stiltsAcadie and the creation of the giant Great Blue Herons
Jalianne Li and Stéphane Richard began stilt-walking as a duo in 2023 and thrived on designing stilt-walking costumes and characters together. In 2024, they decided to name their duo stiltsAcadie to reflect their artistic, cultural and bilingual nature, and are in the process of creating several new costumes for this year. One of these new projects is the creation of giant Great Blue Herons on stilts, to be premiered at the New Brunswick Day festivities in Fredericton on August 5th!
Great Blue Herons are one of the most recognizable birds in New Brunswick, with their signature long legs, tall stature, and blue-grey-mauve plumage – they are the perfect birds for a stilt character! Having worked in construction for most of his life, Stéphane will be building the body, structure and puppet mechanisms of the birds. Jalianne’s love of makeup and costumes will drive her design of the birds, the making of the exterior plumage, and the costumes for the stilt-walkers. Finally, visual artist Matt LeBlanc, founder of FUSION Productions, will be joining stiltsAcadie as a collaborator on the project, and he will be painting the exterior of the birds in his signature artistic style! While keeping true to the distinctive aspects of Great Blue Herons, these giant stilt puppets promise to be bold, artistic and colourful, providing wonder and awe to those who see them! Oh – and keep an eye out for their friend, the Fisherman!
(IG: @stiltsAcadie)
Jalianne Li
Jalianne Li is an artist in dance, theatre and circus, and has performed with companies such as Circus Stella, Dans En l’Air, Co-op Air au Cube, Satellite Theatre, Theatre New Brunswick and Connection Dance Works. Although she was initially scared of heights, Jalianne began stilt-walking in 2014 to overcome her fears and has gradually specialized in it, becoming the only stilt-walker in the province to perform on 4-legged stilts! Jalianne also loves creating her own dance performances and dance films through her company Danse surFace Dance and has performed in the UK, The Netherlands, and all over Atlantic Canada. Of mixed Chinese and Scottish descent, she is based in Moncton, NB, the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
(IG: @jlidance ; @surFaceDance)
Stéphane Richard
Stéphane Richard grew up in the Moncton area and graduated from Mathieu Martin School in 2001. Most of his professional life has been dedicated to construction, where he specializes in ventilation work as a Red Seal certified sheet metal worker. Alongside his construction career, Stéphane has a rich history in martial arts, having practiced Karate for approximately 18 years, from the age of 11 to 29.
His passion for physical activity extends to the performing arts. He has been practicing Acroyoga since 2017, which has greatly enhanced his balance and strength. In 2018, he ventured into the world of stilt walking, bringing joy and entertainment to many through his performances. Additionally, he briefly explored aerial arts, adding another dimension to his circus skills. Stéphane's diverse background in construction, martial arts, and circus performance reflects his dedication to mastering both practical and artistic disciplines.
