Alexandre Philippe
Trick riding, Pieds Percussion

Watching Alexandre (Alex) Philippe dragging backwards across stage hanging from the saddle horn of a galloping horse, you might not guess that the 26-year-old trick rider once attended one of the top art schools in Paris—Ecole BOULLE. Yet, despite his devotion to sculpting, painting, drawing, and working with wood (his specialty), at a crucial juncture, his childhood dream won out.  “I really wanted to do shows and perform,” says Alex, who joined the Medieval performing troupe Les Chevaliers de Franche-Comte after art school and set the course to his present career. Born on the western shores of France, Alex grew up in Saint-Cyr-des-Gâts, a small village in the Vendee region. From his equestrian beginnings on the family pony, he jumped and competed before acquiring the skills in Cossack trick riding that are now evident in Cavalia.