Cirque de Soleil

[Guest TheEvilGosling]

Hello,

 

This isn't strictly focused on ballet, so if it's an innappropriate topic, I apologize But it is about dance in general.

 

What I'm asking is this - if a person wanted to perform with a traveling group like Cirque du Soleil, that's heavy on acrobatics as well as various forms of dance, how would a person have the best chance of achieving that goal? What are the things to focus on? It's an unlikely dream, but one well worth striving for, I think...it seems like a lot of performers there have a heavy background in ballet and modern dance as well as gymnastics-like stuff?

[Victoria Leigh]

I would think that both gymnastics and ballet would be the key forms for something like Cirque du Soleil. One would need the ballet training for shape and line, use of legs and feet and upper body, and the gymnastics for the extreme flexibility. However, if one does not have extreme flexibility to begin with, I would doubt that Cirque would be a realistic goal.

[Guest TheEvilGosling]

Hmm...extreme flexibility? How extreme? I think with a lot of hard work it could be improved upon, right?

[maksimate]

When i went to my doctor a while ago, he was explaining that most of the members of Cirque du Soleil actually have a genetic flaw that allows them to do some of those amazing moves.

I believe he said that your spine is made up of "donuts" of bone essentially and in the members of Cirque du Soleil most of those "donuts" aren't completely closed up, which allows for super duper flexibility.

I think maybe with a lot of work it could be improved, however it would be marginal compared to what Cirque du Soleil can do. When you look at documentries about them and stuff, they all start REALLY young in serious gymnastics... so yeah.

[Victoria Leigh]

If one does not have natural extreme flexibility, it can be improved, but improved enough for Cirque du Soleil? I would doubt it.

[Mel Johnson]

The best way to train? I've always liked the NY-Washington Acela Express, but then, that's just me.

[mom1]

Cirque du Soleil hires acts and a variety of backgrounds. Not all of them depend on extreme flexibility. I know someone who was offered a job with Cirque du Soleil based on his martial arts stunts. They wanted him for a variation of this martial arts background. I believe you are given a rehearsal period to perfect your act and then final cuts are made before they go on tour. The girls with the one armed handstands and paperclip backs are just one part of the show.

 

If you are actually interested, I would contact them and ask what types of background and skills they look for at their auditions. They audition like everyone else and this would give you a realistic idea if this is an attainable goal.

[Guest TheEvilGosling]

Meh...thank you all for replying. I know the topic's really kind of dumb, but I am serious about it. I took gymnastics and dance as a child, have taken a long break, and am now re-starting at age seventeen. I absolutely fell in love with Cirque du Soleil when I saw Varekai, and I am very much hoping that with some luck and a lot of hard work I can find a way to qualify as a performer and tour with them. It's depressing to hear about the genetic flaw...oh, well. I guess I'll try and contact them

[ConstanzaElisabeth]

In a recent dance magazine, it mightve been Dance or Pointe, there was an article about Cirque du Soleil auditions. they had people there with any sort of performance talent-breakdancers, ballet dancers, gymnasts, maybe even jugglers...i dont remember it exactly and i dont have it with me to tell you which it is, but maybe you can find it in archives somewhere or someone will have it...

[Skittl1321]

Have you seen the Cirque employment website?

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSole...cer/default.htm

(This is specifically about dancers... there are links at the top for more.)

 

And if you want, they also have backstage jobs!

Edited September 14, 2004 by Skittl1321