Cirque Kikasse Brings High-Flying Fun to Clark College
Arts@Clark Presents brings circus-meets-food-truck show to campus
Clark College welcomed Cirque Kikasse to campus June 8 and 9 for two free lunchtime performances of SANTÉ!, the troupe’s signature circus-meets-food-truck show.
Presented through Clark College Foundation’s performance series Arts@Clark Presents, Cirque Kikasse brought students, faculty, staff, and community members together for a playful and energetic outdoor experience filled with acrobatics, comedy, balancing acts, and plenty of surprises. As the academic year neared its end, the performances also offered a chance to celebrate Clark students as they neared graduation and to recognize the hard work of faculty and staff who supported them throughout the year.
Set on a fully transformed food truck, SANTÉ! follows the troupe as they prepare for service on a restaurant patio, building furniture into a 35-foot balancing tower, bouncing across a trampoline, and trying (not always successfully) to clean up an overflowing popcorn machine.
“Whereas traditional circus traveled in trains and wagons to pitch a Big Top in town after town, Cirque Kikasse tours with, and performs world-class acrobatics on, a custom circus/food truck complete with full capacity for food and beverage service, plus a trampoline,” explained Ruth Wikler, Clark College Foundation’s Director of Arts Programming, Partnerships, and Philanthropy. “We were so lucky to catch these extraordinary artists on their journey across the country; so pleased to be able to introduce them to our wonderful students and their thoughtful culinary creations; and so happy to welcome students, faculty, staff, and area families to campus for a one-of-a-kind performing arts experience celebrating the end of the academic year!”
Adding to the celebration, students from Clark College’s McClaskey Culinary Institute (MCI) honored Cirque Kikasse’s cultural roots by serving poutine, the national dish of Quebec.
“For me, menu planning is always intentional. Food is a way to create community,” explained MCI director Chef Earl Frederick. “When we learned that the Quebec artists’ tour coincided with my Barbecue class and Alex’s capstone, we developed a smoked-meat poutine menu (with a vegetarian option) accompanied by Alex’s three refreshing beverages (horchata, Jamaica, and lemonade). As a result, great dialogue opened up between the students and the artists, not only around the logistics of service in the food truck itself, but also about heritage cuisine and the roots of barbecue.”
Second-year MCI student Alex Zavala Contreras concurred: "I was under the impression my capstone project would just run as a normal drink stand. But being able to collaborate with an act as unique as Cirque Kikasse has definitely made the experience much more personal. I felt like a kid at the fair again. My time in the window making drinks made me feel like I was contributing to that experience for others."
For Lucy Winslow, MCI Service Lead: “It was so much fun being a part of the collaboration between our second-year students and these incredible artists on such a unique project. It expanded their notions of what’s possible!”
The artists appreciated the collaboration, too. Cirque Kikasse co-founder William Poliquin-Simms shared: “This is Cirque Kikasse’s first time working with culinary students, and it was really special. We enjoyed working alongside the students at lunchtime, and their poutine was the best we’ve had south of the [Canadian] border!"
Founded in 2021 by circus artists and directors Hugo Ouellet-Côté and William Poliquin-Simms, Cirque Kikasse has performed SANTÉ! more than 250 times for over 100,000 spectators across Canada and the United States. Their stop in Clark gave Vancouver audiences a chance to experience their unique blend of virtuosity, humor, and audience connection up close, not to mention taste some Quebec-inspired culinary delights. Clark College Foundation provided the performances at no charge to the public, creating an unforgettable and accessible moment of art, food, and community on campus.
About Clark College Foundation's Arts@Clark Presents
Arts@Clark is an initiative of Clark College Foundation that elevates Clark College’s visual, digital, performing, literary, and culinary arts programs while strengthening connections between the College and the Southwest Washington community. Through partnerships with faculty and visiting artists, Arts@Clark Presents offers a curated series of performances, workshops, and other public events — many free or low-cost and family-friendly — that introduce national and international artists to Clark County while creating meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities for students. Community members are invited to attend events and support this work through the Foundation’s Performing Arts Initiatives Fund or other Arts@Clark programs, helping ensure the arts remain a vibrant bridge between College and community. Learn more about Arts@Clark on the Foundation’s website.
Photos: Clark College Foundation/Levi Nelson
Story by Levi Nelson, Senior Manager of Communications and Marketing, Clark College Foundation