Getting into Cirque

Canada’s world-famous Cirque du Soleil is not your typical big top spectacle. With 22 shows around the world, it has become an international sensation. But getting into a Cirque du Soleil production is no small feat. Thousands try out every year hoping they will make the cut – but only a select few ever do.

Finding performers of a high enough calibre falls to Cirque’s team of scouts. Together, they form the largest casting department in the world.

“We are looking for the pearls of the world,” says Giulio Scatola, a dance scout for Cirque. “We are looking for the diamonds in the rough.”

Stacy Clark, also a scout, is responsible for finding athletic talent. That discipline makes up more than 50% of all performers in Cirque du Soleil. “We will look anywhere we need to look to find the most exciting, best technically, best innovation, whatever it is, all over the world,” Clark says.

Once a performer is scouted, they are invited to a Cirque audition. Open calls are held for all disciplines– dancing, acting, gymnastics – even extreme sports. Athletes who make it through a successful audition are invited to Cirque’s headquarters in Montreal for general training. It is the final qualifying hurdle before being cast in a show.

“Most of these athletes I would say nine times out of ten, have never done what they’re about to do in their life,” says Mitch Head, a coach at Cirque’s headquarters.

Athletes accustomed to traditional gymnastics apparatuses like uneven bars, rings and tumbling have to learn entirely new skills and new apapratus. They are also pushed on their artistry in order to make the transition from competitive athlete to circus performer.

“It’s everything put together,” says Mitch. “All the tools they’ve learned in their dance class, in their acting classes – and of course the acrobatics that we’ve been training since day one – it’s all been leading up to this point.”

This summer, 28 athletes from around the world began their training at Cirque headquarters and 16×9 followed three in particular on their journey. Watch 16×9 this Saturday at 7pm as Chief Correspondent Carolyn Jarvis finds out what it takes – to run away with the circus.