Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/288963
17 SPRING 2014 | bcliving.ca built around an acrobatic structure, being able to physically pull off the choreography is paramount. But what's equally important is that these artists are able to tell a story using only their bodies since Cirque shows don't contain any dialogue. Diff erent shows have diff erent needs that require expertise in a certain fi eld: a rings specialist here, a talented juggler there. Once the acrobatic routines are established and the talent is cast, the training begins. "We have a 12-week training period when they fi rst get there," says Maggs. " at's when I set up an artistic immersion where they engage in three weeks of intensive artistic workshops. at's great for people with experience and for people with no experience. We put them all together, throw them in the deep end and it's just sink or swim." A regular day might include a few hours of acrobatic work, acting and expression classes, or even something as specifi c as African drumming. e artists are put through their paces early and often so that when opening night arrives, each move- ment is fl uid and natural – an incredible feat considering some of the artists have never performed in this capacity in their lives. The PrODUCTiON While the artists are training their bod- ies, other departments are also ramping up. Nowhere is it more obvious how much painstaking detail is put into every aspect of the show than the costuming depart- ment. ink about it: with 19 shows touring across the globe in 2014, on any given night there are more than 4,500 Cirque costumes being worn around the world. e amount of eff ort that goes into making these pro- ductions look good is staggering. Take TOTEM, for instance. Sixteen months before the show began, a core team began working on costumes and props designed by Hol- lywood costume designer Kym Barrett (Romeo and Juliet, e Matrix) with the team growing exponentially the closer it got to the premiere. At its peak, more than 100 people were working on costumes: 56 original designs and 175 costumes total when factoring in doubles and standbys. Including costumes and props, more than 1,800 pieces were created for the show. For chief of costumes production Pascal Gauthier, TOTEM off ered a unique test. " e biggest challenge was that each character had to have a specifi c story and a specifi c personality. Artistically, it's better, but it's harder." A sequence with cavemen features a group of Neanderthals who, to the casual observer, look pretty much the same. But each costume features unique props, be it a belt, a piece of jewellery or a headdress. is attention to detail means that a single costume could take months to fi nalize. For example, e "Crystal Man" costume (the human disco ball pictured above) took three months to complete the fi rst time around. e total cost? Twenty thousand dollars. But the result is worth it – a stunning costume that is the centrepiece of a signature sequence. ese are the kinds of moments that you'll be talking about on the ride home from the show. TOTeM iN VANCOUVer So when you sit down in the big top with a bag of popcorn as the lights dim and the performers hit centre stage, take a moment to absorb it all – athletes at the height of their abilities, detailed costumes that prob- ably cost more than your car and a show that was literally years in the making – and say a special thank you that something as spectacular as Cirque du Soleil is paying a visit to Vancouver. ■ A HEAD START every performer's head is cast in plaster- like substance so that costume designers can create tailored headpieces, which means there are a lot of disembodied heads fl oating around the Hq. DIY FACES every performer does their own makeup before each show (after detailed training sessions with a makeup artist). MAN IN THE MIRROR One of TOTem's most intricate costumes, the "Crystal man" is made up of hundreds of individual pieces. 2007 COrTeO 2010 kOOZa 2014 TOTem 2011 quidam 2011, 2012 miCHael JaCkSON: THe immOrTal WOrld TOur 2012 amaluNa While the artists are training their bod- ies, other departments are also ramping up. Nowhere is it more obvious how much painstaking detail is put into every aspect of the show than the costuming depart- ment. ink about it: with 19 shows touring across the globe in 2014, on any given night there are more than 4,500 Cirque costumes being worn around the world. e amount of eff ort that goes into making these pro- specifi c personality. Artistically, it's better, but it's harder." A sequence with cavemen features a group of Neanderthals who, to the casual observer, look pretty much the same. But each costume features unique props, be it a belt, a piece of jewellery or a headdress. is attention to detail means that a single costume could take months to fi nalize. For example, e "Crystal Man" costume (the human disco ball pictured every performer does their own makeup before each show (after detailed training sessions with a makeup artist). MAN IN THE MIRROR One of TOTem's most intricate costumes, the "Crystal man" is made up of hundreds of individual pieces. p14-17_Ent-Cirque.indd 17 2014-03-13 11:03 AM