Although many people call me Ruskus, this is just my stage name.
My real name is Leo Kálnay.
I will tell you a little about who I am, and where did I come from.
Who I am in 7 points
- I lived in Venezuela for 24 years, and then I moved to Catalonia where I currently reside in Hostalric with Sagra and our two sons, Pau and Júlia. Sagra works on handmade cartonnage.
- My father was a physicist and my mother a mathematician. I think that is the origin of my fascination with science and technology.
- Becoming a father has made me less selfish and a better clown.
- I like people who fight and risk to achieve their dreams and use their imagination to create enthusiastically.
- I would die of grief if I did a job I do not like just to get a salary.
- I believe that if we were aware that one day we would die, we would live very differently.
- I dreamed that when I grew up, I would be an inventor, a car builder, a bus driver, and a secret agent, among a thousand other things. But I never guessed I would become a clown!
Curriculum, studies, professional experience: you will find it detailed on my LinkedIn profile.
How Ruskus Patruskus was born
When I was twenty, I fell in love with theater.
I studied drama for three years, and from then on I performed some characters sporadically here and there.
Then came a time when I needed money, and I could not get enough from acting. So Sagra and I dressed up as clowns, and we started entertaining at family and birthday parties without knowing the trade.
That opened up my eyes.
I was honest with myself. I realized that I enjoyed entertaining much more than just acting.
Besides, I could earn money doing a fun and creative job. What else could I ask for?
I discovered clowning, circus, magic, and puppetry. I started researching and learning.
In 2000 I had a couple of very enriching experiences in Guatemala and Kosovo with Clowns Without Borders. I met some great clowns there, and I realized the enormous potential of clowning.
Then I went to Madrid and joined an entertainment company that performed shows in English at schools. This experience allowed me to put into practice many ideas I had in mind, and I began to sketch my character and my very first show.
When I got back to Catalonia, I performed on streets for a while until I felt brave enough to dedicate myself to this trade. Had it all! A minimum of experience, a character, a show. I even registered at the tax office and social security.
I was just missing something.
The name.
I did not like anyone! Until one day, in a sudden outburst of inspiration, Sagra came up with the one:
Ruskus Patruskus
Since 2002, so far. 😀