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Quidam
''Quidam'' ( ) was the ninth stage show produced by Cirque du Soleil. It premiered in April 1996 and has been watched by millions of spectators around the world. ''Quidam'' originated as a big-top show in Montreal and was converted into an arena format beginning with its 2010 tour in North America. It then changed back to the Big Top for a 3-month run in Seoul, South Korea before returning to an arena show for its tour to Oceania. The show performed for the final time in Christchurch, New Zealand on February 26, 2016. The entire show is imagined by a bored girl named Zoé who is alienated and ignored by her parents. She dreams up the whimsical world of ''Quidam'' as a means of escaping the monotony of her life. The show's title refers to the feature character, a man without a head, carrying an umbrella and a bowler hat. Quidam is said to be the embodiment of both everyone and no one at the same time. According to Cirque du Soleil literature "Quidam: a nameless passer-by, a solit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cirque Du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 June 1984 by former street performers Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix. Originating as a performing troupe called ''Les Échassiers'' (; "The Stilt Walkers"), they toured Quebec in various forms between 1979 and 1983. Their initial financial hardship was relieved in 1983 by a government grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to perform as part of the 450th anniversary celebrations of Jacques Cartier's voyage to Canada. Their first official production ''Le Grand Tour du Cirque du Soleil'' was a success in 1984, and after securing a second year of funding, Laliberté hired Guy Caron from the National Circus School to recreate it as a "proper circus". Its theatrical, character-driven approach and the absence of performing animals help ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Benoît Jutras
Benoît Jutras (born 1963) is a Canadian composer. Jutras is best known for his work with the Canadian entertainment company Cirque du Soleil, first as music director and later as composer for several of the company's contemporary circus shows. Jutras' music often blends eclectic influences, including world beat, classical, rock, trip hop, and electronica. His scores for Cirque du Soleil shows include '' O'', '' Mystère'', ''Quidam'', and ''La Nouba''. His work outside Cirque du Soleil has included original soundtracks for '' Le Rêve'' (a show at the Wynn resort in Las Vegas), the '' Glow in the Park Parade'' (a nighttime parade at Six Flags theme parks), and ''The House of Dancing Water'' (a show at the City of Dreams resort in Macau). He has also composed for film and television. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Jutras now resides in Barbados. He has one daughter, Audrey Brisson-Jutras, who performed and sang in ''Quidam'' as the principal character Zoé. (Her perfor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Luc Lafortune
Luc Lafortune (born September 1958) is a Canadian lighting designer for the entertainment industry as well as one of the original designers of the Cirque du Soleil. Career Lafortune studied at Dawson College, and then McGill University, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Arts. He later obtained a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from Concordia University. Upon graduation, he went to work for Cirque du Soleil, embarking on their first tour, '' Le Grand Tour'', a 13-week stint across rural Quebec, organized in conjunction with the celebrations marking the 450th anniversary of the discovery of Canada by French explorer, Jacques Cartier. Since then, Lafortune has designed numerous Cirque du Soleil shows, including "Le Cirque Réinventé (We Reinvent the Circus)'', '' Fascination'', ''Nouvelle Expérience'', ''Saltimbanco'', '' Mystère'', '' Alegría'', ''Quidam'', '' O'', ''La Nouba'', ''Dralion'', ''Varekai'' (co-designer), ''Zumanity'' and '' Kà''. In 2010, Lafortune com ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
O (Cirque Du Soleil)
''O'' is a water-themed stage production by Cirque du Soleil, a Canadian circus and entertainment company. The show has been in permanent residence at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, since October 1998. ''O'', whose name is pronounced the same way as ''eau'', the French word for "water", takes place around and above a pool of water. It features water acts such as synchronized swimming as well as aerial and ground acts. The ''O'' theatre, which is designed to resemble a 14th-century European opera house, has 1,800 seats, thus allowing the performance to be watched by 3,600 people a night since the performance usually plays twice in a given day, also designed to meet the special demands of the show. ''O'' was inspired by the "infinity and elegance of water's pure form," which pays tribute to the beauty of the theatre. A group of 150 stage technicians assist in the production of the show, the cast of which is 85 performers: international acrobats, synchronized swi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinese Yo-yo
The diabolo ( ; commonly misspelled ''diablo'') is a juggling or circus prop consisting of an axle () and two cups (hourglass/egg timer shaped) or discs derived from the Chinese yo-yo. This object is spun using a string attached to two hand sticks ("batons" or "wands"). A large variety of tricks are possible with the diabolo, including tosses, and various types of interaction with the sticks, string, and various parts of the user's body. Multiple diabolos can be spun on a single string. Like the Western yo-yo (which has an independent origin), it maintains its spinning motion through a rotating effect based on conservation of angular momentum. History Origin The Diabolo is derived from the Chinese yo-yo encountered by Europeans during the colonial era. However, the origin of the Chinese yo-yo is unknown. The earliest mention of the Chinese yo-yo is in the late Ming dynasty Wanli period (1572–1620), with its details well recorded in the book ''Dijing Jingwulue'' by the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diabolo
The diabolo ( ; commonly misspelled ''diablo'') is a juggling or circus prop consisting of an axle () and two cups (hourglass/egg timer shaped) or discs derived from the Chinese yo-yo. This object is spun using a string attached to two hand sticks ("batons" or "wands"). A large variety of tricks are possible with the diabolo, including tosses, and various types of interaction with the sticks, string, and various parts of the user's body. Multiple diabolos can be spun on a single string. Like the Western yo-yo (which has an independent origin), it maintains its spinning motion through a rotating effect based on conservation of angular momentum. History Origin The Diabolo is derived from the Chinese yo-yo encountered by Europeans during the colonial era. However, the origin of the Chinese yo-yo is unknown. The earliest mention of the Chinese yo-yo is in the late Ming dynasty Wanli period (1572–1620), with its details well recorded in the book ''Dijing Jingwulue'' by th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cloud Swing
The cloud swing is an aerial act that usually combines static and swinging trapeze skills, drops, holds and rebound lifts. The apparatus itself is a soft rope about 25-30mm thick. It can be made from a single rope, or from a cotton-filled sheath. On its simplest level the cloud swing resembles a Spanish web in length and width, with each end braided and spliced-lashed with a thimble, forming a loop. Two high-caliber swivels are required to support the weight; the swivels are anchored to a crane bar or a stationary rig, with the swing itself hanging in a "V" shape. Generally, the motion provided to swing the performer is supplied by an assistant pulling on a tether at the bottom of the "V". The cloud swing is a relatively new apparatus, and many of the figures performed on it are borrowed or adapted from static and swinging trapeze. The "Mexican cloud swing" or ''corde volante'' is performed at higher altitude. A cloud swing act was featured in the Cirque du Soleil touring produ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alegría (Cirque Du Soleil)
''Alegría'' is a Cirque du Soleil touring production, created in 1994 by director Franco Dragone and director of creation Gilles Ste-Croix. It takes its name from the Spanish word for "joy". Since April 1994 the show has been performed over 5000 times, and has been seen by over 14 million spectators in more than 250 cities around the world. Acts Acts in the show included: * aerial cube * contortion * fast track * fire * flying man * handbalancing * high bar * juggling * manipulation * power track * Russian bars * shoulder pole wire * slackwire * strong man * synchro trapeze * tightwire Costumes ''Alegría's'' costumes have a dichotomy relating to the Old Order and the New Order. The Old Order has costumes which are reminiscent of New York's Gilded Age as they are finely decorated with feathers, lace, and other adornments. The New Order, on the other hand, representing the youth of tomorrow, have the same rich hues as the old order, while the fabrics used are lighter and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Franco Dragone
Franco Dragone (12 December 1952 – 30 September 2022) was an Italian-born Belgian theatre director. He was the founder and artistic director of Dragone, a creative company specializing in the creation of large-scale theatre shows. He was also known for his work with Cirque du Soleil and Celine Dion. CNN said that Dragone was "one of the key architects of Cirque du Soleil's theatrical style", and that "while Cirque du Soleil's signature was contemporary circus, Dragone's solo work embodies more theater, dance -- and, of course, water" through the use of his "trademark" aquatic stages. Dragone died from a heart attack in Cairo, Egypt, on 30 September 2022 at the age of 69. Early life Dragone was born in 1952 in Cairano, a small town in southern Italy. At the age of seven, he moved to the mining region of La Louvière in Belgium with his family so his parents could work in Belgium's coal mines. He remembers that being an "artist" was not treated seriously by the mining commun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aerial Hoop
The aerial hoop (also known as the lyra, aerial ring or cerceau/cerceaux) is a circular steel apparatus (resembling a hula hoop) suspended from the ceiling, on which circus artists may perform aerial acrobatics. It can be used static, spinning, or swinging. Tricks that can be performed include the Candlestick, Bird's Nest and Crescent Moon Connections Tabs are the connection points where the aerial hoop attaches to the rigging Rigging comprises the system of ropes, cables and chains, which support a sailing ship or sail boat's masts—''standing rigging'', including shrouds and stays—and which adjust the position of the vessel's sails and spars to which they are .... Most aerial hoops connect at either one point (single tab configuration) or two points (double tab configuration). The number of tabs an aerial hoop has will depend on how it will be used, the intended effect, and the performer's comfort level. * Double tab hoops hung from two points (at equal or wider ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hooping
Hooping (also called hula hooping or hoop dance) is the manipulation of and artistic movement or dancing with a hoop (or hoops). Hoops can be made of metal, wood, or plastic. Hooping combines technical moves and tricks with freestyle or technical dancing. Hooping can be practiced to or performed with music. In contrast to the classic toy hula hoop, modern hoopers use heavier and larger diameter hoops, and frequently rotate the hoop around parts of the body other than the waist, including the hips, chest, neck, shoulders, thighs, knees, arms, hands, thumbs, feet, and toes. The hoop can also be manipulated and rotated off the body as well. Modern hooping has been influenced by art forms such as rhythmic gymnastics, hip-hop, freestyle dance, fire performance, twirling, poi, and other dance and movement forms. Hooping is a physical dexterity activity that has been described as a part of flow arts, and a form of object manipulation. It is sometimes described as a form of juggling. I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aerial Straps
Straps, also known as aerial straps, are a type of aerial apparatus on which various feats of strength and flexibility may be performed, often in the context of a circus performance. It is a cotton or nylon web apparatus that looks like two suspended ribbons. Wrapping the strap ends around hands and wrists, the performer performs holds, twists, rolls and manoeuvres, requiring extreme strength and precision similar to men’s rings in gymnastics. Straps are available in various configurations, including those with various types of loops at the ends and those without loops. A straps act usually includes held poses and postures done on the straps, dance moves performed on the floor away from the straps, partner acrobatics done on and off the straps, as well as having the straps pulled up and let down during the act. . ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
