Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse, has been touring since 2003 and has reached over 4 Million spectators across North America, Europe and Australia through more than 2,200 performances (as of September 2013).Odysseo, Cavalia's newest show, premiered in October 2011 in Laval, Quebec.