At one point in our lives, most of us have thought how much fun it would be to run away with the circus. For most of us though, this dream never materializes. Cirque du Soleil’s latest show “Amaluna” invites Atlanta audiences to experience a mystical world filled with breathtaking stunts, elaborate costumes and a story that celebrates the strength of women. I got the very special privilege of being invited to see behind-the-scenes what the everyday life is like for not only the circus performers, but the expansive support staff that travels all over the world with Cirque Du Soleil – Amaluna. I was surprised by the dedication and sacrifice it takes to be in this Cirque family.
Performers: Besides being dedicated athletes they, along with all of the traveling Cirque staff, are on the road for 50 weeks out of the year. Even after they work to develop their acts before the tour begins, they are constantly training and adding to their circus repertoire. The reason for this is to always keep their act fresh and the performers interested. That means that not every show is the same; Amaluna evolves constantly. To compensate for the ever-changing show, the all-girl Amaluna band follows visual cues and has mastered the art of vamping. So even for the band, each performance is unique.
One might think that there is a team of professional makeup artists and dressers behind the curtains helping each performer visually look the part for each show, but every performer is given an extensive crash-course in there own makeup and wardrobe regime. Each character in Amaluna is given a personalized, step-by-step illustrated guidebook to follow to achieve their consistently beautiful appearance.
Accommodations: Amaluna shows generally run between four and ten weeks in every town. Accommodations have to be planned well in advance. Generally, Amaluna staff would stay in an extended stay motel/hotel with as many of the creature comforts possible. In Atlanta, Amaluna went grand and was able to secure rooms at the Georgian Terrace, one of midtown’s loveliest and historic hotels. Since there are shows every night of the week except for Mondays, getting the hell out of dodge is a big desire for all the staff and cast. Fortunately Atlanta has them covered with a plethora of sites and activities inside and outside the perimeter.
Costumes: All of the Cirque show’s costumes are designed and created in Montreal, Canada. The Head of Wardrobe, Larry Edwards explains that for the Amaluna show, the designers wanted to reflect the nature that is represented in this island adventure. Therefore in many cases natural textiles were used. Specially treated leather bolero jackets were created that are not only washable, but painted with metallic gold paints on certain areas for design. An interesting point to note is that everything worn against the skin – and that’s most everything – must be washed nightly after a show. A special team of behind the scenes workers will wash and repair everything between shows. Since these lavish and hard working costumes are washed so much, almost everything will get recreated again in Montreal and then sent to each new city venue.
Support Staff: Along with what the audience sees on the stage every night, there are a host of support staff that make those performances possible. Amaluna takes with it everywhere accountants, trainers, medical and conditioning professionals, costumers, PR representatives, and of course Artist Director of the show, Franck Hanselman, who kindly sat down with me and shared his perspective. “Having the ability to take our loved one’s on the road makes all the difference,” Hanselman states. Cirque employees can take a “partner” with them. Sometimes their partners also find a position in Cirque. This can be anything from ticket sales to concessions.
You can catch the wonders of Amaluna until November 30 at Grand Chapiteau in Atlantic Station.