Yuri Kuklachev: "I'm not an animal trainer, I'm a clown"

According to most viewers, Yuri Kuklachev - has long been no ordinary clown, who can find a common language with cats, but a whole philosophy of good and humor. His intricate performances make everyone applaud, and all because he knows how to work with pets in a way that none of the representatives of the dressing school can. Quite often Kuklachev is positioned as a trainer, but he proudly calls himself a clown. His path to fame and recognition was thorny.

Facts from biography

Rod Yuri Kuklachev from Moscow, and he was born on April 12, 1949. The father and mother of the future trainer were simple workers. From a young age, the boy dreamed of a clown's career. For several years he made persistent attempts to enter the circus school and every time received a refusal, saying: "You have no talent." However, these words Yuri Kuklachev did not perceive as a verdict: he decided to prove to everyone that he will perform at the arena.

Having received a school diploma, the future star of dressing became a printer in one of the capital's printing houses.

On the way to glory

Almost every evening after work he watched the performances that organized the people's circus in the recreation center "Red October". There the future "tamer of cats" for the first time began to comprehend the basics of circus art from famous masters: I.S. Fridman and M.M. Singer. To become recognized, Yuri Kuklachev worked long and hard: he created new numbers, unusual reprises. Naturally, persistence in the desire to become a clown was noted by his mentors: he was offered to participate in one of the concert programs on the arena of the capital circus. He was waiting for success: after this debut performance, seventeen-year-old Yuri Dmitrievich Kuklachev became a laureate of the All-Union show of amateur art - the road to the circus school was open.

Through the thorns to the stars

But soon the star of circus art was struck by a severe test: a few months before his studies, the student seriously injures his leg. The reaction of the leadership of the circus school was harsh: "Which of the disabled can be a clown!" But Kuklachev simply did not give up. Being on crutches, he comes up and shows a humorous performance, where he juggles with rings, balls and a hat.

Another bright and memorable number, the author of which was Kulachev, is an equilibrist on reels, where household objects are used as the last ones. Such a unique work of a circus college student, of course, could not be overlooked by teachers. In the end, he still became a graduate of the above-mentioned educational institution.

Juggler and clown-eccentric

It was in these genres that Yuri Kuklachev worked for five years after graduation from the school. Gradually, he realized that the role in which he performs - this is not the path that he dreamed of, leaving the arena to the spectator. As for the humorous genre, there were no "peppercorn" in his numbers, which could be traced in the speeches of the clown Oleg Popov, whom Yuri Dmitrievich wanted to imitate. And then fate itself determined the future profession of Kuklachev. One day a small kitten ran to the playpen, which was picked up by a circusman near the house. Playing with a striped pet, Yuri Dmitrievich noticed that he could easily perform simple commands for a trivial reward - sausage.

Kuklachev's debut with an animal

In 1976, the first performance of Kuklachev with Matroskin took place. Nothing like this before, no one did, so both the trainer and his ward waited for an unprecedented success, not only on the scale of a huge country, but also beyond.

For the next fifteen years he concentrated on professional training of cats and traveled all over the USSR with numbers in which the animals were necessarily involved. The top of his career as an animal trainer is the Yuri Kuklachev Theater, on the stage of which the director has been putting on full-scale performances for several years. This unusual temple Melpomene was opened in 1990: the city administration allocated for this a separate room in the cinema "Prize". Noteworthy is the fact that the productions involve not only cats Kuklachev, but also dogs.

Achievements and awards

Yuri Dmitrievich for many years of work with domestic pets received a lot of regalia and awards.

Back in 1976, he was awarded a diploma "For humane treatment of animals and the propaganda of humanism" and the Golden Crown of Clowns. After a while he gets the status of an ambassador of goodwill. In 1980, the "tamer of cats" is already a laureate of the Lenin Komsomol Prize and Honored Artist of the Soviet Union. His production of "Circus in my luggage" brings him the title of People's Artist. Yuri Dmitrievich is proud of the Order of Friendship of Peoples, which he was awarded for the creation of a cat theater.

Kuklachev as a talented trainer is well known abroad. He regularly tours in France, Germany, Argentina, USA, Japan.

Methods of work

Circus Kuklachev - this is a terrific world of cat's extravaganza, which is densely imbued with any number created by the maestro. Until now, for many it remains a mystery how Yuri Dmitrievich manages to tame a mystical animal. Journalists regularly try to find out from him this secret. In response, the trainer declares: "My method of communicating with cats is simple, like twice two. The main thing is to be affectionate with pets and not show rudeness towards them. First I play with Barsik and notice all his habits and traits, his skills I develop by encouraging. Only kindness and attention to animals help me in training. "

This year the Kuklachevsky Theater turned 25 years old. The anniversary was marked by the premiere of the play "Dynasty", in which almost all members of the family of Yuri Dmitrievich took part.