Stellar: the Organ’s Balancing Act ^2025-2026

After travelling the world and its cabarets, Rosalie Beauchamp co-founded Le Monastère in 2016, driven by a bold ambition: to fill a glaring gap in their city of heart, Montreal. Although the city was proclaimed the capital of the circus arts, it offered little visibility to independent artists, who were all too often anonymous in the big companies. The public, for its part, had limited access to a truly diversified offering.

Our dream? To create a place where artists could express themselves in a raw, sincere and unfiltered way. A space where the artist is not just a performer, but the author of his or her work. Located in a church dating from 1864 on rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest in Montreal, this NPO invites the public to plunge into an accessible, rich and warm universe, where the contemporary circus deploys all its creative force.

Le Monastère, circus in its purest form.

Thomas Rochelet, aerial straps
Originally from France, Thomas Rochelet began his career as a figure skater at the age of 10, then quickly moved into the world of live entertainment, collaborating with Royal Caribbean, Holiday On Ice, and Europa-Park.
In 2023, he relocated to Montreal to transition into the circus arts and specialized in aerial straps through private and self-taught training.
He was also recently a finalist on Un incroyable talent.

Camille Tremblay, balancing act
Camille has been active in the circus arts since 2009. Trained in rhythmic gymnastics and piano, she developed early on an approach that combines physical prowess with artistic sensitivity. A graduate of the National Circus School of Montreal in 2012, she has since performed in festivals, creative projects, cabaret shows, televised performances, and special events.

Manolo Gonzalo, MultiLED number
Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Manuel began circus arts at the age of 7 with Circo de las Artes, where he trained in static trapeze, aerial silks, and floor acrobatics.
He complemented his training with gymnastics, theatre, and dance, while developing a strong interest in fashion and design. After several summer programs at the National Circus School in Montreal, he joined the institution in 2020, specializing in dance trapeze under the guidance of Elena Fomina and Didier Lucien.

Oona De Cleyn, hair suspension on bungee
Oona De Cleyn is a Belgian dancer and aerial artist, trained at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp. Since 2016, she has practiced various aerial disciplines, including lyra, flying harness, bungee dance, aerial net, and dynamic hair suspension, her current specialty. She has performed in Cirque du Soleil at Sea: Bellissima, worked as a personal aerial coach for Helene Fischer, and was a finalist on Belgium’s Got Talent (2016) and So You Think You Can Dance (2009).

Alexandre Alain, aerial silks
Alexandre Alain is a circus artist and a graduate of the École de cirque de Québec (2022). He has practiced circus arts since childhood and specialized in aerial silks, his discipline of choice, where he combines dance, movement, and technique to convey his sensitivity on stage. Versatile, he also performs with hula hoop and trio trapeze, and has collaborated with Machine de Cirque, Le Monastère, and GOP Variety Theater.

Cléa Perion, Cyr wheel
Cléa is a circus artist from Nantes, specializing in aerial rope and Cyr wheel. A graduate of the École de cirque de Québec (2019), she performs on international stages with renowned companies such as Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Éloize, and GOP Varieté-Theater, as well as at festivals and corporate events worldwide. Creative and versatile, she designs custom acts that combine technical virtuosity with artistic sensitivity, and she continues her international career from her permanent residence in Quebec.

Jean-Willy Kunz is the organist-in-residence of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. A member of the OSM since 2013, he studied at the Conservatoires de musique in Grenoble, Lyon, and Montreal, as well as at McGill University. In 2011, he was awarded the Richard Bradshaw Audience Prize at the Canadian International Organ Competition. He has performed as a soloist with the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Les Violons du Roy, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and has premiered numerous works by notable composers. 

In addition to his orchestral career, Jean-Willy is also an organ professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and serves as Artistic Director of the Canadian International Organ Competition.