Press Release

Montreal, October 9, 2024 — The collaboration between Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and the Aléo Foundation continued today by showcasing the journeys of eight student-athletes working in a discipline related to circus arts. Four gymnasts, two artistic swimmers, one diver and one figure skater received a $4,000 scholarship and lifetime services from the Aléo Foundation.

Through this partnership, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group completed its two-year $80,000 investment in scholarships and services for selected student-athletes. The skills acquired by these athletes make them ideal candidates for the job market. Recognizing this unique added value, Cirque du Soleil has positioned itself over time as an employer of high-caliber athletes, both in the spotlight and on its behind-the-scenes teams.

“There's a natural link between high-level student-athletes and Cirque du Soleil. The young people we recognize through our scholarship program with the Aléo  Foundation are already experts in terms of discipline, rigor, perfectionism and the quest for that perfect moment. They are a step ahead when it comes to making the leap into the professional market, and for us, they're sought-after collaborators. “

-Nicolas Panet-Raymond,
Global Head of Safety, Health and Sustainability at Cirque du Soleil

“The partnership between the Aléo Foundation and Cirque du Soleil fits perfectly with our mission and objectives. The Aléo Foundation works to provide its scholarship recipients with opportunities that enable them to achieve their dreams in every sphere of their lives. Joining forces with an employer of choice, a pride of Quebec on the international stage, which recognizes the exceptional character of student-athletes as employees and vectors of excellence, is a golden opportunity to offer even more to our recipients”.

-Patricia Demers
Executive Director of the Aléo Foundation

Recipients of the 2024
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship Program

Éloïse Bélanger - Diving
30 years old - Montreal (Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie)
$4000 - 1st Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship, 3rd Aléo Foundation Scholarship

• Gold medallist at the Winter Canadian Championships, 2023.
• After earning a B.A. with a major in economics from the University of California, she is currently pursuing a law degree at the Université de Montréal.

Éloïse's goal for next season is to qualify for the World Championships, to be held in Singapore in the summer of 2025. After her sporting career, she hopes to pursue a career as a lawyer, perhaps in international law, business, taxation, or “a nice mix of all of everything”.

Félix Blaquière - Artistic gymnastics
22 years old - Repentigny
$4000 - 2nd Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship, 3rd Aléo Foundation Scholarship

• Silver medalist in the team competition at the 2023 Pan-American Championships.
• Studying for a bachelor's degree in finance at Concordia University.

Félix's main goals are to increase the difficulty of his routines and qualify for the World Championships! After his gymnastics career, he'd like to combine his passions - programming and finance - to work in a field that will allow him to develop professionally! Besides sports and studies, Félix is developing software to manage sports competitions, including ticketing and live results.

Zachary Lagha - Figure skating dance
25 years old - Longueuil (Saint-Hubert)
$4000 - 2nd Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Scholarship, 3rd Aléo Foundation Scholarship

• 5th at the ISU World Championships in Montreal, winter 2024! He and his partner become the youngest duo in the world's top 5 in ice dance.
• Qualified for the long program (the final) at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games.
• Studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance at Concordia University.

Zachary Lagha and his partner Marjorie Lajoie, also a Aléo Foundation scholarship recipient, made their mark on the international scene in 2019 by being crowned world junior ice dance champions. A landmark moment for the duo, who subsequently continued their journey, including to the Beijing Olympics, at which they successfully qualified for the long program. In March 2024, the duo once again confirmed their status among the world's elite, finishing 5th at the ISU World Championships in Montreal. In addition to his talent on the ice, Zachary is an accomplished artist. He is currently studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance at Concordia University, and is also a pianist who has played and won prestigious competitions! When art meets sport, or sport meets art! 

Raphaëlle Plante - Artistic swimming
22 years old - Quebec City
$4000- 1st Scholarship from Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, 3rd Scholarship from the Aléo Foundation

• Member of the Canadian team that finished 6th in the team event at the Paris Olympic Games.
• Studying for a certificate in art sciences at Concordia University.
• After her career, she would like to become an artist with Cirque du Soleil.

Raphaëlle began artistic swimming in Las Vegas, where her father worked for Cirque du Soleil. “From the first time I had the chance to be a spectator at the O show, I knew I had to try artistic swimming!” The Paris Olympian is aiming, with her team, for a podium finish at the World Championships in Singapore in July 2025. After some very stressful pre-Olympic years, Raphaëlle wants to “reconnect with why” she loves her sport. 

Léandre Sauvé - Artistic gymnastics
21 years old - Laval
$4000 - 2nd Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group x Aléo Foundation Scholarship

• Finished 7th on vault at the Pan-American Championships in Colombia in 2023.
• Studying humanities with mathematics at Cégep à distance.

Léandre Sauvé has been a gymnast since the age of 3! He's worked his way up to the national team and to the World Cup podium twice in 2022 on vault! After his sporting career, Léandre would like to be a Cirque du Soleil artist and study business administration to become a hotel management executive. 

Suzanna Shahbazian - Rhythmic gymnastics
19 years old - Montreal (Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce)
$4000 - 2nd Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group x Aléo Foundation Scholarship

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

Suzanna began rhythmic gymnastics at the age of five. One of her main goals over the next few years is to qualify for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.  The top-ranked national gymnast dreams of the Olympics and studying medicine. 

Aurélie Tran - Artistic gymnastics
18 years old - Repentigny
$4000 - 1st Scholarship from Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, 5th Scholarship from the Aléo Foundation

• Proudly represented Canada in the team event at the Paris Olympic Games.
• Studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Iowa

Aurélie has become one of Canada's and the world's elite in artistic gymnastics! Reigning Canadian vice-champion, she proudly represented the country at the Paris Olympic Games, fulfilling one of her greatest dreams by becoming an Olympian! She's starting a new chapter, now studying at the University of Iowa while pursuing her gymnastics career.  

Florence Tremblay - Artistic swimming
20 years old - Rimouski
$4000  - 2nd Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group x Aléo Foundation Scholarship

• Member of the Canadian team that finished 6th in the team event at the Paris Olympic Games.
• Studied natural sciences at Collège de Maisonneuve.

From Rimouski to Quebec City, then all the way to Montreal to realize her dream of becoming an Olympian at the Paris Olympic Games! Passionate about artistic swimming since her beginnings in Rimouski at the age of 6, Florence then pursued her young career in Quebec City, with the Quebec Excellence Synchro club, before moving to Montreal to join the national team. After her career in the pool, the Collège de Maisonneuve science student would like to be admitted to dentistry or another health branch.

About Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is a world leader in live entertainment. Building on four decades of pushing the boundaries of the imagination, the artistic entertainment company brings its creative approach to a large variety of artistic forms such as live shows, multimedia productions, long-from content, music, immersive experiences, and special events. Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group celebrates 40 years of defying reality, defining entertainment, and illuminating the world through art and creativity. Since its creation in 1984, more than 400 million people have been inspired on 6 continents and 86 countries. The Canadian company now employs more than 4000 employees, including 1200 artists from more than 80 different nationalities. For more information about Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, please visit cirquedusoleil.com.

About the Aléo Foundation     

Founded in 1985, the Foundation for Athletic Excellence (FAEQ) has awarded more than $25 millions in bursaries to nearly 5,000 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 Scholarship 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
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YouTube
Spotify

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Pour plus de renseignements :

Annie Dubé
Director, Marketing et du marketing
Aléo Foundation
438-884-6626

Amélie Robert
Advisor, Corporate Public Relations
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group - amelie.robert@cirquedusoleil.com