Alexis Gruss, figure of the equestrian circus, died on Saturday “following a heart attack, at the age of 79,” his communications department said.
The patriarch of the company Alexis Gruss, whose origins date back to 1868, died in the morning at Saint-Joseph hospital in Paris.
He “devoted his life to perpetuating the equestrian arts of the track through his teachings and transmission, inspiring entire generations,” his company pays tribute to him.
Son of “Dédé”, master squire and saxophonist
Born on April 23, 1944 in Doubs, he became a circus director at the age of 27. In 1974, the man brought new glory by creating the Cirque à l’Ancienne and placing horses at the heart of his shows.
A recognized master squire, he also played the saxophone perfectly. His father, André, was the august “Dédé”, a clown in a white shirt and bowler hat. It was he who passed on the art of equestrian showmanship, music and horseback riding to her.
Alexis Gruss was distinguished Knight of Arts and Letters and Knight of the Legion of Honor. A religious ceremony will be celebrated in the Saint-Roch church, in Paris, Thursday April 11 at 9:30 a.m. The burial will take place in “strict family privacy”, further stipulates its communications service.