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Instincts and intellect create unique show

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If art is life, then Bartabas - founder of the Zingaro Equestrian Theatre just outside of Paris and creator of the show Battuta - is living it.

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For 20 years, the internationally acclaimed director-choreographer-horseman has been conjuring up spectacular shows which have wowed audiences the world over for their creativity and the skill of the horses and riders.

With a new approach to every performance, he sets about with the purpose of surprising his audience.

'Each show is different, depending on my take on life - where I am in relation to a horse,' he said. 'Every show opens the door on a new one.'

His intimate connection with horses is intriguing. An accomplished horseman and trainer, he spends several hours 'working', as he describes the quiet training ritual he performs with the horses in a lot behind his office each day.

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'It has to do with quality. The time you spend with your horse. It has nothing to do with a horse's ability. You build something with a horse with time - like a partner in music or dance. That's what's interesting - the complicity,' he said.

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