Today was spent with the cast and crew of Cirque Du Soleil: OVO. They are performing February 16-19th at the Veteran’s Arena, and Spokane is the 34th city on their tour. Cirque Du Soleil evokes a sense of magic with their elite artists seamlessly fused with vibrant visuals and exotic music. The behind scenes tour offered a new perspective and a glimpse into the work and passion that goes into each show.
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| Cirque Du Soleil - OVO - © 2017 Mike Busby Photography |
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| Cirque Du Soleil - OVO - © 2017 Mike Busby Photography |
Our tour began with the rehearsal of one of the Silk-Spiders. He is from China, and at least a second generation artist and performer. He is coached by his mom - an artist and performer herself. As expected, his performance was incredible, but it was the warm up and pauses that struck me the most. Balancing is completely second nature to him, and it was surreal to watch him walk on the wire with the same casualness as one might lean against a wall.
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Backstage - Cirque Du Soleil - OVO - © 2017 Mike Busby Photography
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Backstage we saw the pre-show and rehearsal area. Cirque Du Soleil travels with 19 trucks, 50 performers, and about 25 technicians. They also hire another 60-80 local people to help with the show. Backstage has the equipment needed for warm up including weights, trampolines, wire gear, and bikes.
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| Cirque Du Soleil - OVO - © 2017 Mike Busby Photography |
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| Costumes - Cirque Du Soleil - OVO - © 2017 Mike Busby Photography |
The show has four full-time people that manage and repair the costumes. There are some 85 primary costumes that require constant attention, as well as back-ups. The costumes are washed after each performance, but most of them have accessories that need to be removed for washing and then reattached after drying.
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| Cirque Du Soleil - OVO -© 2017 Mike Busby Photography |
We then had the opportunity to watch the Dragon Fly rehearse, and it was in this rehearsal that I understood why Cirque Du Soleil shines. They train, they train, and then they train. The Dragon Fly was rehearsing, but in coordination with his coach and the stage manager for lighting and direction. Although they travel, they spend five days a week training and tweaking each performance. They constantly strive to improve their performance and to keep things fresh and interesting for each of the artists, as well as the audience.
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| Cirque Du Soleil - OVO - © 2017 Mike Busby Photography |
There was an unquestioned sense of coordination between the artists, coaches, and technicians. This is a fun group of professionals striving to improve themselves, their performance, and the show for their audience. This is a show to see, and the placement of the stage ensures a good view from every seat in the arena. I’m returning to Cirque Du Soleil Thursday night to watch the show, and I’ll return with a much deeper appreciation.
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| Cirque Du Soleil - OVO - © 2017 Mike Busby Photography |
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