"Hope holds sorrow, comfort, elation, black holes, acceptance... and the visceral conviction that beneath all the moods and contradictions of the world, there is a raw, powerful, wild joy."
"With our fiery and volcanic circus technique, our trance-like performances, our wild and intense jubilation, we speak of our fears, flaws, and doubts — but ultimately of that joy. Because deep down, we feel it's powerful, determined... and constructive. When we launch clubs or bodies into the air, we’re screaming for freedom!"
Sara Desprez and Angelos Matsakis met over 20 years ago during their training at ENCC (Châtellerault) and ESAC (Brussels). Since 2008, they have written, directed, and performed in their own shows under the Cirque Exalté banner.
The company is based in Le Mans and performs across France and internationally — under its own big top, in the street, and in theaters. Their goal: to widely and sustainably share their creations.
Complètement Swing! // 200 shows (2010–2015)
Furieuse Tendresse // 400 shows (2014–2021)
Coyote // 40 shows (2017–2018)
Amants // Created 2020 (currently touring)
Foutoir Céleste // Created 2022 (currently touring)
Supported by the French Ministry of Culture (DRAC Pays de la Loire).
Led by Sara and Angelos. Their complementary nature involves fitting squares into circles, making circles overflow, and putting them back into squares — only for them to overflow again.
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Sara Desprez
Co-founder, writer, director, aerialist, and swinging trapeze artist. On her trapeze, she fights her demons with sparkling joy. Through partner acrobatics, she obsessively searches for "flow": an intense state of connection, tenderness, and live improvisation.
As director, Sara balances clear leadership, empathy, and constant re-evaluation. She’s deeply sensitive and strives for group cohesion.
In her staging, she champions “gazes that dive deep into other gazes,” and guided improvisations aimed at building authentic connection and crescendo.
Her most repeated (and parodied) line: "Look at what you're seeing."
Sara inevitably falls in love with every performer she works with, seeking to elevate what’s already within them.
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Angelos Matsakis
Co-founder, writer, juggler, and acrobat. Overflowing with energy, he invents dances — part-shaman, part-rocker — and lets his impulses take flight.
On the trapeze, he’s a meticulous observer, co-writing all solo routines with Sara.
Within the company, he’s the bold visionary, project initiator, and reality-checker.
In partner work, Angelos embraces constant movement and thorough exploration. Every move builds on years of creative evolution.
He has co-written and performed in every Cirque Exalté production.
Cirque Exalté is also a wonderful team of deeply dedicated and passionate people, without whom none of this would be possible. We thank them wholeheartedly for everything they bring to the company.
Zoé DADA
Light Design / Tech
Jesu PENJEAN PUIG
Circus Artist
Mathieu BONNECUELLE
Circus Artist
Jonathan CHARLET
Circus Artist
Pierre-Yves DUBOIS
General Stage Manager
Laure CAILLAT
Tour Logistics / Outreach
Nicolas ZARADZKI
Team belly manager
Zakari MATSAKIS
Circus Artist
Stéphane LAISNÉ
Sound & Light Tech
Célian DAVY
Circus Artist
Nico JAMES
Sound & Light Tech
Maria PAZ MARCIANO
Circus Artist
Sylvie SAUVAGE
Distribution (Émile Sabord)
Lucie LEBOUCHER-LURET
Administrative Officer
Géraldine BOY
President
THEY CAME THROUGHT HERE:
Marin Garnier, Sandra Guerber, Wilfried Bourre, Guillaume Cornu, Adeline Morin, Thibault Rocaboy, Benjamin Renard, Emiliano Ferri, Albin Warette, Bertrand Benoît, Bertrand De Guillaume, Lenaïc Hureau, Sébastien Jacquet, Will, Alexandre Maladrie, Doreen Geisler, Charly Chardon, Sylvain Mouret, Sonia Chauveau, and of course all the people who passed through Cirque Exalté as free agents around the company’s various projects!
And also a big thank you to all those who, since the beginning, have supported us, pushed us, lent us things, given us space to train, encouraged us, helped us, informed us:
Lionel Lejeune, la Compagnie du Fardeau, Régine Ledru, Marot Ledru, Yves Glissière, the Goldini family, Mathieu Desprez, Pierre-Yves Maby, the entire Moralles family, Camille Francissi, Hélène Alline, Titou, Cécile Cholet, La Cie des Mesdemoiselles, the whole Baltringos team, Sophia Perez, Sylvain Mouret, Annabelle Alexandre, Morgan Perraud, Aviva Rose William, Constanza Sommi, Mathieu Killmayer, Jeanne Pachtem, Mathilde Gorisse, Claire and Jérôme Gorisse, Déborah, Max, Alexandra, Morgane, Maud, Guillaume Garnier, Babou and Flore, Isabelle Noël, David Maillard, the whole team at Le Plongeoir, Marie Munch, Thomas Breheret, Anne-Marie Garnier, Denis Morel, Martin Desprez, Marie-Agnès and Jean Marion, Elsa Cabello, Anne-Sophie Mathé, Fil de Block, Cirque La Compagnie, and all those we may have forgotten!