Talent in a sunny frame. About the circus
On April 27, the legendary Canadian Circus of the Sun, also known as Cirque du Soleil, came to St. Petersburg with the “Varekai” program. Cirque du Soleil is an artistic combination of circus arts and street performances, as they position themselves. It was founded in 1984 by Guy Laliberte and Gilles Sainte-Croix and is based in Montreal, Canada. The circus is known for its principled refusal to involve animals in performances and for its synthetic performances that combine circus skills with music, whimsical design and choreography
The new program, which has already been successful in Moscow, is called “Varekai”, which in the language of the eternal wanderers, the gypsies, means “wherever”. This show honors the nature of nomads, the nomadic soul, the spirit and tradition of circus art and those who passionately seek the enchanted land of Varekai.
And today I attended his rehearsal, saw the actors and their costumes getting ready in the costume room, and even looked into the dressing room. I suggest you go and see everything!
2. Ekaterina is the PR director of a circus in Russia. A professional in her field, she answered my letter late at night 5 minutes after I sent it. If all PR people worked like her, then the events would be sold out and popular, for example.
Today's show has existed since 2002, was first demonstrated in Montreal, over 14 years it was shown in 130 cities, 23 countries around the world, and was seen by about 10 million people.
Director Dominique Champagne assembled the Varekai troupe of 50 artists and musicians from 19 countries. According to legend, a lonely young man falls from heaven to earth, and the story of Varekai begins. Finding himself among the shadows of a mysterious forest, in a colorful world of fantastic creatures, he plunges into
a stormy stream of adventures, both impossible and incredible. On the edge of time, in a world where everything and even more is possible, an inspired hymn sounds to the rethinking of life and the newfound miracle hidden at the core of the universe and our soul.
Varekai is born from the fusion of dramatic and acrobatic arts. Talent and power, placed in a stunning stage space and framed by vibrant music, turn the impossible into the real, telling their story through the language of choreography - that universal language of the human body. The pendulum of time will swing back, and we will see ancient and rare
traditions of Georgian dance. And then Varekai will take us into the future with its innovative disciplines, including the “Russian swing” and the number on a slippery surface.
5. Number called "Flight of Icarus". Caught in the net, without losing his flexibility, grace and emotionality, the young man performs dizzying stunts, trying to break free.
6. During a rehearsal, artists don’t even always need music to practice this or that trick. But from time to time compositions from the show were played.
7. No insurance or anchorages. I don’t know how it will be during the official show, but I think it will be possible without them there too.
8. Fernando is a flexible and dexterous artist, and he has already managed to walk around the city and appreciate Petrograd.
9. Number "Dancing trapeze". Poised high above the stage or flying above it, the young girl performs a series of movements that demonstrate her flexibility and strength.
In 1984, Cirque du Soleil employed 73 people. Today, the Cirque du Soleil team worldwide numbers almost 4,000 people, including 1,300 artists. Cirque du Soleil employs people from 100 professions.
10. Installation of the stage and decorations takes 12 hours. Dismantling takes 4 hours. Everything moves from city to city on their own trucks, of which there are 40 units. Artists travel by plane and spend the night in hotels.
11. Artists are hired from all over the world; first, those who want to be in the troupe send a video by email, and after that, if they are interested in the candidates, they are invited to the headquarters in Montreal.
12. When working on the music for Varekai, Violaine Corradi looked for inspiration in the bottomless heritage of ethnic music. Each piece of music is a mixture or interweaving of different cultures, which are often difficult to identify. To create the unique musical universe of Varekai, Violaine Corradi combined the sounds of Hawaiian ritual ceremonies, the songs of 11th century troubadours from the south of France, traditional Armenian melodies and gospel songs, combining
all this with modern arrangements.
14. The musical group of 7 people includes a group leader and a keyboard player, a second keyboard player, a drummer, a percussionist, a bassist, a violinist, a wind player, as well as two vocalists - a man (Patriarch) and a woman (Muse). Almost all Cirque du Soleil shows feature live music. Unlike musicals, where the performers must strictly follow the score, in a Cirque du Soleil show the musicians adapt to what is happening on stage. For this reason, the band director, musicians, vocalists and sound specialists are constantly in contact with each other during the show.
18. This man at the top controls the flying cables, it’s better not to quarrel with him)
19. Number "Air belts". The two performers glide smoothly through the air above the stage, demonstrating amazingly precise synchronization of acrobatic movements and strength. As a duet, their silhouettes merge high above the stage.
20. The guys are both Russian-speaking, originally from Transnistria. They have a lot of charm)
Cirque du Soleil's performers and staff represent nearly 50 countries and speak 25 languages. In 2015, nearly 15 million people saw Cirque du Soleil shows.
Stephane Roy set himself the task of setting the scenography so that all elements were in harmony with the poetic language of the production: costumes, drama and music of the Varekai show
The Varekai universe consists of: a forest, a stage, a crossing bridge, an observation tower. We saw the forest and the stage, and the rest was already in the show.
24. The design of the Varekai suits required innovative technical solutions to ensure safety and comfort. Experienced craftsmen were engaged in the manufacture of original costumes, spending at least 33,000 hours on this difficult work!
We move on to the backstage, where the artists prepare and rest before their performances.
25. The “heads” of the costumes are in special cabinets that are transported by truck.
26. To prevent long dresses from becoming wrinkled and disturbing anyone, they were hung at the very top.
27. Actor masks.
28. Don’t walk on the blue carpet)
29. The helium balloon will apparently take off.
30. Swing for the corresponding trick.
31. The table at which the artists apply their make-up. Average preparation time is about an hour.
32. The entire video performance is recorded on cameras, and then the details are reviewed by the artists themselves.
The main material for costumes is lycra. The shelf life of some costumes is 6 months. Others are replaced after a few patches.
34. The show's wardrobe includes 600 items of clothing, shoes, wigs, hats and accessories. Keeping costumes in perfect working order while on tour requires up to 250 hours of work per week.
35. Cleaning, repairing, ironing clothes, caring for shoes, hats and other accessories
is handled by a permanent team of 4 people who travel with the tour, and another 2 people who are hired locally in each tour city. Singer machine - fire)
All items fit into 58 boxes on wheels and are transported in two and a half trucks. 7 washing machines and 3 dryers travel with them.
36. Costumes are tailored for each actor. The abs that we see on this suit are the real ones of the actor who wears this outfit)
37. "Spare parts" of the main suits. If it cannot be repaired, it is re-embroidered in Montreal.
38. All costumes are made specifically for specific artists. Most of them are created at the company's international headquarters located in Montreal. This laboratory, unique in North America, employs about 300 craftsmen of various professions - shoemakers, textile designers, lacemakers, tailors, hatmakers and tailors.
39. Threads for every taste!
40. Michael Smith - art director of the circus. In addition to all the organizational work, he also sings well)
Cirque du Soleil's mission is to stimulate the imagination, awaken the senses and stir up the emotions of people around the world!
The circus tour will take place in St. Petersburg from April 27 to May 8, 2016 at the Ice Palace. Tickets for the Varekai show can be purchased on the website
Cirque du Soleil
Performance in Vienna, 2004
Circus of the Sun employs more than 4,000 people working in different groups, which allows the company to perform shows in several places around the world at the same time. Performs spectacular performances, staged in an arena under a temporary tent (tent), in a permanent circus arena, as well as on a theater stage. The circus's annual revenue exceeds $600 million.
They say about the Circus of the Sun that it breathed new life into circus art. Along with popular music superstars, he entertained audiences at the 74th Academy Awards, the 50th Grammy Awards and Super Bowl XLI. His achievements were awarded with the leading awards of the circus world, and the recording of one of their shows also received an Emmy television award. In 2009, in Moscow, this circus opened the final of the Eurovision music competition. In 2010, part of the performance was shown at the Scarlet Sails festival in St. Petersburg. In 2010, the circus performed at the EC conference. In 2011, a small part of the group with several numbers performed in the program of the Rosneft company and the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee - “Rosneft! Ecology! Health!" (first performance in the city of Nefteyugansk). In 2012, the circus performed at the opening ceremony of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Azerbaijan.
Productions in chronological order
Many of the titles of the Circus of the Sun performances are proper names and do not need translation.
- 1984 Le Grand Tour (Big Adventure)
- 1987 Le Cirque Reinventé (A reinvented circus)
- 1990 Nouvelle Expérience (New experience)
- 1990 Fascination (Charm)
- 1992 Saltimbanco (Wandering Acrobat) (first production in the tent)
- 1993 Mystere (Magic)
- 1994 Alegria (Joy, Fun)
- 1996 Quidam (Someone)
- 1998 "O"(Au, Water)
- 1998 La Nouba (Party, waste your life)
- 1999 Dralion (Drakolev)
- 2002 Varekai("Wherever")
- 2003 Zumanity
- 2004 KÀ
- 2005 Corteo (Cortege)
- 2006 Delirium (Rave)
- 2006 Love (Love)
- 2007 Koozå
- 2007 Saltimbanco(the performance has been restored to the permanent arena)
- 2007 Wintuk
- 2008 CRISS ANGEL Believe
- 2008 Zaia
- 2008 Zed
- 2009 Ovo (Egg) - an “exciting” journey into the world of insects filled with energy and constant movement
- 2010 Banana Shpeel
- 2010 Totem (Totem)
- 2010 Viva Elvis
- 2011 IRIS
- 2011 Zarkana
- 2011 Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour
- 2012 Amaluna
Saltimbanco
Saltimbanco - from the Italian "saltare in banco", which literally means "to jump on a bench" - explores city life in its myriad manifestations: the people who live here, the things they love and hate, families and groups, the hustle and bustle of the streets and huge skyscrapers. Moving from whirlwind to calm and from daring to poetry, Saltimbanco takes the audience on a walk through the city center full of allegories and acrobatic stunts.
Saltimbanco is Cirque du Soleil's signature show, inspired by the urban fabric of the metropolis and its picturesque inhabitants. Undoubtedly baroque in design, the eclectic cast of characters takes viewers into a whimsical, fairy-tale world, into an imaginary city where diversity acts as a bastion of hope.
Mystere
Alegria
A baroque ode to the energy, grace and strength of youth Alegría is a mood, a state of mind. The themes of the show, whose name means "jubilation" in Spanish, are many. Power and the handing down of power over time, the evolution from ancient monarchies to modern democracies, old age, youth - it is against this backdrop that the characters of Alegría play out their lives. Kings" fools, minstrels, beggars, old aristocrats and children make up its universe, along with the clowns, who alone are able to resist the passing of time and the social transformations that accompany it.
Quidam
A story about a girl's escape into a world of dreams and imagination
Zumanity
Varekai
Deep in the forest, on top of a volcano, there is an unusual world - a world where the most amazing things happen. A world called Varekai. The word "varekai" in the language of the gypsies - these vagabonds who wander around the world - means "wherever", "anywhere". This production is dedicated to the spirit of the nomads, the art and atmosphere of the circus, its traditions, and the unquenchable passion of those whose lot takes them along the path leading to Varekai.
KÀ
Corteo
LOVE
Koozå
CRISS ANGEL Believe
ZAİA
OVO
Immersion in the world of endless energy of insects.
TOTEM
Viva Elvis
Zarkana
The main character of the show, the wizard Zark, experiences the disappearance of his beloved, and with her his magical gift. He asks higher powers to return his love. Together with Zark, viewers are transported to a fantastic and unknown world populated by mysterious, multi-faceted characters; a world in which the boundaries between reality and imagination are blurred.
see also
Notes
Links
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See what "Cirque du Soleil" is in other dictionaries:
Cirque du Soleil- Inc. Type Private company Industry Entertainment Founded 1984 Founder(s) ... Wikipedia
Cirque Du Soleil
Cirque du soleil- Logo de Cirque du Soleil Création 1984 Fondateur(s) Guy Laliberté Daniel Gauthier … Wikipédia en Français
Cirque du Soleil- Inc. Lema Invoke Provoke Evoke Invocar Provocar Evocar Tipo ... Wikipedia Español
Cirque du Soleil- Cirque de Soleil Logo Dralion in Wien Ci … Deutsch Wikipedia
Cirque du Soleil- Ne doit pas être confondu avec Théâtre du Soleil. Logo de Cirque du Soleil … Wikipédia en Français
Cirque du soleil- bisherige Program 1. Cirque du Soleil 1984 1985 2. La Magie continue 1986 3. We Reinvent The Circus 1987 1990 4. Nouvelle Expérience 1990 1993 5. Fascination … Deutsch Wikipedia
- ... Wikipedia
Cirque du Soleil discography- The following discography is a catalog of the albums and singles released by the Canadian entertainment company Cirque du Soleil. The majority of these musical works are studio recordings of compositions from the original scores of Cirque du... ... Wikipedia
"It's better than the thrill of the wheels." "I laughed so hard I almost peed myself." “I beat my hands and lost my voice. Today is the happiest day of my life.” "I will never be able to go to other circuses again."
Such entries are left by spectators in the guest book of the Canadian “Cirque du Soleil” (“Cirque du Soleil” or translated as “Circus of the Sun”).
His nine different shows are shown simultaneously in different parts of the world.
Today Toronto hosts one of the most deserved performances of this circus - the Alegria show. From August 19 to September 26, the blue tent will welcome spectators on Ontario Place in the city center.
It is curious that among the 50 artists performing on stage, more than half are from countries of the former Soviet Union. In other troupes the percentage is smaller, but still impressive. I wonder why there are so many Russians there, and how our fellow countrymen influence the development of modern circus?
Circus organism and its history
Cirque du Soleil is today the most powerful circus body in the world. It is an empire with an annual turnover of half a billion dollars, with a huge headquarters in Montreal, as well as offices in Las Vegas and other cities. More than 2000 employees, 600 of whom are artists. Since 1984, when this circus was founded with the support of the Quebec authorities, its performances have been seen by more than 25 million spectators. More than three hundred creative workers continually work to create 20,000 hats, costumes, boots and accessories for existing shows as well as for new productions.
In 2000, based on the performances, a feature film was made in 3D-IMAX format, “The Journey of Man,” which is now showing in many countries.
The idea of creating this circus was born in the first half of the 80s, among young Canadian circus friends, among whom was the current president of the company (at that time a fire eater) Gil la Liberte. In 1985, a new concept for breaking the circus genre into the future was invented, a troupe was assembled and it was decided that the scope of creative ideas should correspond to the level of universal human values.
At different times, the Circus created 14 shows, each with its own “magical” plot, color scheme, original music, and characteristic characters. The fusion of theatrical aesthetics with the spectacular atmosphere of the circus and the refusal to use trained animals formed the basis of their creative style.
In 1994, the talented Belgian director Franco Dragone staged the show “Alegria,” which immediately won a triumphant success that has not waned for ten years in a row.
Why are there so many Russians there?
The most popular numbers in "Alegria" - flights under the dome (9 people) and "Russian bars" ("Throwing poles", 10 people) - were created in purely Russian traditions by Moscow directors Andrei Lev, Alexander Moiseev and Pavel Brun.
In the "Fast track" number (jumping on a trampoline track), most of our acrobats also perform the most difficult tricks. Russian artists are also distinguished by a rare ability for creative invention, active invention for the sake of constant improvement of performances. Again, excellent health, quick adaptability and diligence.
Further. During one of their trips around the world in the early 90s, the circus leaders met Vyacheslav Polunin, the leader of the famous Leningrad clown-mime theater "Litsedei", with his special style of lyrical clowning, which arose from a fusion of different genres. This includes Russian buffoonery, comedy del arto, street theater, pantomime by Marcel Marceau, Chapliniana, the art of Buster Keaton, Leonid Yengibarov, etc. Slava became the first Russian clown invited to the Circus for a long period of time. After him, at different times, four more “Actors” signed contracts, and adherents of this aesthetics were also attracted. So the clowns there are of Russian origin. There are simply no such characters anywhere else.
The property of the nation has become the property of the world, and this is wonderful.
Direct impressions with attempts to comprehend them
From a letter to a friend:
The huge blue and yellow tent with two and a half thousand seats looks like a fairy-tale mirage with high pointed tents. In the forward foyer there is a whole area with a cafe, buffet rooms for VIP guests, shops where you can buy CDs and videos of performances, various posters, branded ties, mugs, T-shirts, caps, umbrellas, etc. Such a nice detail: the show’s colorful booklets contain photographic portraits of all the creators and participants, indicating each name, date of birth and country of residence (the ages of representatives from 13 countries range from 9 to 63 years).
The show at Cirque du Soleil is built on the principle of an opera production or a movie; the action does not sag for a second. There is no vicious practice of “we play here, but we don’t play here, but we mount the props.” The set design is multi-layered, as in Bejart's ballets - many characters simultaneously inhabit their layers of space. Each of the characters is a fantastic character with its own story and purpose. Light is a multi-colored living organism, sometimes flashing joyfully, sometimes mysterious and gloomy, sometimes winking slyly.
Music is a special conversation. The Circus has its own talented composer who composes music for performances, Rene Dupere. The singer is a full-fledged character in the performance. Her live voice is heard throughout the show.
Behind, on a raised platform, sit the orchestra members - sugary white birds with funny noses and crests. The show begins with a small hunchback in a bright purple velvet tuxedo with a round spider belly and a vest studded with large diamonds climbing onto the stage.
By the way, all the costumes created by the craftswoman Dominique Lemieux can be called this word, almost forgotten in our everyday life, “luxurious”. It is said that the 18th century style outfits and leather masks of the “Old Birds” cost about 10,000 USD for each set.
Interestingly, there is no traditional circus arena here, but there is a gently sloping stage with a large diamond-shaped podium that can extend upward circles and cross, opening a trampoline track for acrobats.
The action is led by a hunchback and a flock of the aforementioned pompous “Old Birds”, who swagger as sort of decadent aristocrats. They are disguised uniformists, introduced into the plot on equal terms with the rest of the show's participants. In constant antagonism with the hunchback, the chief of the birds, clumsy and slow in his brilliant outfit, with two lush tufts of delicate feathers above his ears. Subsequently, he unexpectedly turns out to be one of the acrobats spinning in somersaults on a trampoline "fast truck". From time to time, squadrons of angels rush across the stage and a singer floats with her retinue of nymphs.
Yes, I forgot to say that “Alegria” means “Joy”, and also: in this circus, there are fundamentally no animals in all shows.
Numbers offered to the public: synchronized trapeze, acrobatics on trampoline tracks, juggling with torches, clowning, gutta-percha girls, strongman, flying under the big top, throwing poles - everything sounds quite traditional, but!..
There is an atmosphere of a magical theater in which anything is possible. An unusual and very beautiful choreographic solution for all numbers and combinations. The rhythm, drive, and syncopation in the characters’ movements are so breathtaking. Sometimes it seems that, due to the speed and density of somersaults, the trajectories of acrobats merge into a single blurry phantom, and their final gestures seem sparkling. The professionalism of the artists and their aerobatics are ultra-class. From time to time you want to grab your neighbor by the lapel and ask how it is possible that what they are doing is possible.
The action flows in a single stream, in which there are rapids and quiet backwaters.
For example, clowns are not buffoonery; rather, on the contrary, they are lyrical and philosophical meditation. The unique aesthetic was initially set by Slava Polunin, who at one time headed the famous clown-mime theater “Litsedei” in Russia.
The culmination of the multi-step clownery is the number “Storm” he invented, in which the main character (Spanish Yuri Medvedev), getting ready for the trip, climbs with one hand into a raincoat hanging on a hanger under his hat and cleans his floors with a brush. Suddenly, like in a thriller, the cloak comes to life, alienating the clown's hand, and does not let go, taking away the brush. The poor clown dies in quiet horror, and the coat suddenly strokes him, removes specks of dust from his shoulder, kisses him like a woman and quietly slips a note into his jacket. But the departure whistle sounds, the clown breaks free, runs to the suitcase, puts on a black hat that smokes like a chimney, and circles the stage like a train. Out of breath, he sits down on the suitcase, takes out a handkerchief, sees a note that has fallen out, reads it eagerly... Then he slowly tears it up and sadly throws the pieces up. They swirl like snowflakes, and after them light paper snow falls from above, turning into a thick continuous shaft.
After a minute of increasing howling wind, an apocalyptic storm begins. A dazzling spotlight and a wind turbine shine into the eyes of the hall, which blows paper snowdrifts all the way to the top tier of the tent. Thunderous music. Complete spectator catharsis. Hysterical ovation. Intermission.
After the end of the show, people need at least 15 minutes to clap and whistle to their heart's content, especially during the final number, when the artists run to the very edge of the stage and rip off their masks.
Viewer rating
The global success of the circus, achieved in just 20 years, is due to excellent leadership, a powerful artistic concept and extraordinary aesthetics, the high skill of all show creators and artists, the latest technical equipment, and, as a consequence of all of the above, basic monetary wealth. The influence of this example on the rest of the circus world cannot be overestimated, and we have the right to be proud of our compatriots who, with their art, amaze so many spectators in all parts of the world.
It’s not for nothing that they write in different languages in the guest book:
“Give your girls my phone number, let them all call whenever they want, I love you forever.”
"I could watch this 10 more times in a row..."
"Visual orgasm"
"Your show helped me understand who I really am. I want to thank you for the deep shock I experienced - for drawing me into excitement, love, laughter, freedom and dreams."
Irina Terentyeva.
Visitors to an ordinary performance of the famous Cirque du Soleil, held in Las Vegas, witnessed.
Death in "Circus of the Sun"
In the midst of the performance, the 31-year-old acrobat Sarah Guillard-Guillot performed her part of the program at high altitude. The girl's number was coming to an end. According to eyewitnesses, the acrobat was on the edge of a high stage and removed the safety ropes.
The next moment, for reasons that are not entirely clear, the artist fell down from 15 meters. It is quite possible that she simply stumbled.
Everything happened so unexpectedly and quickly that part of the public considered this fall to be one of the numbers in the program.
As often happens in such extreme situations, those present described what happened next differently. Some claim that a terrible scream was heard, after which a colleague of the broken artist began to cry right on stage, after which it became clear that something extremely serious had happened. Others say that her partners did not immediately notice the acrobat who had fallen into the pit behind the stage, so the program continued for a few more minutes.
The girl was conscious, but doctors who arrived at the scene found she had severe injuries. The victim was sent to the hospital, and the performance was stopped.
Despite all the efforts of the doctors, the acrobat died from her injuries. In the almost 30-year history of Cirque du Soleil, this is the first such tragic incident.
In connection with the incident, the circus management announced the cancellation of all planned performances in Las Vegas.
31-year-old Sarah Guillard-Guillot was an experienced professional whose experience exceeded 20 years, so the version about the artist’s insufficient preparation has no basis.
Most successful project
Created in 1984 in Canada Guy Laliberte And Daniel Gauthier Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun) is considered the most successful circus project of recent decades. The total number of participants in the circus troupe reaches 4000 people. Divided into separate artistic groups, they give simultaneous performances in several countries around the world.
The best representatives of circus art from around the world are invited to participate in the spectacular performances of Cirque du Soleil.
A distinctive feature of Cirque du Soleil is that its performances do not contain , for which the circus enjoys special respect among animal rights activists.
Despite the extraordinary success of the Circus of the Sun, in January 2013 it underwent staff reductions - 400 people were fired at once. Representatives of the circus noted that there has been a slight decrease in profits due to the fact that the costs of staging new performances are constantly growing.
In the fall of 2012, it became known about the death in Mexico of a Russian member of the Cirque du Soleil troupe, a 35-year-old Russian acrobat. Anton Alferov. However, the tragedy that happened to him has no direct relation either to the “Circus of the Sun” or to circus art in general.
A Russian resident permanently residing in Mexico was detained on the beach in Acapulco for some administrative offense and placed in a cell at the police station. Further, according to the Mexican police, the artist “went crazy” and began beating his head and other parts of his body against the toilet, walls, and bars, resulting in severe injuries to himself. Delivered to the hospital, Alferov died from heavy blood loss. Mexican authorities insisted that the incident was a suicide.
Life on the edge of the abyss
Spectators, accustomed to watching the most complex acrobatic tricks in the circus, sometimes do not fully realize how serious a risk the performers expose themselves to.
Meanwhile, cases where participants in circus performances are seriously injured are not uncommon.
In the fall of 2012, at the capital's Circus Arts Center, an experienced 26-year-old gymnast, while performing a somersault, landed unsuccessfully on her head and received severe injuries. The girl was taken to the hospital with fractures of the cervical vertebrae, and doctors fought for her life. Thanks to the efforts of doctors, not only the girl’s life was saved, but also her professional career - after a rehabilitation course, she will be able to return to the arena.
In the spring of 2013, a Kenyan trapeze artist was seriously injured during a performance at the Great Moscow Circus on Vernadsky Avenue. From under the circus dome, he fell onto a special safety net, but it could not withstand the load and burst, as a result of which the artist was injured from hitting the arena. According to experts, such an incident with a safety net is absolutely unique both in Russian and in world practice.
Fortunately, the doctors rose to the occasion here too - the gymnast not only saved his life, but will also be able to return to his work.
However, not all such cases end at least relatively well. In December 2008, a Russian trapeze artist Ravshan Alimov crashed at Blackpool Tower Circus in Lancashire, England. While performing a dangerous stunt, 24-year-old Alimov fell from a 6-meter height and was hit on the head. The gymnast was taken to intensive care, where he died the next day.
Death of Toffee
Those who are older remember well the star of the Soviet children's television program "ABVGDeyka" clown Iriska. Underneath this image was a circus performer. Irina Asmus.
Irina Asmus was an extremely versatile person. After graduating from circus school, she began her career as a tightrope walker, but after a serious injury she was forced to interrupt her performances in the arena. After this, Asmus entered the theater, where she brilliantly established herself as a dramatic actress.
But the circus still prevailed, and Irina Asmus returned to the arena again, now as a clown. It was in this image that she ended up on television, where she starred in ABCDake for seven years. At this moment, the popularity of Butterscotch could be compared with the popularity of pop stars.
After filming the TV show ended, Iriska continued performing in the circus. The tragedy occurred on March 15, 1986 in Gomel. During the performance of her act, Toffee was lifted under the circus dome on the so-called “neck loop”. However, during the ascent, the rotation mechanism failed, as a result of which the artist fell down from an 8-meter height.
44-year-old Irina Asmus died from her injuries right in the arena, in front of shocked spectators.
Circus is the surprised eyes of children and adults. However, the circus is not only happiness, not only joy, not only strength, dexterity and laughter. Circus is hard and persistent work. What can we say if this is the best circus in the world – Cirque du Soleil.
The company was founded in 1984 and is located in Canada. Circus of the Sun employs more than 4,000 people working in different groups, which allows the company to perform shows in several parts of the world at the same time. Performs spectacular performances. The circus's annual revenue exceeds $600 million.
They say about the "Circus of the Sun" that it breathed new life into circus art. Along with popular music superstars, he entertained audiences at the 74th Academy Awards and the 50th Grammy Awards. His achievements were awarded with the leading awards of the circus world, and the recording of one of their shows also received an Emmy television award.
Millions of young viewers dream of attending this legendary show. After all, the troupe included the most famous circus performers. There are former Olympians and the best actors here.
Circus artists Zbigniew Bachor, Katerina Kuzenkova and Evgeniy Kurkin shared how to become dexterous, strong and at the same time delight the audience.
1. How did you get involved with Cirque du Soleil?
2. What kind of routines do you perform in Cirque du Soleil and which one is the most difficult for you?
3. How many hours a day do you rehearse? How are rehearsals going?
4. What is your daily routine?
5. Do you follow any diets or special nutrition?
6. Have you been injured during rehearsals or performances?
7. It probably happens that you are overcome by fear of this or that trick. How do you fight fear?
8. Do you have families? Do they support your career choice?
9. How difficult was it to adapt to a foreign country?
10. What do you plan to do in the future, after CdS?
Zbigniew Bachor, Poland.
1. I started working for Cirque du Soleil in 1995. I sent my video to the casting department, and literally a couple of months later they called me and offered me to work in the show "Saltimbanco". I'm the main "old-timer" on the tour.
2. I work as part of group acts, the so-called “house troupe”. We make "Chinese poles" and "Russian swings". Previously, I also performed in the “Banshee” act. I have my own character - one of the rebels, this is a bird.
3. We rehearse for about two hours a day. I arrive at the venue, eat, put on makeup, warm up - the availability of training depends on the artistic schedule - and off I go to the stage. The head coach and the artistic director's group work with me and my colleagues from the "home troupe".
4. Sometimes, before work, I swim in the pool or go for a run around the city. I like to explore new cities, I enjoy going for walks, but after a performance I go straight to bed.
5. I really love seafood and sushi. I try to avoid sugar, I only use it as an exception. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink and I don’t party until night - I try to take care of my health and get proper rest.
6. Thank God, I have never had major injuries, only minor ones.
7. I don't feel fear. I've been doing this for so many years that all my fears are behind me.
8. Yes, there is. My family - my wife and two children - live in Poland, my homeland. I come to them during breaks between tours, but when the show performed under its own dome, they went with me.
9. This is not difficult for me - I am a flexible person. Moreover, I enjoy exploring new cities and countries, cultures, languages and natural beauty around the world.
10. So far I have no such plans.
Evgeny Kurkin, Russia.
1. Cirque du Soleil found me on its own. At gymnastics competitions in Russia, where I competed, they offered me an audition. Then they called me back and asked me to come to the company headquarters in Montreal for general training. In 2010 I was offered to join the "house troupe" of Saltimbanco.
2. For me personally, the most difficult number was “Banshee” - before coming here I had never done anything like this. Now I really like it!
3. The presence or absence of training during the week is determined by our schedule. On the day when we have one performance, we, of course, rehearse more. I warm up for at least 30 minutes before going on stage.
4. Depending on your training schedule. First of all, I like to sleep. Then I try to walk around the city, and after that I go to work. I eat on the set, where we train, then I put on makeup, warm up and go on stage.
5. Sometimes you can afford to eat everything - I love desserts - but more often you have to pull yourself together and eat less.
6. Thank God I never had any injuries.
7. Anxiety is normal. New numbers and elements can, of course, instill fear, but the main thing is to concentrate and not let fear paralyze yourself.
8. My mother lives in Orel, Russia. She misses me, but she is very happy that I became part of Cirque du Soleil.
9. It’s hard for me to get used to it - everything is new every time: time, food, culture. Everything is different!
10. For now, I want to stay with Cirque du Soleil as long as possible and work in shows with this company.
Katerina Kuzenkova, Belarus.
1. I have been doing acrobatic jumps on the track for many years. I performed as part of the national team, and at some point I sent my DVD to Cirque du Soleil, and they invited me to be part of the show.
2. I perform as part of a “house troupe”, so I perform “Russian Swings” and “Chinese Poles”. The hardest thing for me was combining my acrobatic skills and artistry. It was especially difficult at the beginning, but that made it even more interesting.
3. Everyone's training schedule is different. Everyone deals with their own things on an individual level. For the numbers that we perform together on stage, certain training times are assigned during the week, and our task is to be there on time. We have coaches for every major acrobatic act, and of course we rehearse everything together as a troupe.
4. I try to get enough sleep. Although my schedule is somewhat different from other artists, as I also serve as a strength coach in addition to my duties as an artist.
5. No diets!
6. Risk is part of our profession. But it is very important that the tour has a physiotherapist who is responsible for our well-being and makes sure that we are in shape before each performance.
7. Honestly, no. I can sometimes worry and worry, but I try to pull myself together and give my 100th.
8. My family and friends are very supportive. I am terribly grateful to them! Mom loves Cirque du Soleil, and when she has time, she happily travels with me around the world.
9. I have my own rules and my own schedule, so it’s easy for me to adapt to the next country.
10. I will be a coach. I hope you are a good coach!
