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T h e U n o f f i c i a l
C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r
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E X P A N D E D I S S U E
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VOLUME 12, NUMBER 6 June 2012 ISSUE #101e
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We're off and running again!
Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque
du Soleil Newsletter. A number of changes have rippled through Cirque
community over the last couple of months, but perhaps none so shocking
to the fandom as the announcement and quick shutdown of discussion
forum Cirque Tribune after eight years of service. Although it could
be argued that the announcement about its closing came at the wrong
time (it was announced on April Fool's Day), we here at Fascination
understand the reasons offered: with Cirque du Soleil expanding in
directions many of us don't necessarily agree with, it's hard to
keep following the sun (it's an issue we'd been mulling over these
last few months too). So we bid good luck to Jeff Tolotti in his
future endeavors as we now look toward a new destination in which to
discuss our favorite circus.
And we've found one!
It's called CirqueSpotlight! Created by Mike Fredette and Miss Mimi
(Michelle) - members of Cirque Tribune themselves - and it's already
upand running. You'll find it at < http://www.cirquespotlight.com/ >,
so come and join in the conversation today!
Inside the issue this month I'm pleased to say there's a plethora of
material from Cirque du Soleil via its CirqueClub outlet. A few
behind-the-scenes pieces were published there this month, so I urge
you all to check them out in our OUTREACH section. In addition to all
the latest news items posted to Fascination! Web and, of course, all
the pertinent posts on Cirque du Soleil's various social widgets in
our OUTREACH section (including updated touring schedules), we're
pleased to bring you a slightly re-designed COMPARTMENTS section.
What we've done here is split out the "tour history" from the
"Companty History", listing them separately, which should make for
easier reading!
We're also pleased to bring you two new featured articles this month.
The first takes a quick historical look at Dralion, which just
celebrated its 500th arena performance in late May. The second is
the first of a two-part overview that dives into the world of Cirque
documentaries, touching on the various pieces Cirque has released
over the years... and tells you where you can see them today.
So, let's get started!
Join us on the web at:
< www.cirquefascination.com >
Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only):
< http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >
- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
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CONTENTS
===========
o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau
* Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues
* Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre
o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets
* Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub
* Networking -- Posts on Facebook, G+, & YouTube
o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain
* Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque
* Historia -- Cirque Company History
* Odyssea -- Cirque Tour History
o) Fascination! Features
* "Dralion: One World Soul"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
* "Cirque Documentaries: An Overview
Part 1 of 2: 1991 - 2005"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) Subscription Information
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
A Horse named Cirque du Soleil?
{May.02.2012}
----------------------------------------------
Whodathunk there was a horse on the racing circuit named "Cirque
du Soleil"?
I didn't. I don't follow the sport, but apparently there is -
and he (or she) along with "Absolute Grey" exercised at a
facility in Bangalore, India.
# # #
Cirque Du Soleil and Absolut Grey impressed when the horses were
exercised here on Wednesday morning (May 2).
Inner sand:
1000m: Sam's Pride (Suraj) 1-8, 600/40. In fine trim.
Outer sand:
1200m: Claara (Vaibhav) 1-29.5, 1,000/1-13.5, 600/43.5. Strode
out well. Absolut Grey (R. Marshall), Cirque Du Soleil (P.
Trevor) 1-26, 1,000/1-11, 600/43. They pleased while the latter
started five lengths behind and finished level. Wind And Flight
(Mrs. Silva), Sunstorm (Anjar) 1-28, 1,000/1-13.5, 600/44. They
moved fluently.
1400m: Endurance (rb) 1-46, 1,200/1-31, 1,000/1-16, 600/46.
Moved freely. Spearhead (R. Marshall) 1-42, 1,200/1-26, 1,000/1-
12, 600/44.5. In fine condition. Saltoftheearth (Samad), Che
Guevara (R. Marshall) 1-45, 1,200/1-29, 1,000/1-14, 600/45.
Former finished three lengths ahead.
# # #
Who knew?
{SOURCE: The Hindu}
FL Residents Save 25% on La Nouba
{May.02.2012}
----------------------------------------------
Florida residents can get 25 percent off Cirque du Soleil La
Nouba tickets for shows through June 22.
The offer is good for adult and child category 2 seats for
Tuesday-Saturday shows and subject to availability. Also, there
are no performances May 15-26.
Proof of Florida residency and advance purchase are required.
Tickets can be purchased up to 30 days in advance.
There's a limit of 6 tickets per transaction and this deal isn't
valid on previously purchased tickets.
Call 407-WDW-SEAT (407-939-7328) or go to the box office to
purchase seats!
{SOURCE: Orlando Sentinel}
IRIS now in Dolby?
{May.02.2012}
----------------------------------------------
The CIM Group, which owns the Hollywood & Highland Center,
announced a 20-year deal on Tuesday with the audio technology
company Dolby Laboratories Inc. to rename the Academy Awards
(and Cirque du Soleil IRIS) venue as the Dolby Theatre. In a
separate deal, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
revealed a new agreement to keep the annual Oscars extravaganza
at the theater for 20 more years.
# # #
"We are thrilled that Dolby is now the name of the theater
because Dolby stands for excellence," said Tom Sherak, president
of the motion picture academy. "It's a no-brainer for us."
The posh four-level, 3,400-seat theater, formerly known as the
Kodak Theatre, has been home to the Academy Awards since 2002.
CIM Group dropped the Kodak name from the theater earlier this
year after a bankruptcy court judge approved the early exit of
131-year-old Eastman Kodak Co. from a 20-year naming rights deal
it signed with CIM Group in 1999.
During this year's Oscar ceremony, host Billy Crystal jokingly
referred to the space as the "Chapter 11 Theatre."
# # #
No financial details of the new agreements were disclosed. Kodak
previously paid a $3.6 million annual fee for the naming rights.
The 47-year-old company said it would began enhancing the
theater's sound system this summer when the naming agreement
commences.
The 85th annual Academy Awards are scheduled for Feb. 24, 2013.
{SOURCE: Yahoo News}
Le Reve Celebrates 7th Anniversary
{May.04.2012}
----------------------------------------------
Robin Leach, via the Las Vegas Sun, sends his congratulations to
the cast and crew of "Le Reve - the Dream" at the Wynn, as the
show celebrates its 7th anniversary this Sunday.
# # #
It was in May 2005 that "Le Reve" arrived under the direction of
former Cirque du Soleil whiz Franco Dragone. There's no
disputing that it got off to a rocky start with Steve Wynn and
then-wife Elaine Wynn despairing that it was too dark and
complicated.
The hotel mogul took charge, and within weeks, his big,
beautiful dream came true. Critics hailed the show, staged in
the round with its amazing synchronized swimmers and artistic
athletes, as "jaw-dropping." "Dancing With the Stars"
professional Maksim Chmerkovskiy was brought in to add his
unique choreography.
"Le Reve" has become a must-see," and the Hotel Concierge
Association voted it as "Best Show in Las Vegas" last year. The
water spectacular achieved its 3,000th performance milestone in
December.
# # #
Congratulations Le Reve!
{SOURCE: Las Vegas Sun}
Amaluna: Q&A w/Laura Jacobs [EXPANDED]
{May.07.2017}
----------------------------------------------
{The Following article was translated from French}
Lara Jacobs is undoubtedly the best kept secret of the Amaluna
show . On seeing her on stage, in the introductory number where
all the goddesses who have taken up residence in the blue and
yellow capital of the Cirque du Soleil appear, one wonders who
is this artist with the long blond hair and voluptuous curves .
And above all, what she will do as a number.
Shortly after the intermission, she appears alone on stage, in
the middle of a pile of wooden rods of different lengths, thrown
to the ground like a game of Mikado. Then, in an extraordinary
manipulation number, she picks up these stems one by one, which
she places in equilibrium one below the other. Holding them with
one hand, then on his head. Finally, she sets the imposing plume
of 20 kilos on the longest rod, which she straightened with her
foot and stands on the stage.
At the premiere of Amaluna , the Swiss artist received an
ovation from the crowd, which happens quite rarely after a
number that does not put the life of an artist in danger. A well
deserved tribute to the young woman who offers us one of the
most beautiful moments of the evening. The number is punctuated
by its own breathing (picked up by a microphone) which blends
superbly with the music. Two weeks after the beginning of the
Cirque's new creation, we took advantage of his presence in
Montreal to ask him a few questions.
Q: How did you learn how to make this number?
A: It was my father, Mädir Eugster, who taught me this issue,
which he himself created about 17 years ago. He was on holiday
in Italy, by the sea. And he started playing with palm branches.
To keep them in balance in his hand. It's a number he's been
doing for a long time with his circus company, Rigolo. But
unlike him, I pick them up with my feet!
Q: So you're a child of the ball! You grew up with Cirque
Rigolo?
A: Yes. I started at the age of 6 in my parents' circus, with my
sisters. I did trapeze numbers, but little by little I turned to
dance. I studied at the Alvin Ailey School in New York. Until
recently, I had a dervish dance number where my skirt was on
fire! And then, my father taught me this manipulation number. He
was here on April 19 for the first!
Q: When did you make this number for the first time? And how did
you come to present it with the Cirque du Soleil?
A: I did it for the first time two years ago. But it was only
last summer, with Cirque Rigolo, that I did it in front of the
public. Today, I am 30 years old. It is therefore only the
second series of representations that I give. The Circus joined
my father, who recommended me to them. I showed them the number
and they liked it.
Q: This number requires a hallucinating concentration. How are
you preparing for this?
A: For a year, I repeat about three hours a day. Sometimes six
hours when I'm with my father. It's true that it takes a lot of
concentration. I do breathing exercises, Pilates. It should also
be noted that the equilibrium point of the branches changes as a
function of temperature. So I always repeat behind the scenes
just before my performance.
Q: If a branch falls, do you start again? Has this happened?
A: If the branch falls at the beginning of the number, I start
again, yes. If it is towards the end, no. It would take too long
to start over. It happened only once to escape one. It was in
Atlanta, in a casino, with the Circus Rigolo. The air
conditioning was way too loud. I asked them to stop it, but they
did not want it. When I escaped my branches, they stopped him, I
started again and I succeeded.
Q: Answer honestly: Have you ever wanted to scratch your nose or
sneeze during this number?
A: (laughs) No, it's all psychological. Itching, coughing,
sneezing or dizziness often appear when you feel worried. When
you're well trained, well concentrated, it does not happen.
{SOURCE: La Presse}
Mandalay Bay Changes will be Announced Soon!
{May.09.2012}
----------------------------------------------
Tacked on the end of a recent article by Robin Leach for the Las
Vegas Sun:
# # #
"In the next 90 days, we'll be announcing some major changes,
all for the good. By early fall, we will have in place what will
take over from Rumjungle. We are on schedule with everything in
terms of construction for the new Michael Jackson Cirque du
Soleil 'Immortal' theater. It will open on time in mid-May next
year.
"Michael's trust attorney John Branca has seen the early stages
of the show, and he told me he is thrilled with its progress. I
am meeting here with Cirque President Daniel Lamarre in the next
two weeks, and we'll start to map out our marketing plans for
the show. The touring show that played here in our Events Center
is still No.1 at the box office since the first of the year, so
we know there's huge world interest for Michael's Cirque shows.
{SOURCE: Las Vegas Sun}
Dinner and La Nouba
{May.10.2012}
----------------------------------------------
Starting June 1, the nightlife at the Walt Disney Resorts's
Downtown Disney West Side will get even more exciting (and
affordable) with the debut of the Dinner & A Show Package. This
limited-time offer includes dinner at House of Blues (1
appetizer, 1 entrée, 1 non-alcoholic/non-specialty drink and 1
dessert - gratuity not included), and a Category 2 ticket to "La
Nouba" at Cirque du Soleil. The package costs $99 plus tax, per
guest age 10 and older, and $85 plus tax for guests age 3-9.
This is actually a savings of about 25% for adults.
This package will be offered Tuesdays through Saturdays, June 1-
30, 2012. "La Nouba" performances have limited seating, so call
407-WDW-SEAT to book now!
{SOURCE: Disney Parks Blog}
CDS Prepares for Mass Insect Migration to Australia
{May.22.2012}
----------------------------------------------------
PREMIERES IN BRISBANE JULY 14, 2012 FOR A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT
under the trademark blue-and-yellow Big Top
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Who would have thought that relocating a cast of butterflies,
crickets, spiders, ants, scarab beetles, fireflies, fleas, a
ladybug and a blue fly would take a military-style international
operation worthy of a Mission Impossible script?
But these are no ordinary insects. They are the stunning cast of
the critically-acclaimed family-fun packed OVO by Cirque du
Soleil, set to have its Australian premiere in Brisbane on July
14 under the blue-and-yellow Big Top before moving on to seasons
in Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.
OVO finishes playing in Portland, Oregon, USA on May 20, this
Sunday. Before the 12-month Australian tour can commence, the
cast, crew, big top and its surrounding village must be
transported all the way from Portland to Brisbane.
"The Australian tour is the first time OVO has traveled outside
North America, and it's a mammoth logistical operation, one
which is planned and managed internationally by Cirque du
Soleil's Tour Logistics Department," said OVO Production
Operation Manager Derrin Brown.
The complex operational plan will ensure that the big top, sets
and costumes - some 1200 tons of equipment - are pulled down,
packed up and shipped to Australia in time for the first
performance in Brisbane on Saturday 14 July.
"Transport of the equipment takes place over a two month period,
which began in early May. Making co-ordination even more
complicated is the fact that equipment for the Australian tour
is originating from different countries - Canada, the UK and
Germany, with the main portion coming from Portland in the
United States. The Portland equipment will sail to Australia out
of the Port of Seattle," said Brown.
"Approximately 78 containers will be transported, with all
equipment traveling by boat.
"To ensure Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services
requirements are fully met, all the equipment - down to the
'nails' that hold the tents down - must be washed before being
placed in the containers.
"It's a huge operation, but all equipment should be safe and
sound in Brisbane by early July."
Then there's the cast and crew. Over 60 bicycles and 410
suitcases will be transported to help make Australia their home
for the next year.
The cast of OVO features 54 performing artists from 16 countries
specializing in many acrobatic acts. One highlight of the show
is the stunning Flying Act in which a group of scarab beetles
soar high above the stage, from both edges to the middle landing
on a platform. This breathtaking act combines many circus
disciplines: banquine, Russian swing and swinging chair.
Since its world premiere in 2009, OVO has visited more than 15
cities in Canada, United States and Mexico, delighting over 2
million spectators.
OVO, meaning "egg" in Portuguese, is a headlong rush into a
colorful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat,
crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot
of energy and movement.
Tickets for OVO are on sale now at cirquedusoleil.com/ovo.
Sponsors
Cirque du Soleil gratefully acknowledges the official sponsors
of the OVO 2012-2013 Australian tour: Infiniti and American
Express.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL - OVO - 2012/2013 AUSTRALIAN TOUR
Brisbane - From July 14 2012, Northshore Hamilton
Sydney- From September 13 2012, Showing at The Entertainment
Quarter, Moore ParkAdelaide - From December 6 2012, Location to
be advised.
Melbourne - From January 17 2013 Docklands Melbourne
Perth - From April 14 2013, Langley Park
{SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil Press Room}
Brian Dewhurst, 80 [EXPANDED]
{May.24.2012}
----------------------------------------------
Brian Dewhurst grabs a pipe above his head and cranks out a few
chin-ups while waiting for his next cue.
It's a twice-nightly routine, something he does to loosen up
before climbing a 14-foot ladder and emerging on the "Mystere"
stage at Treasure Island. Dewhurst pulls himself up
effortlessly, displaying an easy strength not uncommon to Cirque
du Soleil artists.
But Dewhurst is no typical Cirque artist. He's a clown. And this
particular Tuesday is not an ordinary day; it is Dewhurst's 80th
birthday.
If that doesn't sound amazing to you, consider this: Dewhurst is
15 years past the age at which he could retire and receive full
Social Security benefits. In fact, Dewhurst was born in 1932,
three years before Social Security came into existence. Yet, 10
times a week, he is climbing ladders, tumbling around onstage
and captivating "Mystere" audiences with his timeless comedic
act.
"It's fun. I enjoy it," Dewhurst says of performing. "It's never
boring."
Indeed, it isn't. His act starts as people are finding their
seats before the show. Sporting a shock of spiky white hair and
an oversized black suit, he scans the crowd as patrons pass
through the theater doors. When he sees a good mark, he holds
out his hand for their tickets, starting a long, crazy walk to
their seats.
At the second show on his birthday, he spots four women wearing
short, form-fitting dresses and high heels. They seem excited
that an usher is taking them to their seats. And they are
utterly oblivious that the spotlight follows them everywhere.
Dewhurst guides the women down to the stage, through several
rows of occupied seats and across the stage before stopping in
front of three men in the front row. He shoos them away and
gives the seats to the women. The audience erupts in laughter.
After doing this a few times, Dewhurst starts a one-sided
popcorn fight. He thrills the audience by, essentially, throwing
popcorn on them.
When the lights go down, the ringmaster appears. On this night,
Nicky Dewhurst is on loan from "Zumanity," filling the
ringmaster role he played alongside his father for seven years.
Dewhurst had no idea his son would be performing with him on his
birthday. When Nicky walked onstage during the first show,
Dewhurst was blinded by the spotlights and couldn't tell it was
Nicky.
When he woke up Tuesday, Dewhurst thought the day would be like
any other. His birthday plans included nothing more than a
"little family lunch," he says in a soft British accent.
But Cirque du Soleil, famous for throwing epic parties, doesn't
do "little." And the 80th birthday of one of their veteran
performers deserved special recognition.
His family worked with Cirque to plan a series of surprises that
had Dewhurst nearly speechless by night's end. They planted
Nicky in the show, reuniting a comic duo that hadn't performed
together for seven years. They handed out clown noses and
prepped the audience to wish him a happy birthday at curtain
call. A champagne toast after the show distracted him while 175
friends and family members filled the Mystere stage at 11 p.m.
to throw him an unforgettable surprise birthday party. Three of
those friends were secretly flown in from around the world.
"He's a born entertainer," says one of those friends, Eddie
Hawkins, 82. Because of that, they were destined to become great
friends. He met Dewhurst in the 1950s when both men worked in a
revue in Denmark. "Brian knew 50 million jokes. And I could
never remember a joke."
When you reach a certain age, Hawkins says, you better have a
sense of humor. Luckily, Dewhurst is entering his ninth decade
well-equipped.
Dewhurst was born in England to an established circus family
full of knife throwers and rope spinners. At 13, he began
performing as a clown with his family's troupe. Eventually, he
became an expert wire walker and is a Guinness record holder for
skips on a tightrope. Twice, he performed his wire-walking act
on "The Ed Sullivan Show." He and his first wife, Julie, had two
kids, Sally and Nicky. For years, they performed together.
It was while co-directing his own alternative circus that
Dewhurst crossed paths with the creators of Cirque du Soleil.
That led to an invitation to join "Nouvelle Experience," a show
performed in a tent behind The Mirage in the early 1990s.
After a few years of touring with Cirque, he became artistic
coordinator of "Mystere" and then "O," before it opened at
Bellagio. It was a year after his wife died that Dewhurst
decided to leave the desk job and return to performing. He was
approached about joining "Mystere."
Fourteen years later, the cast and crew have become like a
second family to him. Even though many people his age are at
least thinking of retiring, Dewhurst can't even imagine it.
Aside from a few aches and pains, he doesn't feel 80.
"As long as physically I'm able to do it and the performance
doesn't decline, I will continue," Dewhurst says.
AND, check out this fantastic video of Brian by Justin Yurkanin,
also of the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
< http://www.lvrj.com/multimedia/Cirque-du-Soleil-clown-
celebrates-80th-birthday-during-show-at-Mystere-153276165.html>
{SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal}
The Secret That Inspires Cirque's Culture
Of Innovation? [EXPANDED]
{May.29.2012}
--------------------------------------------------
Avi Dan, contributor to Forbes, spent last week in Montreal at
"C2-MTL", an international gathering of over 1200 business and
creative leaders from over 40 countries, exploring insights into
how creativity drives innovation. The conference, curated by ad
agency Sid Lee, featured notable speakers including Francis Ford
Coppola, Michael Eisner, Arianna Huffington, Robert Wong,
Executive Creative Director of Google Creative Lab Jonah Lehrer,
and Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Director of DreamWorks Animation.
During the event, Dan had the pleasure of visiting with Daniel
Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil, and gleaned
insight into what "inspires this world-renowned artistic group's
unique approach to innovation".
# # #
The creative process begins when Lammare and Guy LaLiberte, the
founder and artistic director of Cirque, define the theme of the
next show. This starts out as a broad vision, sometimes as a
single word, rather than a confined mandate, to allow for others
to have the flexibility to contribute during the creative
process. When I asked Lammare if they use brainstorming
techniques to arrive at the theme, he laughed. This former
corporate executive (he ran Montreal's largest TV network and
its biggest PR agency before joining Cirque) dismissed
traditional brainstorming sessions as ineffective, in which "no-
idea-is-a-bad-idea" acquiescence and consensus are emphasized
over debate and openness. Instead, Cirque's culture of
innovation and creativity encourages honesty and judgment when
ideas are explored. Passionate, provocative dissention and
disagreements are not only tolerated but cultivated, to spur the
best ideas and, as importantly, to eliminate bad ones quickly.
While a consensus seeking approach may lead to a few incremental
innovations, he says, a bit of tension, even friction during
creative ideation, is likely to lead to innovation breakthrough.
Once a theme is decided upon, Lammare and LaLiberte step back
and let the creative director of that particular show to take
over and develop the concept over the 2-3 years that it takes to
put the show together. The pair reviews progress every 6 months,
but in order to encourage collaboration they do not dictate
changes, simply point out what doesn't work, and leave it to the
creative director and the troupe to come up with solutions. The
pair's focus is on quality control, and making sure that the
product unfolds within the original vision that they created,
without micro-managing the "line executives" who are responsible
for putting the show together.
As with any artistic endeavor, inspiration plays a big part in
the creative process, but Cirques approach to innovation, while
intuitive, is guided by a deep commitment to R&D as the catalyst
of the creative spark. It researches trends continuously, both
online and with in-country trend-spotters; it blankets the globe
with talent scouts to discover new performers; and it relies on
researchers within its own extensive archives that contain
thousands of books, videos, musical scores, and images to
establish accuracy of details. Scores of researchers feed
information of whats cool and unique that allows the creative
directors to determine the relevancy and appeal of the new show
(Cirque, which was founded by street buskers 28 years ago, has
produced 33 shows since, of which 21 are still touring today
around the world).
Key to being able to continuously innovate and avoid creativity-
stifling formulas is to create a culture that welcomes and
encourages artistic tension and disruption through diversity
it employs performers from over 50 countries in Montreal alone.
It also adopts more technology in its shows, which in itself
opens up more possibilities of artistic expression. And to keep
its thinking fresh, Cirque is always on the look out to recruit
young people in their early 20's who bring with them different
viewpoints and energies. This diversity of people, ideas,
ambitions and influences is at the heart of the positive
friction and artistic tension that cultivate great, innovative
ideas.
To keep its creative brand fresh, Cirque also believes that it
is critical to strive for collaboration beyond its yellow-and-
blue striped tent. It has an on-going strategic alliance with
Disney; it works with artists such as Madonna, for whom it
helped produced this years Super Bowl show; and recently it
collaborated on a soon to be released 3D movie about the circus
with James Cameron. It works closely with engineering and art
departments in 17 universities and actively seeks ideas from
students, many of which eventually make it into the shows.
Recently, it bought a minority stake in Sid Lee, its longtime ad
agency, in order to cooperate in the area of branded content. I
believe that this kind of lateral thinking, reaching beyond
ones own organization, and in fact beyond ones own industry to
influencers, even to competitors, is essential for creating
positive artistic tension and innovation.
At the end of the day, Cirques proven success since it was
founded in 1982 has to do with its belief that, while you need
both to become successful, innovation is more a matter of
culture than just process. The Cirque du Soleil culture of
innovation values being inspired by new challenges, cultivating
openness and debate, diversity, and the creation of a
democratized environment in which the best ideas win.
{SOURCE: Forbes Online}
Zarkana Returns... with changes? [EXPANDED]
{May.31.2012}
-------------------------------------------
"Zarkana" returns to Radio City Music Hall this summer with two
significant tweaks made to the acrobatic spectacular, keeping
with the theme that Cirque du Soleil shows are meant foremost to
be an edge-of-your-seat plunge into a fantasy world and a
celebration of the light of life.
The revamped version of the high-flying rock opera is sung
entirely in "Cirquish," the imaginary language of Cirque du
Soleil (there are no subtitles). After debuting the show in
English last year, producers realized that their tale of a
magician searching for his lost love is better told in their
peculiar patois. "There's a freedom in an invented language,"
said art director Ann-Marie Corbeil. "It lightens the show so
much. It brought it much better life and optimism."
The second change is in timing. The new version is an
uninterrupted 90-minute thrill ride, as if a circus from Mars
and Tim Burton's dreams were shaken together in a snow globe.
Removing the intermission, said Corbeil, allows audiences to get
lost in the story more easily. "You can go into that adventure
non-stop, and when it's done you can say, 'I was really brought
somewhere else,' " she said.
The show's writer/director, Francois Girard, is most renowned
for his 1998 hit film "The Red Violin."
"Zarkana" stars Zark (played by French-Canadian pop star Garou),
a magician who embarks on a journey to reunite with his magical
powers and his lost love. He encounters a cast of surreal
characters, from a pickled lady trapped in a jar to a little
girl wielding a whip, wrangling clowns.
But circus lovers don't necessarily attend Cirque shows for the
story. It's all about the gravity-defying and artfully executed
acrobatics, performed by a cast of 75, hailing from nearly two
dozen countries.
To find the best contortionists, trapeze fliers and tightrope
skippers, Cirque producers recruit performers from all corners
of the globe, said Corbeil. There are certain nationalities,
however, that are known for their particular strengths. The
Russians, she said, are strong at banquine, a highly athletic
aerial acrobatics. The Chinese are renowned for their discipline
in performing super-human feats. "Some acts we say, 'Only the
Chinese troupes can do this this is so crazy,' " she said.
The one act that will surely make stomachs flutter is a scene
called "Wheel of Death." Two men perform dangerous acts inside a
pair of interconnected hamster wheels swiftly spinning on the
large stage like a clock's hand gone mad. Corbeil said she
recently saw the duo practicing and still gets chills. "I can't
believe they still get me. I screamed."
{SOURCE: NorthJersey.com}
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Amaluna, Corteo, Koozå, OVO, Totem, & Varekai}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{Saltimbanco, Alegría, Quidam, Dralion
& Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE,
Believe & VIVA Elvis, Zarkana & Iris}
NOTE:
.) While we make every effort to provide complete and accurate
touring dates and locations available, the information in
this section is subject to change without notice. As such,
the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility
for the accuracy of these listings.
For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts,
please visit Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >.
------------------------------------
BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
------------------------------------
Amaluna:
Montreal, QC -- Apr 19, 2012 to Jul 15, 2012
Quebec, QC -- Jul 26, 2012 to Aug 19, 2012
Toronto, ON -- Sep 6, 2012 to Sep 30, 2012
Vancouver, BC -- Nov 23, 2012 to Dec 9, 2012
Seattle, WA -- Jan 30, 2013 to Mar 24, 2013
Corteo:
Amsterdam, NL -- Mar 22, 2012 to Jun 3, 2012
Antwerp, BE -- Jun 13, 2012 to Jul 22, 2012
Zurich, CH -- Sep 1, 2012 to Sep 16, 2012
Dusseldorf, DE -- Oct 18, 2012 to Nov 04, 2012
Berlin, DE -- Nov 29, 2012 to Dec 16, 2012
Hamburg, DE -- Jan 9, 2013 to Jan 27, 2013
Koozå:
Phoenix, AZ -- Jun 8, 2012 to Jul 15, 2012
Houston, TX -- Jul 26, 2012 to Aug 19, 2012
Dallas, TX -- Sep 19, 2012 to Oct 7, 2012
Tampa, FL -- Nov 8, 2012 to Dec 16, 2012
London, UK -- Jan 5, 2013 to Jan 27, 2013
Ovo:
Brisbane, AU -- Jul 14, 2012 to Sep 2, 2012
Sydney, AU -- Sep 13, 2012 to Oct 21, 2012
Adelaide, AU -- Dec 06, 2012 to Jan 6, 2013
Melbourne, AU -- Jan 17, 2013 to Feb 3, 2013
Perth, AU -- Apr 14, 2012 to Apr 28, 2013
Totem:
Boston, MA -- Jun 10, 2012 to Jul 15, 2012
Washington, DC -- Aug 15, 2012 to Sep 16, 2012
Atlanta, GA -- Oct 25, 2012 to Dec 2, 2012
New York City -- TBA
Varekai:
Curitiba, BR -- Jun 15, 2012 to Jul 15, 2012
Porto Alegre, BR -- Jul 26, 2012 to Aug 26, 2012
Buenos Aires, AR -- TBA to Sep 16, 2012
Santiago, CL -- Sep 28, 2012 to Oct 28, 2012
Lima, PE -- Nov 16, 2012 to Dec 23, 2012
Bogota, CO -- Jan 10, 2013 to Feb 24, 2013
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
Saltimbanco:
Catania, IT -- Jun 5, 2012 to Jun 17, 2012
Aman, JO -- Jun 26, 2012 to Jun 30, 2012
Doha, QA -- Jul 4, 2012 to Jul 7, 2012
Hong Kong, CN -- Jul 12, 2012 to Jul 22, 2012
Singapore, SG -- Jul 26, 2012 to Aug 5, 2012
Manilla, PH -- Aug 9, 2012 to Aug 19, 2012
Alegría:
Hambgurg, DE -- May 30, 2012 to Jun 3, 2012
Hanover, DE -- Jun 6, 2012 to Jun 10, 2012
Nuremberg, DE -- Jun 13, 2012 to Jun 17, 2012
Vienna, AT -- Jun 20, 2012 to Jun 24, 2012
Belgrade, RS -- Jun 29, 2012 to Jul 1, 2012
Nice, FR -- Jul 18, 2012 to Jul 27, 2012
Tel Aviv, IL -- Aug 8, 2012 to Aug 18, 2012
Athens, GR -- Sep 3, 2012 to Sep 9, 2013
Instanbul, TK -- Sep 22, 2012 to Oct 14, 2012
Lille, FR -- Nov 21, 2012 to Nov 25, 2012
Paris, FR -- Nov 28, 2012 to Dec 2, 2012
Rotterdam, NL -- Dec 7, 2012 to Dec 9, 2012
Barcelona, ES -- Dec 26, 2012 to Jan 6, 2013
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, ES - Jan 13, 2013 to Jan 20, 2013
Quidam:
Grand Rapids, MI -- May 30, 2012 to Jun 3, 2012
Toledo, OH -- Jun 6, 2012 to Jun 10, 2012
Rockford, IL -- Jun 13, 2012 to Jun 17, 2012
St. Louis, MO -- Jun 20, 2012 to Jun 24, 2012
Indianapolis, IN -- Jun 27, 2012 to Jul 01, 2012
Winnipeg, MB -- Jul 19, 2012 to Jul 22, 2012
Regina, SK -- Jul 25, 2012 to Jul 29, 2012
Lethbridge, AB -- Aug 1, 2012 to Aug 5, 2012
Edmonton, AB -- Aug 8, 2012 to Aug 12, 2012
Kamloops, BC -- Aug 15, 2012 to Aug 19, 2012
Kelowna, BC -- Aug 22, 2012 to Aug 26, 2012
Abbotsford, BC -- Aug 29, 2012 to Sep 2, 2012
Victoria, BC -- Sep 5, 2012 to Sep 9, 2012
Spokane, WA -- Sep 12, 2012 to Sep 16, 2012
Honolulu, HI -- Oct 4, 2012 to Oct 14, 2012
Eugene, OR -- Oct 25, 2012 to Oct 28, 2012
Dralion:
Manchester, NH -- May 30, 2012 to Jun 3, 2012
Syracuse, NY -- Jun 6, 2012 to Jun 10, 2012
Bridgeport, CT -- Jun 13, 2012 to Jun 17, 2012
Rosemont, IL -- Jun 20, 2012 to Jun 24, 2012
Chicago, IL -- Jun 27, 2012 to Jul 1, 2012
Sunrise, FL -- Jul 19, 2012 to Jul 29, 2012
Estero, FL -- Aug 1, 2012 to Aug 5, 2012
Richmond, VA -- Aug 8, 2012 to Aug 12, 2012
Raleigh, NC -- Aug 15, 2012 to Aug 19, 2012
Baltimore, MD -- Aug 22, 2012 to Aug 26, 2012
Atlantic City, NJ -- Aug 29, 2012 to Sep 2, 2012
Uniondale, NY -- Sep 5, 2012 to Sep 9, 2012
Charleston, WV -- Sep 12, 2012 to Sep 16, 2012
Minneapolis, MN -- Sep 19, 2012 to Sep 23, 2012
Boise, ID -- Oct 11, 2012 to Oct 14, 2012
Stockton, CA -- Oct 17, 2012 to Oct 21, 2012
Ontario, CA -- Oct 24, 2012 to Oct 28, 2012
Long Beach, CA -- Oct 31, 2012 to Nov 4, 2012
Fresno, CA -- Nov 7, 2012 to Nov 11, 2012
San Deigo, CA -- Nov 14, 2012 to Nov 18, 2012
Phoenix, AZ -- Nov 21, 2012 to Nov 25, 2012
Topeka, KS -- Dec 5, 2012 to Dec 9, 2012
Tulsa, OK -- Dec 12, 2012 to Dec 16, 2012
Okalahoma City, OK -- Dec 19, 2012 to Dec 23, 2012
Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour:
Dayton, OH -- Jun 6 & 7, 2012
Columbus, OH -- Jun 9 & Jun 10, 2012
Nashville, TN -- Jun 12 & 13, 2012
Austin, TX -- Jun 15, 2012
Memphis, TN -- Jun 20, 2012
San Antonio, TX -- Jun 23, 2012
Dallas, TX -- Jun 26 & 27, 2012
Atlanta, GA -- Jun 29, 30 & Jul 1, 2012
Montreal, QC -- Jul 6 & Jul 7, 2012
Hershey, PA -- Jul 11
Washington, DC -- Jul 13, 14 & 15 2012
Cleveland, OH -- Jul 17 & 18, 2012
Chicago, IL -- Jul 20 & 21, 2012
Ottawa, ON -- Jul 24 & 25, 2012
Toronto, ON -- Jul 27 & 28, 2012
Buffalo, NY -- Jul 31 & Aug 1, 2012
Boston, MA -- Aug 3 & 4, 2012
Vancouver, BC -- Aug 10 & 11, 2012
Los Angeles, CA -- Aug 14 & 15, 2012
Salt Lake City -- Aug 21, 2012
Mexico City, MX -- Aug 24 to Aug 29
Europe 2012:
------------
London, UK -- Oct 12 to 19, 2012
Herding, DK -- Oct 24 & 25, 2012
Copenhagen, DK -- Oct 27 & 28, 2012
Stockholm, SE -- Nov 2 & 3, 2012
Helsinki, FI -- Nov 5 & 6, 2012
St. Petersburg, RU -- Nov 9, 10 & 11, 2012
Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 16 & 17, 2012
Oberhausen, DE -- Nov 20, 2012
Munich, DE -- Nov 24 & 25, 2012
Hannover, DE -- Nov 28, 2012
Vienna, AT -- Dec 1 & 2, 2012
Manheim, DE -- Dec 5, 2012
Leipzig, DE -- Dec 8 & 9, 2012
Hamburg, DE -- Dec 11, 2012
Cologne, DE -- Dec 15 & 16, 2012
Berlin, DE -- Dec 19 & 20, 2012
Madrid, ES -- Dec 26 to Dec 29, 2012
Prague, CZ -- Feb 8 & 9, 2012
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
Mystère:
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday
Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm
2012 Dark Dates:
o September 8 - 12
o November 14
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2012 Dark Dates:
o June 10
o August 6 - 12
o October 14 & 17
o December 3 - 18
La Nouba:
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
2012 Dark Dates:
o July 24
o September 18-22
o November 27
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2012 Dark Dates:
o June 19
o August 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 31
o September 1, 2, 3, and 4
o October 23
o December 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2012 Dark Dates:
o May 29 - June 2
o July 31
o August 1
o September 28 - 29
o November 20
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2012 Dark Dates:
o June 4
o August 2 - 6
o October 1
o December 6 - 19
BELIEVE:
Location: Luxor, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:00pm
NOTE: Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by
an adult. Children under the age of five are not permitted
into the theater.
2012 Dark Dates:
o June 1-2
o July 17-21
o September 4-11
o December 18-25
VIVA ELVIS:
Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2012 Dark Dates:
o July 10-21
NOTE: VIVA ELVIS to have final show on August 18, 2012
ZARKANA:
New York, NY -- Jun 6, 2012 to Sep 2, 2012
Las Vegas, NV -- Oct 25, 2012 to OPEN
IRIS:
Location: Kodak Theatre, Hollywood, CA (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Friday @ 8:00pm
Saturday @ 3:00pm and 8:00pm
Sunday @ 2:00pm and 7:00pm
DARK: Monday
Select Weekday Matinee Performances
Wednesday and Friday at 3:00pm
2012 Dark Dates:
o July 3 and 4
o August 7
o September 4 -11
o October 23
o November 22
o December 4 and 25
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub
o) Networking -- Cirque on Facebook, Youtube & Twitter
---------------------------------------
CLUB CIRQUE: This Month at CirqueClub
---------------------------------------
The Hidden Side of an OVO Costume [EXPANDED]
{May.04.2012}
----------------------------------------------
Many different materials are needed to make this costume,
including moleskin and milliskin (a fine stretch fabric made
from highly resistant cotton), silk, leather and gilt, not to
mention elastic, snaps and zippers for easy dressing!
The Headpiece
This is a lycra-fitted hood that covers the performer's head,
concealing the hair and emulating an insect's head. the hood is
covered with red leather scales, except for the peak, which is
also decorated with yellow pin tucks.
The Shell
Worn on the back, the shell is made of silk, leather and
Crynille, a rigid, fi ne mesh fabric. the result gives the
impression that this piece of the costume is hard. Kodel, a
white foam, is also used to give the shell padding and volume.
The Shoes
Two types of shoes are used for the fleas. The first shoe type
is used during the parade at the end of OVO. It is made from
microfibre at our workshops and is dyed red and yellow. The
leather performance shoes are purchased as is. Our experts
apply a finish to the shoes, to match the colour of the
bodysuit. The soles of both types are made of gripping rubber.
The Bodysuit
First, the fabric is transformed to make the bodysuit. The
moleskin is dyed red and yellow in large barrels of dye at our
workshops in Montreal. The fabric then undergoes a screen-
printing process in which experts colour it to obtain a vibrant
red gradation. Then, using a glue called mytex, gilding is
applied to give the costume its brightness and splendour.
Next comes the cutting. Using patterns adapted to each artists
measurements, the Cutter cuts out all the pieces of fabric
required to make the costume. This task requires precision and
dexterity!
The next step consists of sewing the costume; like a jigsaw
puzzle, the Costume maker gathers together all the pieces
(bodice, legs and arms) and sews them together. Wings are
added to the flea costumes; these are small, rigid pieces,
rolled up at the sides of the costume to give the impression
that the character has small wings.
Saltimbanco Turns 20! [EXPANDED]
{May.23.2012}
----------------------------------------------
20 years ago, Saltimbanco was played for the first time. To mark
this extraordinary milestone, here are just a few of the things
that have made Saltimbanco so legendary!
o) "For me, Saltimbanco is a message of peace. In the 1990s,
immigration was an issue, the mixing of cultures in cities, and
Saltimbanco reflects that mix, with all the personalities and
colours. It's the challenge we have in today's world: respecting
each other, living and working together, despite our
differences," Guy Laliberté recounted in 20 Years Under the Sun,
published to mark the 20th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil.
o) For literally millions of people around the world, Saltimbanco
was their first taste of Cirque du Soleil.
o) Saltimbanco is a monument in the Cirque du Soleil repertoire
and its longest-running touring show. It has been touring (with
a few interruptions here and there) for close to 20 years-longer
than the record-long Broadway runs for both CATS (18 years) and
Les Misérables (16 years).
o) Ten artists have performed the hand-to-hand act.
o) Saltimbanco is the only one of our shows to have visited all
five continents. To date, it has visited 205 cities in 41
countries. Impressive when you consider that, all shows
combined, Cirque du Soleil has travelled to 321 cities in 44
countries!
o) Over the years, the Saltimbanco tour has employed more than
600 employees and artists.
o) Saltimbanco has sold more than 13 million tickets, including
1 million tickets sold in 2011 alone. As such, it is the most
seen Cirque du Soleil show ever.
o) Saltimbanco was also the first big top show to be restaged
for arenas. Its arena debut took place in London, Ontario, on
July 31, 2007. Since then, it has travelled to more than 100
cities in North America, Europe, Russia, South Africa,
Australia and New Zealand, and has been seen by more than 2.5
million spectators.
C2-MTL: Exploring Creative Answers to Commercial Questions
{May.24.2012}
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Montreal is a creativity laboratory and we should be renowned
for that internationally!"
- Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO, Cirque du Soleil
A business conference... only different
C2-MTL is a completely new kind of annual global conference, one
that explores the relationship between commerce and creativity
and its potential to redefine business. This immersive three-day
event showcases the value of using both the left and right sides
of our brains to optimize our thinking potential, and offers
participants practical advice and work tools to apply this
integrated thinking approach to business.
A meeting of minds
Collaboration is key to successful business. And now, for the
first time ever in Montreal, innovators from every industry -
from young entrepreneurs to C-level business executives - are
coming together to share knowledge in a collaborative and
creative environment.
Exclusive content
For a limited time, Cirque Club members have exclusive free
access to content : live broadcast, video on-demand and more!
Log in to your CirqueClub account to access this content. If
you're not a member, signing up is free!
A Postcard from KOOZA: A taste of Japan... [EXPANDED]
{May.29.2012}
-----------------------------------------------------------
Being a chef for a Cirque du Soleil Big Top touring show is no
small feat! The chef and his staff cook two hot meals a day plus
breakfast for the same people for weeks on end. Here is a
recipie created by the Chef on the KOOZA tour.
Okonomiyaki literally translates to "What you like, grilled", so
there are many variations that anyone can try using their
favourite ingredients. It is a very popular and versatile dish.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
o) 3 strips of bacon
o) 2 cups shredded cabbage
o) 1/2 cup chopped green onions
o) Seafood (prawns, squid)
o) 1/2 tsp. baking powder
o) 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
o) A pinch of salt
o) 1/3 cup Bonito stock or chicken stock
o) 1 egg
Sauce
o) 3 tbs. ketchup
o) 1 tsp. soy sauce
o) 1 tbs. worcestershire sauce
Mix all the sauce ingredients together.
Topings
o) Mayonnaise
o) Green seaweed and dried Bonito flakes
Preparation
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Heat pan and lightly oil. Spoon mixture into a round shape,
1/2 thick, on low heat.
3. Check bottom. When nicely browned, flip and check bottom
again after 4-5 minutes.
4. Spread on sauce and top with mayonnaise, green seaweed and
Bonito flakes to taste.
The beloved Mystère clown just celebrated
his 80th birthday! [EXPANDED]
{May.31.2012}
-----------------------------------------------------------
Here are a few highlights of Brian's eventful life:
Brian Dewhurst was born in England to a circus family, and began
performing at the tender age of 13. He worked as a tightrope walker in
traditional circuses and variety shows throughout the world, and has
also performed on many television shows, including the famous Ed
Sullivan Show in New York. This Guinness record holder for skips on a
tightrope has devoted his life to his art and his family.
He first encountered Cirque du Soleil in 1987 when he was performing
in Carmen at the World Expo in Vancouver. Soon after, he met Guy
Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix. They invited him to join Nouvelle
Expérience as both the Grand Chamberlain and to perform a tightrope
act with his son Nicky and daughter Sally.
After touring for several years, in Nouvelle Expérience and
Fascination, he moved over to the artistic department and became
Artistic Coordinator for both Mystère and Saltimbanco. Brian was then
asked to become Artistic Coordinator for O in Las Vegas.
On January 6, 2000, still fuelled with the passion for performing,
Brian took the role of Brian le Petit, the anarchistic clown in
Mystère. He has been performing in this role ever since, and is one of
the focal points of Mystère in the show.
Happy birthday Brian!
---------------------------------------------------
NETWORKING: Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Twitter
---------------------------------------------------
{Compiled by Keith Johnson}
---[ ALEGRIA ]---
{May.13}
Big congratulations to Alegria's Joseph Cadousteau (Tahiti) and
Micah Naruo (Hawaii) who were both victorious at the World
Fireknife Championship 2012. Joseph won the world title in the
senior division and, alongside Micah, also won the group
division.
LINK // < http://www.honolulupulse.com/video/cadousteau-brings-
fireknife-title-home-to-tahiti?utm_source=dlvr.it&
utm_medium=twitter >
---[ AMALUNA ]---
{May.06}
Salut Bonjour Météo en direct du Grand Chapiteau au Vieux-Port
de Montréal!!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/AmalunaCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=369771379750834&set=a.316111341783505.76338.
282374401823866&type=1&theater >
{May.24}
In the presse:
LINK // < http://7jours.ca/videos/video-dans-les-coulisses-
damaluna-du-cirque-du-soleil >
---[ CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ]---
{May.01}
Here are a few of the pieces from our terrific Desigual
Collection, available now at the Cirque du Soleil online store!
LINK // < http://cirk.me/JYZTzA >
{May.03}
Did you watch our special presentation "Le Voyage Inspiré" by
Infinti JX and wonder how we managed to make a car fly?
LINK // < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m99W9Ac9Ebs >
{May.08}
We're planning on releasing a new Best Of compilation and we
would like you to help! Le Best Of Vol. 2 will feature original
songs from Zumanity to Iris. So tell us, what are your favorite
Cirque songs released since 2005? Helpful hint: you can listen
to all our albums in the multimedia gallery.
LINK // < http://cirk.me/K9cz5V >
{May.09}
As part of our Cultural Action programs, the works of artist
Matthew Couper are currently exhibited at our Resident Shows
Division offices in Las Vegas - yet, for a limited time, you can
catch the exhibit online and discover his works here:
LINK // < http://cirk.me/Jtv1oD >
{May.11}
We really loved reading all your song suggestions for our
upcoming 'Best of' Vol. 2! Let's continue... let us know: what
are your favorite Cirque du Soleil original songs from Zumanity,
KÀ, Corteo, DELIRIUM, KOOZA, Wintuk, ZAIA, ZED, CRISS ANGEL
Believe, OVO, TOTEM, Zarkana, and IRIS? Hear all our music
here:
LINK // < http://cirk.me/K9cz5V >
We'll have you vote from the most popular choices and declare a
Facebook Fan Favorite soon! - with KOOZA by Cirque du Soleil.
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleil#!/photo.php?
fbid=10151102361057501&set=a.146711457500.141354.
144074117500&type=1&theater >
{May.24}
Happening this week in our hometown of Montréal: C2MTL - an
int'l business conference like no other in which Cirque du
Soleil is a creative partner. Here for you are some stunning
photos from the opening night performance we've put on for it.
'Like' your favorite photos!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?
set=a.10151143713202501.544042.144074117500&type=1 >
{May.25}
This week at C2MTL, speakers talked creativity and innovation,
including our own Founder Guy Laliberté, and President & CEO
Daniel Lamarre. Hear some of the inspiring insights in this
video:
LINK // < http://cirk.me/KTBgQg >
{May.28}
Ever wonder how a Cirque du Soleil costume is made? Log-on to
Cirque Club (or join today, it's FREE!) and learn more:
LINK // < http://cirk.me/LC3LRA >
{May.29}
Hear from Cirque du Soleil President & CEO Daniel Lamarre as he
discussed creativity, innovation, reinvention, technology, and
more in an interview at C2MTL. Hear about our upcoming 3D movie
experience also! Give us your take on the interview!
LINK // < http://live.c2mtl.com/en/media/daniel-lamarre-
interview >
---[ CRISS ANGEL BELIEVE ]---
{May.07}
Have you seen this in Believe Theatre lobby, and do you know
what it was used for?
LINK // < https://www.facebook.com/CrissAngelBelieve#!
/photo.php?fbid=10150834676103599&set=a.103473593598.
94236.18869703598&type=1&theater >
---[ DRALION ]---
{May.09}
More training from Harbour Station in St John!!! Can you guess
the act?
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/dralioncirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=10151708260235195&set=a.225774950194.283184.
39340140194&type=1&theater >
{May.09}
À ne pas manquer ce soir sur Radio-Canada NB - une entrevue avec
Hugo Doucet (du NB) gréeur sur Dralion!!!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/dralioncirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=10151708506030195&set=a.225774950194.283184.
39340140194&type=1&theater >
{May.16}
Meet local londoner - Tyler sharing about his passion and his
position at Cirque. Dralion opens tonight at the John Labatt
Centre for 8 shows only.
LINK // < http://www.ctvlondon.ca/2012/05/living-his-passion/ >
{May.18}
The Arena tour of Dralion started in Trenton, NJ on Oct. 21, we
have an average of 7 shows a week, We tour year round in
segments we call "legs" each "leg" is 10 weeks long and we are
currently 4 weeks into leg 8. Considering all of these hints,
can you guess what we are celebrating today?
{May.21}
A day at Cobbs Hill Park in Rochester, NY (6 photos)
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?
set=a.10151769191355195.872027.39340140194&type=1 >
{May.27}
Opening on May 30th at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester,
NH! Here is a nice preview story :).
LINK // < http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120524/
NEWHAMPSHIRE01/120529935/0/SEARCH >
---[ IRIS ]---
{May.03}
Here's a look at our crew meticulously striking the set,
lighting and rigging for IRIS to return Kodak Theatre to its
original condition for The Oscars 2012.
LINK // < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTF9DsMP2N8 >
{May.10}
Check out the IRIS crew loading everything back into the Kodak
Theatre after The Oscars!
LINK // < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yweUNiigcuY >
{May.19}
IRIS by Cirque du Soleil Hair, Makeup, and Wigs demonstration
happening now in the lobby of the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood
LINK // <http://www.facebook.com/IrisCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=395712740467072&set=a.173536262684722.34125.
161171830587832&type=1&theater >
{May.19}
Can you guess what department these crew members belong to?
Hint: they are holding remote controls. At the Hollywood Block
Party.
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/IrisCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=395720910466255&set=a.173536262684722.34125.
161171830587832&type=1&theater >
{May.22}
What are your plans for the summer? IRIS by Cirque du Soleil
summer matinees start in June on Wednesdays and Fridays! Visit
this link for exact dates and showtimes: http://cirk.me/IRISS12
{May.23}
Hollywood Block Party 2012 (12 photos)
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/IrisCirque#!/media/set/?
set=a.398024616902551.87683.161171830587832&type=1 >
{May.24}
IRIS by Cirque du Soleil has a new street team! Here's Vanessa
Dionne, our Head of Wigs and Makeup, prepping some of the new
team members on their look. Watch for them soon out on Hollywood
Boulevard, in front of Hollywood & Highland!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/IrisCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=398605856844427&set=a.173536262684722.34125.
161171830587832&type=1&theater >
{May.29}
Our new IRIS by Cirque du Soleil street team debuted over the
weekend along Hollywood Boulevard! We hope you had an enjoyable
holiday!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/IrisCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=401401549898191&set=a.173536262684722.34125.
161171830587832&type=1&theater >
---[ KÀ ]---
{May.14}
What's the first act that comes to mind when you look at our
stage?
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/KA#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150985176341929&set=a.176667951928.146847.
31527171928&type=1&theater >
{May.21}
Heidi Klum and the cast of KÀ rehearsing for Clash of the
Commercials: USA vs. the World! Check out the show tonight at 10
p.m. on CBS!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/KA#!/photo.php?
fbid=10151005514616929&set=a.176667951928.146847.
31527171928&type=1&theater >
---[ LA NOUBA ]---
{May.07}
Fun Fact: During the seven minutes and thirty seconds of
PowerTrack/Trampoline, you see 394 flips and 62 twists!
{May.24}
Can you describe aerial cradle in one word?
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/LaNouba#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150867879804902&set=a.190647189901.126413.
16315569901&type=1&theater >
---[ MJ IMMORTAL ]---
{May.03}
THE IMMORTAL stage from high above! Hats off to the incredible
crew that assembles and breaks this down in every city!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/mjimmortaltour#!/photo.php?
fbid=415712525120282&set=a.277498785608324.71073.
163439450347592&type=1&theater >
{May.05}
Tune in to Good Morning America this Monday, May 7 to catch
IMMORTAL aerial artist, Igor Zaripov, attempt to set the
Guinness World Records for the longest duration to hang
suspended by the teeth!!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/mjimmortaltour#!/photo.php?
fbid=417607631597438&set=a.277498785608324.71073.
163439450347592&type=1&theater >
{May.06}
Thank you Charm City Cakes for the amazing IMMORTAL cake to
celebrate our Baltimore premiere last night!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/mjimmortaltour#!/photo.php?
fbid=418198248205043&set=a.277498785608324.71073.
163439450347592&type=1&theater >
{May.07}
Tune in NOW to Good Morning America on ABC to see Igor Zaripov
and two other Cirque du Soleil artists attempt Guinness World
Records!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/mjimmortaltour#!/photo.php?
fbid=418667538158114&set=a.277498785608324.71073.
163439450347592&type=1&theater >
{May.19}
TUNE-IN ALERT! Excited to share that IMMORTAL dancer, Jean Sok
aka B-boy Hourth, will be performing live with Cee Lo Green at
the 2012 Billboard Music Awards, TOMORROW, Sunday May 20 at 8-
11pm EST on the ABC Television Network.
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/mjimmortaltour#!/photo.php?
fbid=426806354010899&set=a.277498785608324.71073.
163439450347592&type=1&theater >
{May.25}
Tune in to 'The Ellen Show' TODAY to see a performance by these
amazing IMMORTAL artists! Check your local listings here
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/mjimmortaltour#!/photo.php?
fbid=430386990319502&set=a.277498785608324.71073.
163439450347592&type=1&theater >
---[ MYSTERE ]---
{May.02}
What's the first thing you noticed in this photo?
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/Mystere#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150852052629919&set=a.121054974918.123251.
18155469918&type=1&theater >
{May.07}
Quick, without thinking too hard over it, what's the first word
that comes to mind when you hear "Mystère"?
{May.10}
Can you name this instrument from our show?
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/Mystere#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150934769244919&set=a.121054974918.123251.
18155469918&type=1&theater >
{May.17}
Summer of Cirque has begun, with tickets to Mystère starting at
$55! http://cirk.me/SCMys
{May.23}
What costume do you think is being worked on in this picture?
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/Mystere#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150970837539919&set=a.121054974918.123251.
18155469918&type=1&theater >
{May.24}
We celebrated the 80th birthday of Brian Dewhurst on Tuesday!
Here's a picture of the audience (complete with red noses!)
singing happy birthday to him! Did Brian clown around with you
when you visited the show?
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/Mystere#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150972572754919&set=a.121054974918.123251.
18155469918&type=1&theater >
---[ O ]---
{May.01}
Golden Circle ticket holders now have an opportunity to peek
behind the scenes to learn more about the collection of fine
figurative sculptures in the "O" Theatre lobby. Find more
details below!
LINK // < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/o/tickets/las-
vegas/offers.aspx >
{May.07}
This is a close-up of whose costume?
LINK // < https://www.facebook.com/Ocirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150873198119417&set=a.98604589416.79108.
26000574416&type=1&theater >
{May.10}
The answer to Monday's costume question, are The Zebras! - with
Joshua Jimenez and 2 others.
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/Ocirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150881249769417&set=a.98604589416.79108.
26000574416&type=1&theater >
{May.23}
Every performance, Fire Artist RAY WOLD breaks the world record
for the longest full-body burn as he sits nonchalantly in his
chair.
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/Ocirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150918195909417&set=a.98604589416.79108.
26000574416&type=1&theater >
---[ OVO ]---
{May.08}
HAPPY BIRTHDAY OVO!!!
This incredible journey started 3 years ago in Montréal, Canada.
The Cast and Crew from OVO would like to thank all of you for
making this show so successful. We also invite you to share with
all of our fans, your best OVO memory.
{May.16}
On Sunday, May 20, the mysterious egg will appear for the last
time in the insect community of OVO in Portland under the blue
and yellow Big Top located on the grounds of the Portland Expo
Center. Following the Portland, OVO takes a short break while
the Big Top and its surroundings make its way to Australia,
where it premieres on July 14, 2012 in Brisbane. More than
90,000 people in the Portland area have already experienced the
unique mix of breathtaking acrobatics, fantastic choreography
and innovative musical delight. Anyone who has not yet fallen
under the spell of OVO can seize their chance now. A great
selection of seats is still available and can be purchased
online at www.cirquedusoleil.com/ovo or in person at the Cirque
du Soleil box office located inside the entrance tent at the
Portland Expo Center
{May.24}
OVO in Australia: the countdown is on!!! Who would have thought
that relocating a cast of butterflies, crickets, spiders, ants,
scarab beetles, fireflies, fleas, a ladybug and a blue fly would
take a military-style international operation? Before the 12-
month Australian tour can start, the cast, crew, big top and its
surrounding village must be transported all the way from
Portland to Brisbane. The complex operational plan will ensure
that the big top, sets and costumes (1200 tons of equipment) are
pulled down, packed up and shipped to Australia in time for the
first performance in Brisbane. Approximately 78 containers will
be transported from America to Australia over the next 5 weeks.
But no worries, OVO will be ready for its Australian premiere in
Brisbane on July 14 under the blue-and-yellow Big Top before
moving on to Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth later in the
year. Australia, are you ready for OVO?
---[ QUIDAM ]---
{May.01}
LIVE on FOX 11 this morning with Production Manager and Quidam
violinist - how many musicians play LIVE every show?
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/QuidamCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150697786667046&set=a.172887642045.134560.
35752277045&type=1&theater >
{May.02}
Quidam in the Green Bay media...
LINK // < http://greenbay.scenenewspaper.com/arts-
entertainment/24-arts-entertainment/950-cirque-du-soleil-
swings-into-titletown.html >
LINK // < http://greenbayhub.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/
20120501/GPG05/305010123/See-believe-There-s-nothing-like-
Cirque-du-Soleil-s-Quidam-?odyssey=obinsite >
LINK // < http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/good_day_wi/take-a-
journey-wih-cirque-du-soleil >
LINK // < http://greenbayhub.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/
20120502/GPG05/120501174/Cirque-display-Behind-scenes-
Quidam-Resch?odyssey=tab >
{May.08}
#Quidam skipper @The Dow - don't miss it LIVE around 6:15am
#WNENTV5news
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/QuidamCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150760708387046&set=a.172887642045.134560.
35752277045&type=1&theater >
{May.09}
Hey Grand Rapids check out Quidam skipper LIVE on FOX 17 in a
few minutes!!!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/QuidamCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150771778782046&set=a.172887642045.134560.
35752277045&type=1&theater >
{May.24}
Photo taken by local photog Samantha Radecki!
LINK // < http://statenews.com/index.php/gallery/quidam_
rehearsal_and_performance >
{May.24}
Quidam in the Lansing Media:
LINK // < http://www.statenews.com/index.php/multimedia/50500 >
LINK // < http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20120523/
ENTERTAINMENT05/305230051 >
LINK // < http://www.mlive.com/lansing-entertainment/index.ssf/
2012/05/video_cirque_du_soleil_quidam.html >
LINK // < http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2012/05/
cirque_du_soleil >
LINK // < http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/lansing/article-7425-
quirky-quizzical-lsquidamrs.html >
---[ SALTIMBANCO ]---
{May.17}
Just announced our first visit ever in Qatar!
LINK // < http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?
cu_no=2&item_no=505936&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16 >
{May.17}
5 more shows in Beirut where Saltimbanco has set a new record:
the best selling show to be held in Lebanon! Thanks/Merci
---[ THE BEATLES LOVE ]---
{May.02}
Can you name the act this prop is from?
LINK // < https://www.facebook.com/TheBeatlesLOVE#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150790905053666&set=a.101066423665.92500.
14653468665&type=1&theater >
{May.07}
Check out Youssef from The Beatles LOVE trying to set the world
record for head spinning! Photo By ABC/Fred Lee
LINK // < https://www.facebook.com/TheBeatlesLOVE#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150829611273666&set=a.101066423665.92500.
14653468665&type=1&theater >
{May.14}
The current episode of Dennis Mitchell's Breakfast With The
Beatles" features an in-depth look at the creation of our show
with Giles Martin! The episode premiered Saturday and you can
get info on local broadcasts or listen to it streaming at the
link below!
LINK // < http://www.beatlesradioshow.com/ >
{May.23}
Up in the grid! Can you name the act this belongs to?
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/TheBeatlesLOVE#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150908864968666&set=a.101066423665.92500.
14653468665&type=1&theater >
---[ TOTEM ]---
{May.02}
Good morning San Diego! Ruben Galvan from CW spent the morning
with us and met Yann and Gael, two of our Rings specialists,
backstage!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/TotemCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=409056455781717&set=a.111837202170312.12495.
111798252174207&type=1&theater >
{May.07}
Meet Cirque du Soleil veteran Alevtyna Titarenko who is now
performing in the Rings Trio act of TOTEM!
LINK // < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHMiksSYkfU >
{May08}
Heather Ford from FOX 5 San Diego was live from the Big Top this
morning and met two of our High Bar performers!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/TotemCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=413670075320355&set=a.111837202170312.12495.
111798252174207&type=1&theater >
{May.10}
Our High Bars artist Umi Miya on set at TV Azteca in San Diego!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/TotemCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=414881171865912&set=a.111837202170312.12495.
111798252174207&type=1&theater >
{May.13}
Happy Mother's Day from TOTEM!! Today is a special day for our
families on tour. Meet Tamir Erdenesaikhan, Russian Bars porter,
who is traveling around with his family.
LINK // < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyqbJg09n0I >
{May.20}
Curious to see how TOTEM is put together? Come backstage with
Audra Stafford who attended our Big Top Raising in San Diego and
met some of our team members backstage. Enjoy!
LINK // < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkk9oF4bDC0 >
{May.23}
Only 7 performances left in San Diego. On Sunday night, we will
be starting our 2-day tear-down process before making our way to
Boston. Watch our Big Top being teared down from up-close!
LINK // < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov1gnGfKa9s >
{May.24}
Last week, the cast members of TOTEM had the chance to welcome
backstage 25 children from The Sunshine Kids Foundation in San
Diego. An inspiring evening for everyone!
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/TotemCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=423868710967158&set=a.111837202170312.12495.
111798252174207&type=1&theater >
{May.29}
Did you know TOTEM is the first Cirque du Soleil Big Top Show
that was built as an hybrid? Our stage can be set-up easily in
the Big Top but as well as in an arena or a theater. Watch a
time-lapse of our load-out from the iconic Royal Albert Hall in
London this past February.
LINK // < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rotnTb1jJU >
---[ VAREKAI ]---
{May.17}
Flash Mob by Varekai in Salvador, Brazil (5 photos)
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?
set=a.10150895751040349.442837.30414380348&type=1 >
---[ VIVA ELVIS ]---
{May.07}
Check out Rokardy from Viva ELVIS trying to break his own world
record for using hand stilts to walk 50 meters! Photo By
ABC/Fred Lee
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/vivaelvis#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150755624059109&set=a.167799494108.119733.
167136344108&type=1&theater >
{May.23}
Fun fact of the day! We check 558 shoes everyday for repairs.
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/vivaelvis#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150820213619109&set=a.167799494108.119733.
167136344108&type=1&theater >
---[ ZARKANA ]---
{May.02}
If you could, would you wear Zark's costume out for a night on
the town?
LINK // < http://www.facebook.com/ZarkanaCirque#!/photo.php?
fbid=374787599239802&set=a.197727416945822.59030.
139797212738843&type=1&theater >
---[ ZUMANITY ]---
{May.02}
Have a seat and try and guess which act this prop close-up is
from!
LINK // < https://www.facebook.com/Zumanity#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150783032213847&set=a.103927633846.92609.
13931088846&type=1&theater >
{May.07}
We had lots of correct answers to last week's question! The
close-up was of one of the chairs from "Dance on TV!"
LINK // < https://www.facebook.com/Zumanity#!/photo.php?
fbid=10150833096283847&set=a.103927633846.92609.
13931088846&type=1&theater >
{May.17}
Summer of Cirque has begun, w/ tickets to Zumanity starting at
$55! http://cirk.me/ZuS12
=======================================================================
COMPARTMENTS -- A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN
=======================================================================
o) DIDYAKNOW - Facts at a Glance about Cirque
o) HISTORIA - Cirque Company History
o) ODYSSEA - Cirque Tour History
---------------------------------
DIDYAKNOW? - Facts About Cirque
---------------------------------
In celebration of Dralion's milestone this month, all the facts in
DidYaKnow pertain to... DRALION!
o) On March 4, 1999, Cirque du Soleil held a press conference that,
among other things, adivsed the world of the show's name - DRALION.
The show premiered a little over a month later, costing
approximately $20 million (in 1999 dollars) to develop.
o) The show takes its name from its two main symbols: the dragon,
representing the Orient, and the lion, the Occident.
o) Cirque's Dralion is actually closer to the rare Chinese qilin. A
qilin is a mythical beast with a dragon head and a horse or lion
body. Its Japanese incarnation, the Kirin, is more recognizable in
the West due to the famous beer bearing the same name. However, the
Dralion dance is based on northern Chinese lion dance. With a
costume design unique to Cirque, the Dralion is a new incarnation
that fuses many elements.
o) The ring-like apparatus used in the show to allow performers to fly
around the stage and to allow the singer to ascend to the stars is
called "The Sun." The Sun is one of three pieces used; the other
two are used as a catwalk and to encompass an enormous lantern.
o) The aerial set (as installed in the big top) weighed nine tons and
was suspended from the big top on steel cables. The griffe wall
weighed 18 tons and took 13 hours to install.
o) 18 rings are used in the hoop diving act.
o) More than 300 lbs. of dry ice are needed for each performance.
o) The bamboo poles are 16 feet long (the height of a two-story
building) and weigh 16 pounds each.
o) In the Skipping act, 10 people create a skipping pyramid that
stands 6 feet tall.
o) The Dralion trapeze was set up by the artists themselves. Once
they've carried it from the wing to the stage, it is ready for use
in two minutes' time.
o) Did you know that when the Ballet on Lights act in Dralion first
premiered with the show it was the first time the routine had been
seen outside of China? The light bulbs used in the balancing
platform were custom-made in China and can hold a static weight of
700 pounds. Unfortunately this act was not carried over into the
Arena version of the show.
o) The band of blue cloth used in the pas de deux act is 60 feet long.
o) Working closely with the Director and drawing his inspiration from
the mythical fantasy world of Dralion, François Barbeau set out to
create costumes that reflect the distinctive features of the four
elements and the families of associated charters.
o) Over 5,000 metres of fabric were used in creating the costumes. The
fabrics come from regions around the globe, including China, the
United States, Italy, France, England and Quebec.
o) Natural and synthetic fabrics such as silk, lycra, velvet, leather
and cotton blend together harmoniously in Dralion's costumes.
Marrying a wide variety of fabrics helps ensure that the artists'
specific costume needs can be met.
o) Materials that might be considered somewhat unusual were used in
accessories and to add finishing touches to costumes: horse hair,
raffia, metal, window screen, emu feathers, crystal, styrofoam,
plastic, fun fur, springs and even hardware!
o) To create the texture on the chest plate on the singer's Costume,
bugs were glued on and then molded into different shapes. There are
a total of 2,880 gold pick used on the singers' gold sleves in one
year.
o) The artisans of Cirque du Soleil's costume workshop worked for over
three months making all the costumes, hats, wigs and footwear
required for Dralion to the specifications of the Costume Designer.
In all there are approximately 1,250 costume pieces in the show
(and another 1,000 kept as back-ups).
o) Over 300 pairs of shoes are cleaned and painted by hand every week
at Dralion.
------------------------------------
HISTORIA: Cirque Company History
------------------------------------
* Jun.01.2011 -- Cirque & Desigual sign worldwide partnership
* Jun.02.2006 -- LOVE Premiered at Mirage (Previews Begin)
* Jun.02.2007 -- Ernst & Young named Cirque du Soleil CEO Guy
Laliberté "World Entrepreneur of 2007."
* Jun.02.2010 -- Cirque du Soleil releases iPhone application
* Jun.03.2008 -- Name of of "Cirque Tokyo 2008" Announced - "ZED"
* Jun.04.2008 -- Cirque Partners with YuuZoo, Online Video Website
* Jun.06.2002 -- Region 02 DVD release: Dralion
* Jun.06.2011 -- No Cirque for Dubai announced
* Jun.06.2006 -- Cirque Las Vegas named 6th most popular attraction
in US by TripAdvisor
* Jun.09.2011 -- ZARKANA in NYC Previews Began
* Jun.10.2002 -- Official Title of 13-episode TV series announced -
"Fire Within", previously titled "A Fly on the Wall"
* Jun.11.2002 -- Alegría Extended CD Released (BMG/CDS Musique)
* Jun.12.2007 -- La Nouba celebrated 4000th performance
[Tuesday, 6:00pm]
* Jun.13.2002 -- Announcement of NY-NY and MGM-Grand Shows
* Jun.13.2011 -- Grammy Museum celebrated LOVE
* Jun.14.2003 -- Varekai premiered on BRAVO at 8:00pm EST
* Jun.14.2005 -- Quidam CD Released (CDS Musique)
* Jun.14.2010 -- Announcement that Banana Shpeel closing early in NYC
* Jun.16.1984 -- Official Birth date of Cirque du Soleil
* Jun.16.2002 -- Dralion burglarized in Portland; stealing $11,000
* Jun.16.2003 -- Mystère celebrated 4500th performance
[Monday, 7:30pm]
* Jun.16.2004 -- MGM-Mirage and Mandalay Resort Group merged
* Jun.16.2011 -- IRIS Officially Announced
* Jun.19.2008 -- La Nouba celebrated 4500th performance
[Thursday, 6:00pm]
* Jun.22.1999 -- La Nouba CD Released in Canada (RCA/Victor)
* Jun.22.2005 -- Entertainment Complexes in Montréal announced
* Jun.24.2008 -- Koozå CD Released US/Canada
* Jun.24.2010 -- Les Chemins Invisibles: Chapter Two Began
* Jun.27.2004 -- Mystère celebrated 5000th performance
[Sunday, 7:30pm]
* Jun.28.2007 -- Quidam opened Shanghai, China (First time in China!)
* Jun.29.1999 -- La Nouba CD Released in US (RCA/Victor)
* Jun.30.2006 -- LOVE Gala Premiere (Previews End)
* Jun.30.2008 -- BELIEVE officially delayed (#1)
------------------------------------
ODYSSEA: Cirque Tour History
------------------------------------
* Jun.02.2010 -- Saltimbanc o Arena opened Glasgow, UK
* Jun.02.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Sacramento, CA
* Jun.02.2011 -- Quidam Arena opened London, ON
* Jun.02.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Abbotsford, BC
* Jun.03.2004 -- Dralion opened Vienna, AT
* Jun.03.2004 -- Varekai opened Denver, CO
* Jun.03.2005 -- Dralion opened Rotterdam
* Jun.03.2010 -- Koozå opened Seattle, WA
* Jun.04.2003 -- Alegría opened Calgary, BC
* Jun.04.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Kelwona, BC
* Jun.05.2003 -- Saltimbanco opened Cologne, DE
* Jun.05.2008 -- Quidam opened Màlaga, ES
* Jun.05.2008 -- Varekai opened Berlin, DE
* Jun.06.2000 -- Dralion opened Denver, CO
* Jun.06.2012 -- Alegría Arena opened Hanover, DE
* Jun.06.2012 -- Quidam Arena opened Toledo, OH
* Jun.06.2012 -- Dralion Arena opened Syracuse, NY
* Jun.07.1985 -- Grand Tour 1985 opened Sherbrooke, QC
* Jun.07.1992 -- Fascination opened Nagoya, JP
* Jun.07.2012 -- Varekai opened Curitiba, BR
* Jun.08.2011 -- Quidam Arena opened Hamilton, ON
* Jun.08.2012 -- Koozå opened Phoenix, AZ
* Jun.09.1994 -- Alegría opened Ste-Foy, QC
* Jun.09.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Manchester, UK
* Jun.09.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Rio Rancho, NM
* Jun.09.2011 -- Alegría Arena opened Louisville, KY
* Jun.10.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Saint John, NB
* Jun.10.2012 -- Totem opened Boston, MA
* Jun.11.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Kamloops, BC
* Jun.12.2002 -- Alegría opened Denver, CO
* Jun.12.2002 -- Dralion opened Portland, WA
* Jun.12.2008 -- Corteo opened Vancouver, BC
* Jun.13.1992 -- Saltimbanco opened Ste Foy, QC
* Jun.13.2012 -- Alegría Arena opened Nuremberg, DE
* Jun.13.2012 -- Quidam Arena opened Rockford, IL
* Jun.13.2012 -- Dralion Arena opened Bridgeport, CT
* Jun.13.2012 -- Corteo opened Antwerp, BE
* Jun.15.1995 -- Alegría opened Halifax, NS
* Jun.15.2011 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Hobart, AU
* Jun.15.2011 -- Alegría Arena opened Nashville, TN
* Jun.15.2011 -- Quidam Arena opened Wilkes-Barre, PA
* Jun.15.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Portland, OR
* Jun.15.2011 -- Totem opened Montreal, QC
* Jun.16.1984 -- Grand Tour 1984 opened Gaspé, QC
* Jun.16.1995 -- Alegría opened Toronto, ON
* Jun.16.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Cypress, TX
* Jun.16.2011 -- Corteo opened Valencia, ES
* Jun.17.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Birmingham, UK
* Jun.17.2010 -- Varekai opened Frankfurt, DE
* Jun.17.2010 -- Ovo opened Hartford, CT
* Jun.18.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Toronto, ON
* Jun.18.1999 -- Quidam opened Berlin, DE
* Jun.18.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Edmonton, AB
* Jun.19.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened St. John's, NL
* Jun.20.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Ste-Foy
* Jun.20.2002 -- Quidam opened Detroit, MI
* Jun.20.2008 -- Alegría opened Buenos Aires
* Jun.20.2012 -- Alegría Arena opened Vienna, AT
* Jun.20.2012 -- Quidam Arena opened St. Louis, MO
* Jun.20.2012 -- Dralion Arena opened Rosemont, IL
* Jun.21.1985 -- Grand Tour 1985 opened Ottawa, ON
* Jun.21.2001 -- Saltimbanco opened Osaka, JP
* Jun.22.2001 -- Dralion opened Chicago, IL
* Jun.22.2006 -- Dralion opened Malaga
* Jun.22.2006 -- Varekai opened Vancouver, BC
* Jun.22.2007 -- Corteo opened Denver, CO
* Jun.22.2011 -- Alegría Arena opened Tampa, FL
* Jun.22.2011 -- Quidam Arena opened Ottawa, ON
* Jun.22.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Victoria, BC
* Jun.22.2011 -- Varekai opened Manila, PH
* Jun.23.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened St. Paul, MN
* Jun.24.1999 -- Dralion opened Quebec, QC
* Jun.24.2004 -- Quidam opened Calgary, BC
* Jun.25.1992 -- Fascination opened Hiroshima, JP
* Jun.25.2004 -- Saltimbanco opened Gijon, ES
* Jun.25.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Saskatoon, SK
* Jun.25.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Tampa, FL
* Jun.26.2005 -- Alegría opened Osaka, JP
* Jun.26.2008 -- Koozå opened Chicago, IL
* Jun.26.2010 -- Corteo opened St. Petersburg, RU
* Jun.27.1989 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Ste-Foy, ON
* Jun.27.2002 -- Varekai opened Quebec City
* Jun.27.2012 -- Quidam Arena opened Indianapolis, IN
* Jun.27.2012 -- Dralion Arena opened Chicago, IL
* Jun.28.1984 -- Grand Tour 1984 opened Jonquière, QC
* Jun.28.2007 -- Quidam opened Shanghai, CN
* Jun.29.2011 -- Alegría Arena opened Jacksonville, FL
* Jun.29.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Penticton, BC
* Jun.29.2011 -- Ovo opened Chicago, IL
* Jun.29.2012 -- Alegría Arena opened Belgrade, RS
* Jun.30.2005 -- Varekai opened East Rutherford
* Jun.30.2005 -- Corteo opened Quebec City
* Jun.30.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Newcastle, UK
* Jun.30.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Toronto, ON
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) "Dralion: One World Soul"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) "Cirque Documentaries: On Overview
Part 1: 1991 - 2005"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
----------------------------------------------------------
"Dralion: One World Soul"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
----------------------------------------------------------
Dralions cast and crew celebrated a wonderful milestone earlier last
month, marking their 500th performance since the shows arena tour
premiered in Trenton, New Jersey on October 21, 2011. In honor of this
achievement, and in keeping with Fascinations current series
celebrating these specific milestones we explore Dralion, one of the
most polarizing shows in Cirques repertoire, from a historical
perspective.
/// A CREATIVE DEPARTURE
"This is the third new production from Cirque du Soleil in only six
months, following hard on the heels of "O", which opened in October
1998, and La Nouba, which premiered in December 1998. Dralion marks a
turning point in Cirque du Soleils history: it is the first show by a
new creative team headed by Gilles Ste-Croix, Director of Creation for
Cirque du Soleil." - Cirque du Soleil Press Release.
Citing the need to take a break (after developing Saltimbanco,
Mystère, Alegría, Quidam, "O" and La Nouba back-to-back-to-back-to-
back), by the end of 1998, the creative team behind so many of Cirque
du Soleil's productions in the 1990s - François Bergeron, Debra Brown,
Michel Crête, Jonathan Deans, Dominique Lemieux, Benoit Jutras and
Franco Dragone - concluded their remarkable run of artistic and
professional development with the company, and decided to leave the
creative reins of future shows in the hands of others. And so a new
development team took up the challenge to combine Cirque du Soleil's
style with the Chinese circus tradition on a large scale. "With
Dralion, it's as if we were closing a circle. Saltimbanco still
contained a lot of traditional circus elements, but from Mystère
onward, our shows became increasingly theatrical. Now, Dralion brings
it full circle: we're back to the circus again," said Gilles Ste-Croix
in an interview for Cirque du Soleils website (Spectaculara).
The development of what became Dralion was difficult from the very
beginning. Several months into preproduction, the French director
slated for the project - Philippe Decoufflé - abandoned ship. Sylvie
Galarneau, who would become artistic director of the show remembered,
"He freaked out. He said the project was too big and he couldn't be
comfortable working in that environment." Confronted with the
challenge of mounting a new show, with a new team, in a compressed
period of time, Guy Laliberté turned to an old friend: Guy Caron.
Caronhad maintained friendly relations with Laliberté since he had
left Cirque in 1988, even directing "Cirque Knie Presents Cirque du
Soleil" for the Swiss National Circus (in 1992), produced in
collaboration with Cirque, so his credentials were solid. Even so,
Carons job on Dralion wasnt easy. Hed have to pick up the pieces
left by Decoufflés departure and mold them into a show to meet or
exceed the expectations laid down by the likes of Quidam, "O" and La
Nouba.
Faced with a tight deadline and a public wondering when Cirque would
debut another touring show (by this time 1996s Quidam was the last
touring show the company premiered, even though the company was hard
at work creating "O" at the Bellagio and La Nouba at Walt Disney World
in 1998) Guy Caron called on the talents of François Barbeau (Costume
Designer), Stéphane Roy (Set Designer), Violaine Corradi (Composer),
Julie Lachance (Choreographer), Guy Desrochers (Sound Designer),
Michel Beaulieu (Lighting Designer), and Michel Dallaire (Clown Act
Designer) to help bring his vision to fruition.
o) "In this show, we were very preoccupied with the mechanical
invading the organic and soulful. The set itself is a kind of
giant insect, a biomechanical construct in which all the
characters in the show live. The idea is to set up a tension
between the two: how do you resolve it? Cirque depends a
great deal on the mechanical to perform successfully. But
here, it's very much as Da Vinci presented machines in his
drawings: the machine as an extension of the human, always.
You can't remove the soul from the machine." - Stephane Roy
o) "One of the things we want to do with Dralion is to have
people rediscover the power and importance of the four
elements. We take them for granted in our daily lives. Values
have been displaced. Maybe one of the goals of Dralion is to
help re-establish a connection with the elements." - Francois
Barbeau
o) "The music in Dralion has a lot of Middle-Eastern elements
and percussion in it. That dictated how we designed the sound
for the whole show. As soon as you walk into the theatre,
you're in that atmosphere, in that environment." - Guy
Desrochers
o) "With Dralion, we were trying to find a place where all the
musical traditions of the world meet, in such a way that
something altogether new comes out of it. There's a lot of
music in there: Andalusian, Arabic, ragga, African, and more.
It sounds like all of that, and none of it." - Violaine
Corradi
While the new team was settling in, other problems ensued. "The
biggest challenge in Dralion was getting the Chinese artists to move
in the Cirque way," Julie Lachance remembered. Laliberte, Caron and
group were not able to work in the intuitive, work-shop style
championed by Dragone and the company - as the Chinese were not able
to easily adapt to the free-form methods. So rather than attempt a
Dragone-style show, Caron revisited the earlier style of Le Cirque
Réinventé, preferring a show that's "full of energy, without gaps
[and] full of strong acts."
"We said, Okay, well forget all about the characters and some of the
other things that Franco did," recalled Caron in Cirque du Soleil 20
Years Under the Sun book. "Instead, I opted to explore the root of the
circus, and to adhere to a very high technical standard. I also wanted
to make the funniest show we could."
Despite the challenges - or perhaps because of them - Laliberté and
Caron fulfilled their life-long dream of working with the Chinese on a
large-scale project in Dralion, which, despite its challenges and mis-
placed hatred for it (many within Cirque at the time did not like the
show either), has received enthusiastic public response over its
lifetime, going on to become one of the highest grossing touring shows
in the companys stable.
/// L'ÂME-FORCE
"Take an extraordinary journey through a futuristic dimension, where
you can soar to new heights, and defy the laws of nature." - Dralion
Press Release.
Dralion is billed as "a contemporary collage of the original and the
eclectic, the primitive and the post-modern," but at its heart its a
fusion of ancient Chinese acrobatic traditions with the avant-garde
approach of Cirque du Soleil on a large scale. Cirque is certainly no
stranger to Chinese circus arts, employing acts from the Orient in
many of their shows (Water Meteors in La Magie Continue and Foot
Juggling in Nouvelle Experience immediately come to mind), but what
would they be capable of doing with a full-fledged Chinese circus? Guy
Caron was determined to find out, taking much of his shows
inspiration from Eastern philosophy with its principles of perpetual
discovery and harmony between man and nature. "For me, the wall is
where it all begins in Dralion," said Guy Caron regarding the show.
"Life comes through it, in the form of the four elements. That's why,
at the end, the artists come back to the wall. Dralion was created at
the cusp of a new millennium, and I wanted to express what the future
could mean for me. And, for me, the future means children. It also
means women. The future belongs to them."
The show's name is drawn from its two main symbols - the dragon,
representing the East, and the lion, representing the West - and pays
homage to the four elements that maintain the natural order of things.
Air, water, fire and earth assume human form and evolve into worlds
defined by their own vivid colors:
o) Azala is the Element of Air. She is the keeper of the sun and
the guardian of immortality, watching over the heavens to
protect all those who take to the skies. Azala is identified
by the color of the skies -- Blue.
o) Oceane is the Element of Water. With her exotic dance, she
has the power to control all the waters of the world. You can
identify Oceane by the color of the waters -- Aqua Green.
o) Gaya is the Element of Earth. She is warm, comforting and
rhythmic. Her tribal dance echoes the pulse of human life.
Gaya is identified by the soils of Earth -- Brown.
o) Yao is the element of Fire. He is a warrior and a shaman; the
fiery demon's guide. Yao can be identified by the color of
flame -- Red.
Dralion propels these four pillars of the universe into a futuristic
dimension - a timeless and allegorical place suspended between the
past and the future, ruled by magical laws where fantastical feats of
strength and agility commence:
Opening
A young Chinese boy (Little Buddha - the chosen child) with just a
tuft of hair on his head pushes through a strong cloak of fog,
carrying an hourglass filled with the sands of creation. As a tribal
beat begins to fill the air so does a sense of urgency. A sense that a
new dimension is about to reveal itself to you. As he looks out
amongst the visitors to his realm, he flips the hourglass on end,
threading the sands of time and space into motion - backwards,
forwards; suspended - and calling forth the four elements of the
Earth.
One by one they fill the stage: Gaya is first, in Ochre, dancing
jubilantly about representing the Goddess of the Earth. Next, Azala,
in blue, floats in from above on sheets of silk. She is the guardian
of the sun and immortality and represents the element Air. Thirdly,
Oceane, in green, is representing the element of water. Last, Yao, in
red, thunders his way from below. He brings all the good and evil
represented in the element of Fire.
The four elements come together and began a rhythmic dance; a dance of
compliments. But then - a flash; a spark; a fire - and the world of
Dralion is illuminated for all those who come to bear witness. And one
by one the elements part and return to their natural motions... but
they will return.
Hand Balancing
Oceane presents herself to us in the form of a single, fragile girl.
She will take her position atop a single metal cane and perform some
of the most spellbinding acts of strength and balance seen. Staying in
positions that would make even the strongest man collapse in agony,
she is able to twist around and support herself with only her arms.
And just when you think there's nothing else she could show you, she
straightens herself up on one hand... allowing a leg to drift... then
bounces to her other hand - without touching the ground.
Bamboo Poles
Yao (fire) next introduces the Bamboo Pole act. Six men are in control
of their destinies as they maneuver 15 3/4 feet long poles in the air
that weigh almost 17 pounds. Their precise movements allow them to
balance the poles on the palms of their hands without any other
support. And, in synchronous action, they toss the poles into the air,
leaving themselves just enough time to perform a summersault and catch
them again before they hit the ground. The bamboo performers also bang
their poles on the stage in time with the music embellishing this
ancient Chinese ritual. Yao also dances with an imposingly sharp
teeth-chattering weapon to conclude the act.
Juggling
Lead by Gaya, the goddess of the Earth, a spidery creature slithers on
stage giving birth to an ominous man. Choreographed with precision,
this juggler is flexible, talented, and commands presence. Trying to
explain what he does in words is too hard a task. From dance, to
gymnastics, to just craziness, the juggler (originally Viktor Kee) is
a complete master of his art. And in the conclusion of his mind-
boggling performance he tosses all his balls in the air, keeping only
one - a red one (his heart) - which he gives to Azala suspended in the
air.
Teeterboard
Oceane presents her second performance, a boggling act of strength.
Usually performed by men only, for Dralion Cirque has employed all
women. Watch with amazement as two artists use a teeterboard to propel
a third into the air... unsure whether she will complete her twist and
somersault before landing - split-legged - on the shoulders of her
teammates. Rising from a one, two, three, four and even five person
tower, these elements from the ocean astound all as a flip lands one
of these lovely girls into a chair atop the shoulders of her
teammates!
Double Trapeze
Performing on two identical instruments, the fliers will astound you
with their quick jumps, flips and acrobatics. But nothing compares to
the quick hand to feet to hand flips in mid air that are performed
here. The act comes to a spectacular close when the artists release a
stream of color from their grasps and a circular wall of greens and
blues covers the stage. The intermission has begun.
Ballet on Lights
Upon return, a stage-covering lantern that houses ghostly floating
images treats the eyes. When the shade lifts, a troupe of girls are
revealed standing on an illuminated platform. Presented for the first
time in the world by Cirque du Soleil, seven young women, in pointed
ballet shoes, perform a ballet on specially designed light bulbs.
Dralions
A blend of the traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances, Dralions,
as reworked by Cirque du Soleil, takes on new scope here. In a dynamic
and energetic tumbling sequence, the artists come on stage on wooden
balls which they roll under their feet and on which they perform
somersaults. Five Dralions perform acrobatics around them. The
signature of the performance is when the five Dralions climb on one
single wooden ball and, by working together, must get the ball from
one end of a teeterboard to the next.
Spirits & Pas de Deux
As a prelude to Pas de deux, four young women perform an aerial
ballet. Suspended from the set's giant claws by special harnesses,
they twirl and float over the heads of their partners. Pas de deux is
a languorous aerial dance. A couple, intertwined, flies over the stage
in a long band of blue cloth. Within the cloth, they perform various
acrobatic figures that demand great feats of strength and flexibility.
Hoop Diving
Derived from Chinese acrobatic tradition, the hoop diving act takes on
a tribal flavor from the African-influenced music to which it is
performed. Ten male artists dive and throw themselves like arrows
through wooden hoops. The hoops are fastened to a table; some remain
stationary while others rotate.
Skipping Ropes
"Kamandé" hits the ground for this playful and final act. A creation
by Li Xi Ning, this performance takes the childrens game of jump
roping to a "new level of acrobatic prowess". Yellow and red fitted
acrobats fill the stage holding a long, red, rope. As it beats to the
music, the acrobats flip, fly and defy the forces of physics as they
make pyramids and form three-person-high columns jumping the rope all
the while.
Finale:
A triumphant beat of the drum calls a close to the fanciful universe
of Dralion. Performers spin about on stage while a solo performance of
the Chinese drum fills the air. Thunderous applause erupts from those
who are there to witness the spectacle... and the natural order of
time is returned. Dralion has ended.
# # #
Todays Dralion is much different from the show that premiered under
Cirques trademarked Blue-and-Yellow Big Top, raised on the grounds
adjacent to Cirque du Soleil Studio at 8400, 2e Avenue in the St-
Michel district (the only show to have done so).
For example, the first big change to the shows line-up (besides the
firing of the original clowns, and the loss of their replacement - Les
Voila) occurred in 2005 with the removal of the Teeterboard act,
replacing it with a new Trampoline number that took advantage of
Dralions sizeable metallic backdrop (imagine jumpers using Dralions
wall in similar style to that found in La Nouba and youd get the
idea). Occasionally acts would rotate in and out to fill in, and some
of these would be different based on the Chinese team then performing
(there were four groups in an 18-month rotation). Therefore, you might
be blessed with the opportunity to see two young girls perform
Contortion with Bowls, but most often youd get to see Foot Juggling.
If you were extremely lucky, though, you might have seen a rousing
Aerial Hoop performance by Marie-Michelle Faber.
But in the end much of the show unfolded exactly as it was created. On
January 18, 2010, the show took its "final" bow in Mexico City after
10 years touring - the speculation was that Cirques contract with its
partner, Chinese Flag Circus, had come to an end. The retirement was
short-lived however, as Guy Laliberté announced the next day the show
would continue its adventure in the arena format... and change in many
ways. In addition to retiring Foot Juggling, the show also lost its
Double Trapeze and Ballet on Lights performances, replacing them with
a primary Aerial Hoop performance, and a ballet act called Medusa
(similar to Balance on Lights without the lights) and two new acts-in-
rotation: Balancing on Chairs and Solo Diabolo.
Although in the beginning the internal reaction to Dralion was, as
Cirque put it, "less than generous" - as the change from the old order
was too much for some - Dralion quickly found its audience and became
one of Cirque du Soleils top-grossing touring shows. Even the 2000
filming of the show became the recipient of three Primetime Emmy
Awards: Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special; Outstanding
Directing for a Variety or Musical; and Outstanding Costumes for a
Variety or Music Program.
Some other milestones to celebrate:
o) On March 4, 1999, Cirque announced the name of the show.
o) In August 2000, Dralion celebrated its 500th performance, in
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
o) On December 16, 2001, Dralion celebrated its 1,000th
performance in Dallas, Texas.
o) On November 5, 2004, Dralion celebrated its 2,000th
performance in Madrid, Spain.
o) On May 13, 2006, Dralion celebrated its 2,500th performance
in Valencia, Spain.
o) On October 2, 2007, Dralion celebrated its 3,000th
performance in Osaka, Japan.
o) On January 31, 2009, Dralion celebrated its 3,500th
performance in Perth, Australia.
o) On April 1, 2011, Dralion celebrated its 4,000th performance
in Des Moines, Iowa, on its new Arena tour.
o) And, of course, the 500th arena performance a few weeks ago.
With many more to come we hope!
----------------------------------------------------------
"Cirque Documentaries: An Overview
Part 1 of 2: 1991 - 2005"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
----------------------------------------------------------
Documentary (n.) a movie or television problem intended to document
some aspect of reality, primarily for the purpose of instruction or
maintaining a historical record that tells the facts about actual
people and events.
Through the efforts of out filmworks division - first Télémagik
(formed in 1988 to release the original 90-minute version of "Le Magie
Continue" as well as various other Cirque shows up to Saltimbanco in
1994) and later with Cirque du Soleil Images (Télémagik was renamed
CDSi in May of 1997 to better brand the multimedia company with its
parent) - Cirque du Soleil has produced a variety of documentaries
over the years. So many that its hard to keep up with them all, their
availability and just where to get them.
Would you believe that as of this writing there are over twenty in
all?
In order to help with the confusing status of many of Cirque du
Soleils documentaries, we here at Fascination offer this overview.
Well first take a look at those produced from 1991 through to 2005 in
this installment and conclude with the rest in a follow-up. Dont
worry, there isnt a quiz at the end but we will have a cliff-notes
version of the listing next time.
/// PART ONE: 1991-2005
Quel Cirque (1991) & Saltimbancos Diary (1992)
-----------------------------------------------
"Quel Cirque" was a 1991 look at the creation and staging of Nouvelle
Experience. The 22-minute documentary was produced for television;
however, it is not clear whether this title was ever released
commercially. It is currently out of print and not available in any
form. Ive never seen it so I cant attest to its content or quality -
anyone have a copy?
"Saltimbanco's Diary" was produced in 1992 as a 22-minute behind-the-
scenes featurette into the making and staging of Saltimbanco. It is
not clear whether this title was ever released commercially. It is
currently out of print and not available in any form. Ive also never
had the privilege of seeing this documentary - anyone have a copy to
view?
Baroque Odyssey (1994)
----------------------
This 10-year anniversary retrospective, made in 1994, is a fascinating
and inspiring look into the heart of the Cirque du Soleil universe,
highlighting its essence - the amazing energy and spirit that gave
birth to the phenomenon and the breathtaking artistry that has
captivated and delighted audiences around the world.
"Baroque Odyssey" goes into depth describing the companys history,
and takes a stark honest look at those early years. (Hearing one
executive talk about how much money they made and lost in their early
years is something you dont often see in a company-produced
documentary; however, this is something of a badge of honor for Cirque
du Soleil - rising from the ashes like a phoenix). The archival
footage of their early years means the program has an uneven look, the
older material looking grainier compared to the new, but this is to be
expected. All in all "Baroque Odyssey" is a fascinating program for
anyone interested in looking "behind-the-scenes" at the nuts and bolts
(and surprisingly, some of the financial considerations) of Cirque du
Soleil in 1994.
"Baroque Odyssey" was originally released on VHS in 1994 in two
curious versions: a 56-minute English-language edition and a 70-minute
French-language edition. Only the English-language edition was later
re-issued on both VHS (#07211, UPC: 0-43396-07211-4) and DVD (#07075,
UPC: 0-43396-07075-2) on October 30, 2001, with the VHS version
quickly falling out of print. The DVD version eventually followed the
VHS, although it is widely available on the secondary market.
The Truth of Illusion: Alegría (1994)
-------------------------------------
"Truth of Illusion: Alegria" is a 1994 production to support the
release of Cirque du Soleil's 10th Anniversary show, "Alegría." Like
its predecessors, the 22-minute production is a behind-the-scenes look
at the making of the show.
"When the time has come and when the time is right, somehow you know,"
the documentarys narrator begins. "Time after time and time again,
you've seen the signs and wondered what it was out there, deep in the
river. Was it hell on earth and fading into the sky? Was it the garden
of delights? In the heart of the night, you've seen the moon and the
shadow of light, the spirit of creation, the spirit of dream. You've
seen the truth of illusion - the spirit of Alegría infiltrated the
Cirque du Soleil Montreal studios on a windy winter night...
subversive, smooth, yet dangerously dynamic. The spirit operated a
silent break-in and a major breakthrough; seizing the premises - walls
and halls, shops and props - then, capturing the hearts and minds of
many humble servants. His shadow seemed expected and respected by all
- Alistair, Greg, Serguei, Danielle, Michael, Emily; all of them
willing subjects of Alegría, made of stardust and made to be stars
again..."
As a documentary, Alegría "The Truth of Illusion" is not just a
collage of peeks at Le Cirque's world. It tells a story, an adventure
in which the suspense starts subtly, then builds up steam and hurtles
at a breathtaking pace towards its happy ending. It's a human story,
the tale of a noble and fearless team that knows that people are
waiting for it all over North America... and perhaps all over the
world.
We hear from Franco Dragone, Director, regarding the over-arching
theme of the show: "We wanted maybe to scream, Alegria! It's
impossible to have only joy. It's impossible to have only tears. Joy's
always with tears and tears is always with joy. But this show has
touched me very much. All the images of this show are very good to my
imagery. I hate power, any kind of power. It's why I try never, never
to abuse with my power. Sometime people think and been casting people
out is thing that I scream a little bit too much."
We hear from Debra Brown, Choreographer: "We're looking for
alternative ways of expression that have normally been expressed
through athleticism and tumbling, height and flight and dynamics, and
what else is there that can come out of that apparatus in
collaboration with the artists and the dance and the movements and the
music."
We hear from René Dupéré, Composer: "I tried to go back to the
beginning of the circus. I was a street performer. I played in the
streets and there was something very lively, something very emotional.
I want to go back to the emotion in the music with accordion, a kind
of raunchy street voice, and violin and those basic instruments."
And we hear from Luc Lafortue, Lighting Designer: "We'd rather take
our time, maybe wait, more often and not till the last moment, and
listen to what the tent has to say, what the set will communicate to
us, and then go ahead and draw our lighting design."
"Their time is now. And now the time is right. It is the vigil of the
longest night, when the builders of dreams, magicians, engineers,
fools and kings are humbled seers, welding their flying machines for
the coming of the new dawn. Your time has come. And should we ask who
you are, would you remember who you were? Now that you know the
mysteries of many lives ago, angels... garrisons of angels, wise old
birds from the galaxy of illusion!"
"We are always, always in connection. Even the trapeze moving this is
in connection with us," says Franco Dragone. "The cable of the
trapeze, drawing the air of beautiful things, they are not cables.
It's at earth to build images. It's a big ballet, big waltz, big
choreography and listen to the music. So good luck for today, we will
run!"
Alegría "The Truth of Illusion" was released on VHS (#9451) in 1994.
It was not included on the "Cirque du Soleil Presents Alegría" DVD and
is currently out of print and unavailable.
Full Circle: Quidam (1996)
--------------------------
"Full Circle: The Making of Quidam" is simply that, a 1996 peek into
the creative process behind the making of Quidam.
From the releases back cover: Come in under the Big Top for a behind-
the-scenes look at the making of Cirque du Soleil's ninth creation,
which critics have described as "the most dramatic, the most esthetic
and perhaps the most melancholy show in the history of this marvelous
circus" (La Presse, Montreal). Full Circle shows you the making of
Quidam from its very beginnings to its triumphant finish. Join Franco,
Oleg, Debra, Samuel, Dominique and all of Quidam's other creators and
performers as they practice, experiment, innovate and explore. From
costume fittings to character improvisations, and from music full of
imagery to acts that have to be perfect, you will be there as the show
takes form. Share their dream. Join their quest for a magical show in
Quidam: Full Circle.
We hear from Franco Dragone, Director: "For me, Quidam pays a kind of
tribute to the joys and suffering of everyday people. Everyone who
does not appear in ads or television clips or in the public spotlight
- these are 'gawkers,' people who wander all over the place. We have
done a lot of shows with a lot of success that we can think that now
the next one will be a success. What we want to do now is start a new
cycle. We have tried - this year - we have tried to change... to
evolve a little bit the process, to really change the show..."
Choreographer, Debra Brown, discusses the change in direction: "Right
now, we're very innocently researching and it is part of the process
to get to know who I am and who they are and how we can create
together."
Boris, the head coach, muses: "There is an old saying among the
acrobats that if an acrobat wakes up in the morning and he doesn't
hurt, chances are he's dead. There's nothing normal about holding 3
guys and having a fourth-guy land on top of the third guy. There's
nothing normal... in our human makeup for that. There's nothing normal
flying through the airand being fully confidant and allowing the
catchers, the porters, to do all the work. There's nothing normal for
a porter to catch somebody in the arms when they are coming down from
the height of a 20 feet. So that element - to some extent, pain is
always there. For example, we were working on [Banquine] where the
guys said We can do it 10 times out of 10 so they can handle it. The
question that I have to pose to them is can they do it 600 out of
600?"
Martyne, one of the young performers, quips: "Franco's got a
technique. He explains something vague and he says Go for it. When
you don't understand it makes him happy because it means you're going
to show him something he doesn't expect."
"There is something wrong if all I see while the music plays is a
trapeze act," says Franco Dragone. "On the other hand, when I have two
ropes, an iron bar, and someone on the trapeze with music and lighting
that all of a sudden gives me something else, not just a performance
but an image. If I have images that think, then it works. The music
has to help me construct and write down images that think."
"One thing that is sure, and it can be scary sometimes, is that the
show must open when we said that it would and there is a magic moment
when everything falls into place just like that when, despite all the
trouble we had and moving the foot from left to right, in making the
turn-table go around and doing the lights, all of a sudden: Bingo! It
all comes together." - Franco Dragone.
"Full Circle" was released onto VHS (#201Q01A; Télémagik) and was not
subsequently re-issued when most other Cirque du Soleil visual
properties were re-released in 2001. As such it was also not included
as a bonus or special feature on the "Cirque du Soleil Presents
Quidam" DVD (#04225; Columbia/Tri-Star, UPC: 0-43396-04225-4) on
February 6, 2001. However, a digital version of the documentary can be
found on a CD-R promo disc released by Optus, a mobile telephone
company who was the presenting sponsor of Quidam during its 2004-2005
Australian tour. Within youll find a fully digitized "Full Cirque:
The Making of Quidam" documentary (22:34) previously available only on
VHS (and now well out of print.) The Promo CD-Rs were given away and
are not available for purchase; however, you might be able to find one
on eBay or other secondary markets.
In the Heart of Dralion (1999)
------------------------------
"In the Heart of Dralion" is a short 24-minute retrospective on the
creation of Cirques 1999 production: Dralion. Although it does touch
on the troubles the creative team endured to bring Dralion to
audiences, its slow-paced narrative style, poor video quality, and
little in-depth knowledge dont make it a worth-while documentary to
view. However, should you be interested: the documentary can only be
found as a Bonus Feature on the "Cirque du Soleil Presents Dralion"
DVD (#06105, UPC: 0-43396-06105-7), which is currently in print and
available for purchase at the Cirque du Soleil Online Boutique. It was
previously available on the "Inside La Nouba" stand-alone documentary
DVD, which is no longer in print.
Inside La Nouba (2001)
----------------------
"Inside La Nouba" is a special 45-minute inside peek into La Nouba,
interviewing all the creators and giving an excellent (if short)
overview of most of the acts youll find in the show, staged at the
Walt Disney World West Side Theater. An "Added Feature" (as mentioned
on the cover) is another copy of the making-of "In the Heart of
Dralion" 20-minute featurette. The sleeve art promises also "A Look at
Costumes." But this is merely a 1:00 slide show of 9 costume sketches
by Dominique Lemieux, with a clipping from the video to show how they
actually turned out. No interview with the creator, no behind-the-
scenes shots of seamstresses. And only 60 seconds long. The
documentary was originally released as a stand-alone region one DVD on
November 19, 2001, but it is no longer in print.
Behind the Scenes of Journey of Man (2001)
------------------------------------------
"Behind the Scenes of Journey of Man" is a six minute long featurette
with interviews, discussions about the logistics of filming Cirque in
IMAX, off-camera silliness, and peeks into the various acts filmed for
the movie.
The featurette also includes brief interviews with actors and
production crew. Peter Wagg, the producer and co-writer of the film,
states that the IMAX production team is trying to "raise the bar" of
IMAX in order to draw more attention to large-format filmmaking and
Cirque du Soleil was the best way to do that. Brian Dewhurst (the Old
Man) states that he thinks the large format "brings the public right
into the circus." Other people interviewed include the director Keith
Melton; Reed Smoot, the director of Photography; Co-producers Antoine
Compin and Chris Horton; Boris Verkhovsky, the Banquine coach; Warren
Conley, the Bungee coach; project manager Andre Ducas; and cast
members Chris van Wagenen (Youth) and Mikhail Matorin (Cube Man).
Three acts are highlighted in the featurette: Banquine, Bungees, and
Cube Man. The Banquine segment explains how the performers have to
work on a marble floor with no mats, and though this is dangerous for
them, they ask for retake after retake when they are not satisfied
with their performance. The act was partially restaged and re-
choreographed from the Quidam original in order to "flow" better for
the film. Other points of interest are clips of acrobats warming up
and marking through tricky portions of the Banquine such as the towers
and pyramids.
The Bungees segment is comparatively short. In it, those interviewed
proclaim that it is the best version of the act they have seen, and
how pleased they are that the acrobats are not limited by a ceiling.
The props and scenery people set the scene by adding brush and moving
plants, and bungee artists practice in full costume, makeup, baseball
caps and fleece jackets. This segment is the disappointment of the
featurette because nothing is said about how the bungee cords are
rigged into the redwoods, or what sort of work is going into the
scene.
The last segment is the Cube Man, Mikhail Matorin. In the middle of
the night, in the middle of the desert, Matorin is preparing to fly
toward and over the large camera--only the wind is too strong. Chris
Van Wagenen and Brian Felton explain how everyone is at the mercy of
Nature and can only wait. "Why do something easy when you can do
something difficult?"
"Behind the Scenes of Journey of Man" was only included as a bonus
feature on the VHS version of the movies release, and not the DVD or
other subsequent releases. Therefore, with the VHS out of print, this
documentary featurette is no longer available and unavailable for
purchase today.
The Making of an Angel (2002)
-----------------------------
"The Making of an Angel" is a retrospective on the creation of
Varekai, Cirque's 2002 production.
With many interviews, mostly from the Creative Team, the documentary
goes through the entire creative process from initial steps to the
premiere. There are several early concept designs and constructions
we see here that didn't make the final cut. We see bits of Gareths
audition tape, and learn more about the projection Cloud. After the
night of the premiere, we are treated to a long un-narrated moment of
jubilation as the cast comes offstage, with ovations for the creative
team, a wonderful moment only hinted at in "Fire Within." This film,
directed by Joclyn Bernabe and produced by Martin Bolduc makes a nice
companion to "Fire Within" looking at it from the Creative Team's
point of view.
"The Making of an Angel" is only available as a Bonus Feature on the
"Cirque du Soleil Presents Varekai" region one DVD (#01720, UPC: 0-
43396-01720-7) on October 7, 2003. It is in print and available for
purchase on the Cirque du Soleil Online Boutique.
Run Before you Fly (2004)
-------------------------
"Run Before you Fly: A Portrait of Cirque du Soleil" was a made-for-
television documentary that looked at how a team of creative artists
and tightrope walkers in the 1980s revived the ageing idea of the
circus to create a global hit and a multimillion-dollar empire. It
aired on ABC in 2004 and has aired on the BRAVO and other cable
networks world-wide. It has not been released as either a stand-alone
documentary disc or as a bonus feature on another Cirque du Soleil
DVD, making it currently unavailable to purchase.
Through the Curtain (2005)
--------------------------
"Through the Curtain - An in-depth look at Corteo" is a 45-minute
behind the scenes/making of documentary on Cirque du Soleils 2005
touring show Corteo. Like "Making of an Angel," "Through the Curtain"
takes us into the creative world of Corteo, interviews some of its
principle actors and takes us in-depth into this brand new venture for
Cirque du Soleil. The full 45-minute documentary is only available as
a Bonus Feature on the "Cirque du Soleil Presents Corteo" DVD (#14253,
UPC: 0-43396-14253-4) released on April 11, 2006. This DVD is in print
and available for purchase on the Cirque du Soleil Online Boutique. A
shortened version of the documentary (24 minutes long) was released on
the Limited Edition Corteo Soundtrack CD (CDSMCL-10025-2, UPC: 8-
74751-00045-5), which is no longer in print but can still be found.
20 Years Under the Sun (2004)
-----------------------------
In celebration of Cirque du Soleils 20th Anniversary in 2004, "20
Years Under the Sun" by the BBC/WGBH is a 60-minute retrospective on
the history of Cirque du Soleil; however, as a documentary theres
little to it. Most of the footage found within was directly lifted
from previously released DVDs. For example: we see clips of full acts
from Alegría, Quidam, Dralion, and Varekai as recorded and released to
DVD interspersed with a few words from Cirques creators. "20 Years
under the Sun" has not been released as either a stand-alone
documentary disc or as a bonus feature on another Cirque du Soleil
DVD, making it currently unavailable to purchase, although considering
where the content originated from... what would be the point?
KÀ Extreme (2005)
-----------------
The Story of the Creation of KÀ - an Epic Journey!
The KA Documentary is a compilation of discussions with the Director
and Creator of KA, Robert Lepage, and other creators, "behind the
scenes" folks, and artists from the show. We get insight from Lepage
as to how he came up with the vision of a show with inverted worlds
and anti-gravity. We hear from Mark Fisher, Theatre and Set Designer
for KA, how the theater came together and how everyone worked to
deliver a show performed not on a stage but in a void.
We see the renovation of the KA Theater at the MGM Grand and get some
insights as to its design and function. We see the moment the cast is
introduced to the stage and get a glimpse of their excitement as they
see it all come to life. We also see some of the particular safety
measures and challenges this show has given the designers and how
Cirque has come up with innovative solutions. Jonathan Deans, Sound
Designer, speaks about how big a part sound plays in the production,
and Holger Forterer, Interactive Projections Designer, speaks on the
show's ambitious visual effects. We hear from the designers and
directors of every aspect of the production, from lighting and rigging
to costume, makeup and technology, to name a few. We learn of the
challenges they faced and the innovative and creative solutions they
came up with to create the world of KA. And we also hear from several
of the artists and acrobats talking about the enormity of the
production, how it feels to be part of a show of this size and caliber
and how they had to overcome their own personal fears to perform "in
the void".
There are many excellent visuals from the production as well as
rehearsals. We see behind the scenes and learn a few of the secrets
that make this show so amazing. While no documentary could ever be
"complete", this one gives enough insight to provide a little more
understanding of the origins of the show as well as an appreciation
for the work you see (and the work that goes on behind the scenes).
The DVD also includes these Bonus Features:
o) "The Creators of KA" - 3 minutes - Basically a photo album of
the people who created, directed and supported the
production. There are also some interesting original concept
drawings
o) "Excerpts of the Music of KA". - There are two songs, "Cliff"
(6 minutes) and "Baton" (3:30), both composed by René Dupéré
and are on the KA CD.
"KÀ Extreme" was released as a stand-alone region one DVD (#CDS1DD20-
0001, UPC: 4-00005-06550-7) in 2005 and is currently in print and
available for purchase on the Cirque du Soleil Online Boutique.
# # #
In a future installment well conclude our overview on Cirque du
Soleil documentaries through the years by focusing on those produced
from 2006 through 2011.
Until next time!
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
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Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 12, Number 6 (Issue #101) - June 2012
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2012 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a
subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter
can be reproduced, published in any form or forum, quoted or
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Newsletter." "Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way
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Copyright (c) and are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil,
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infringement intended.
{ Jun.05.2012 }
=======================================================================
