Cirque du Soleil's devotion to artistic training

Manila, Philippines - On the dividing line between reality and fantasy, Cirque du Soleil creates a portal to the unknown world.

Strange characters lead you through unbelievable sets and surreal atmospheres to the sound of entrancing music. This month, Filipinos experience one of Cirque du Soleil’s most critically-acclaimed and fan favorite live big top productions: Varekai.

Varekai is loosely based on the Greek myth of Icarus. The story picks up where the myth leaves off, telling a story of what could have happened to Icarus after he fell from the sky. He lands in the middle of a forest at the top of a volcano where he must learn to walk and fly again.

And flying is what some of the acts in Varekai do best including Aerial Straps. Two flyers suspended by wrist straps glide gracefully above the stage, performing original acrobatic figures in a synchronized display of precision and power. With a double strap, the two artists meld midair, becoming one in a series of striking acrobatic silhouettes.

The performance leaves the audience in awe; their heartbeats almost come to a halt with every exciting move exhibited by the artists.

Like any other skill, rigorous training is the key to perfecting the craft. Hampus Jansson, one of the Aerial Straps duo, shares that he does personal training for strength and conditioning for an hour a day, six times a week while he trains on the straps at least 30 minutes a week. But how long does it take to become an Aerial Straps artist of Cirque du Soleil?

Jansson said, “We trained for seven weeks at the Cirque du Soleil Studio in Montreal and then another two weeks with the previous Aerial Straps artists on the show.”

Head coach Igor Karpov points out that the general training process for the Aerial Straps is the same as the other acts but the training time is less spent on the feet as the arms get tired much more quickly than the legs.

Other Varekai acts that are products of rigorous rehearsals are Russian Swings where acrobats are hurled high into the air, alighting on their partners’ wrists or on a landing canvas, sometimes even flying from one moving swing to the other; Triple Trapeze, a fixed trapeze where four young women perform a series of striking acrobatic moves; Hand Balancing on canes, the performer achieves a variety of contortions and poses while balancing on a series of canes; and Water Meteors, three young acrobats twirl ropes with metal cups attached to the ends, simultaneously performing virtuosic acrobatic feats.

When asked if circus performers are born with the talent or is it something that can be learned through training, Karpov replies, “You have to have some natural abilities to do the act you are learning but I believe that with hard work, desire and commitment, anyone can be a circus performer.”

And what does it take to be a Cirque du Soleil performer? According to Jansson, “Of course your dedication to training and technique is important; your personality shining through your work, too. But an artist must believe in what they are doing.” Hard work, commitment, and dedication to perfection are things that make Cirque du Soleil a cut above the rest.

(Do not miss the chance to watch the jaw-dropping acts of Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai from June 22 to July 8 at the Grand Chapiteau, across Quirino Grandstand, Manila. For tickets, visit www.hoopla.ph.)