Cirque du Soleil

Would you like to experience something new? Are you dreaming of seeing uniqueness and creativity in their purest forms? Then attending a Cirque du Soleil show might be your cup of tea!

I'm sure you've heard of it already. Cirque du Soleil is a circus, whose incredible shows full of acrobacy, dancing and music have enchanted thousands of people since their first tour of the US in 1987.

The company was established in the 1980's, when a group of jugglers, dancers, fire breathers and musicians decided to show their talents to the inhabitants of a little village in Canada - Baie-Saint-Paul. However, they didn't stay there for long - a major success of their shows enabled this crew to move their big top over to the US and, at the dawn of the 1990's, finally to Europe.

And what does Cirque du Soleil even mean? It translates to English as The Circus of the Sun. The company was dubbed like this by one of the members, Guy Laliberté, because, as he explained; "The sun symbolizes youth, energy and strength." And that's exactly what you can expect from the shows.

Cirque du Soleil is the home of talented and creative artists from all over the world. The team consists of 1300 artists from 55 different countries, so the work environment is really diverse. The members of the cast come from various backgrounds: 35 % of them are sportsmen such as gymnasts, tumblers, divers and swimmers. 34 % come from circus arts disciplines and the rest of the crew are artists of all kinds; dancers, musicians, actors and street artists.

However, there are much more people behind the curtains of this magical big top. Just the International Headquarters in Montreal is a workplace of nearly 400 craftspeople and specialists, who, everyday, try to find new ways how to enhance the performances of individual artists and make the shows even better and more enchanting.

And who helps to bring the best ideas to life? Besides the performers themselves, there is a whole team focusing solely on the visual side of the shows: a creative director, writer-director, choreographers and costume, lighting and set designers. Nevertheless, it's not just about the outstanding visuals. Just as important is the musical aspect - music has a great impact on the shows as well. By singing (always performed LIVE!) and playing music written by one of the composers, the creators try to capture the theme of the show, intensify the magical atmosphere and amplify the spectator experience at the same time.

What is also worth mentioning is the company's approach to environmental issues. All the shows are animal free, yet they can still keep their exotic nature. The headquarters in Montreal are surrounded by a vast food garden with shrubs, apple trees and rose bushes and the herbs and vegetables grown there are used as ingredients for preparing meals for employees.

So, if the answer to my initial question is YES, then go ahead and buy a ticket to one of their shows. A great experience guaranteed!

Barbora Trnková

Edited by DV