From chipping it off windshields to creeping across it on sidewalks, we Winnipeggers know our ice. But we don’t necessarily think of it as a form of artistic expression.
Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Crystal’ will give you a whole new appreciation for the smooth, cool surface.
It’s the first time that the company has incorporated ice into a performance — what else do you expect from Cirque du Soleil but the unexpected?
‘Crystal’ tells the story of a young girl struggling to fit in. While skating, she falls into another world, a little like ‘Alice in Wonderland’.
It’s a storyline that brings together ice skaters and extreme inline skaters, as well as the international cast of acrobats and aerialists for which Cirque is known.
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Embracing ice as the key element of the show meant aerialists and trapeze artists, who usually perform barefoot, had to learn how to do their stunts on skates.
Danica Gagnon Plamondon from Montreal is a swinging trapeze specialist who plays the main character Crystal in a few scenes. She said not only is it a first for Cirque du Soleil, it is also a first for her.
“It was a big challenge and I like challenges so I was like ‘I will try it!’ but definitely I was wondering if it was even possible.”
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Scott Smith from Colorado has been skating for 30 years and said he jumped at the chance to join the Crystal cast.
Smith adds that his favourite part of the show is the beginning of the second act — the tap dance number with microphones on the performers skates. Smith said it was a first for him.
“I’ve never done anything like that before, I’ve never had microphones on my skates,” he said.
“The goal has always been to be as quiet as possible, so it’s really fun to do the number and get to be as loud as possible!”
Cirque du Soleil ‘Crystal’ runs until Sunday at Bell MTS Place. You can let the magic of Crystal transport you somewhere else by getting your tickets here.
WATCH: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Crystal’ was created for audiences of all ages
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