Unexpected cirque-umstances

2013 sees the UK return of the most phenomenal performing organisation in the world – Cirque du Soleil. The company’s success since its beginning in 1984 has been extraordinary, and any one of the company’s millions of followers will recount endless words in its praise; from mystifying to spectacular. With all of the flips, twists, jumps and leaps involved in a performance at the Cirque, it is clear that ground-breaking gymnastics remains at the core of the company’s success; but what is it like for performers employed by Cirque du Soleil and what can a budding gymnast do to become a part of the excitement? Leeds-born gymnast Sarah Turner was scouted by the company from the age of 14, when she was spotted as a competing gymnast. At the age of 21 she was hired for the touring production Kooza and hasn’t looked back since. Her travels with the Cirque have taken her as far as Seattle, Miami and Tokyo; and along the way her fellow performers have become family. The Cirque takes care of their stars, giving them everything they need so that they can concentrate fully on their performance; this even includes a weekly Sunday brunch! “Nobody likes to work on a Sunday when performances are earlier than other days so it's nice to have the works: sausage, eggs, bacon, toast and cake... Although I always make the mistake of eating a little bit too much before the first show.” So how can a gymnast give themselves a chance at joining the Cirque? Well, the company employs a large team of talent scouts, each committed to searching the globe for future stars of the stage. Former gymnastics World Championship gold medallist Kristen Allen describes her first contact with one of Cirque du Soleil’s many talent scouts, and what she considers young gymnasts can do to get themselves noticed: “He contacted us two weeks after we sent in our letter of retirement to FIG (International Gymnastics Federation) to offer us a position in the show Viva ELVIS. It was the perfect transition. We were in Las Vegas just a month after we finished competing.” “Keep being passionate about the sport and develop the performance aspect of your routines. Also, consider taking some acting and dance classes on the side, because it will help your performance within the sport as well as in a future career.” To find out more about Cirque du Soleil click here For information on July’s UK touring show Alegría click here