RonnieAdventures: RonnieAdventure #0662 - Cirque du Soleil Exhibit, Las Vegas, NV

Picture by Kolohe

The exhibit "Stories from Backstage: Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas" is currently on display at Las Vegas City Hall. This is a rare opportunity for people to get up-close to some of the costumes and learn about the preparations that go into each show.

Cirque du Soleil started in Quebec City, Canada, in 1984 with 73 people and a large tent. They traveled across Canada, then United States, and on to Europe. In 1992 the show stopped in Las Vegas and it was a great success. Then, in 1993, Cirque du Soleil came back to Las Vegas and signed a contract for the first permanent theater in the Treasure Island Hotel/Casino. Their performance was titled "Mystere," which has now been experienced by over 20 million people in more than 14,000 performances. Today, there are five permanent Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas with hundreds of performers that represent more than 80 nationalities and speak over 30 different languages. More than 77 of the performers are world-level athletes and more than a dozen are Olympians. "O" alone has seen over 25 Olympians, more than any other Cirque du Soleil production.

"O" is a water based show and its name is the phonetic pronunciation of the French word for water: "eau." A placard stated: "Artistic swimmers, trained by Debra Brown and Olympic gold medalist Sylvia Frechette, appear throughout the show. This group of 17 performers move together in unison in the "O" 17-feet deep one million-gallon pool, supported by a team of 120 technicians, all of whom are scuba certified. Water in the pool is treated with bromide and chlorine, which severely reduces the average lifespan of the show's costumes, as they cause colors to fade and the adornments to break off - this process can be observed through the two Blue Nage costumes on display. Costumes are typically retired after just 2 months of use and have to be replaced. When costumes are removed from circulation, they are referred to as 'dead costumes.' In "O," performers might require as many as six sets of costumes - three for each performance, allowing them to quickly change into a dry costume as needed."

Photographer Unknown

Atrist Unknown

Picture by Kolohe

Moonhead does not have a large part in the "O" production, but it is one of the most memorable characters. The mask weighs over seven pounds and measures four feet across. It was reported that wearing it while performing is a balancing act in itself.

Picture by Kolohe

Photographer Unknown

Before a new character's costume is made, there are detailed sketches by an artist. The Bateau costume from "O" is used in a trapeze act. A placard stated: "The costume worn in performances like this must allow maximum flexibility and maneuverability. The choice of fabric used is determined by its capacity to stretch, its thickness, and its ability to be heat or water-resistant. The Bateau costume is made of three separate pieces, consisting of a cagoule - or hood - and a full-body unitard, covered by a vest. The precise details on the unitard, which mimic the musculature of the human body, are achieved via sublimation, a cutting-edge process that utilizes heat to merge fabric and ink together seam-to-seam. Sublimation is not only quick and comprehensive, but it maintains a high-level of detail on synthetic fabrics, allowing performers to go unimpeded when they are, in the case of "O," fearlessly flying through the air in unison."

Artist Unknown

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Some of the displays apparently had descriptions on the backsides of other signs, and I missed the descriptions.

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Artist Unknown

Picture by Kolohe

Artist Unknown

Picture by Kolohe

A placard stated: "Of the 1,300 performers currently on the Cirque du Soleil team worldwide, an estimated 34% come from a background in circus arts, such as acrobatics, aerial arts, clowning, and juggling. In Mad Apple, Cirque du Soleil's newest Las Vegas production, an Ethiopian duo brings to life the acrobatic foot-juggling act known as the Icarian Games. The circus schools of Ethiopia are world-renowned for producing Icarian Games duos. This act, sometimes referred to as a Risley Act or as antipodism, has its historical roots in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and can use both props and people. The Icarian Games are composed of a porter, who topically lies on their back with their feet facing up, and a flyer who rises and falls in mid-air, supported only by the porter's feet."

Photographer Unknown

Picture by Kolohe

A Red Bird placard stated: "When a Cirque du Soleil performer dons a costume as bold as Red Bird, they must embody the character not just physically, but mentally and emotionally a well. When it was announced that Cirque du Soleil was looking to recast the Red Bird role in 2021 - for the first time in over a decade - over 70 applications were received, all from individuals with diverse backgrounds and disciplines. Getting into character might come naturally to a performer with a background in theater or dramatic arts, but to a performer coming from the world of athletic competition - an estimated 35% of the current Cirque du Soleil team - this might seem daunting. Coaching through this process of transition is offered not just during the onboarding process, but also throughout a performer's career in a particular role."

Photographer Unknown

Picture by Kolohe

HooDan's costume from Ka appears to be seamless, but it is actually a highly technical multipiece outfit. The base of the costume is a stretchy moleskin unitard designed to match the performer's skin tone. On top of the unitard is a dress, which can easily be slipped on or off through a zipper and is secured via hooks and bars. An obi, typically used to tie Japanese kimonos, completes the look.

Photographer Unknown

Picture by Kolohe

Racks of material were on display and visitors were allowed to feel the different fabrics used in the costumes.

Picture by Kolohe

Some fabrics mimic bare skin that match a performer's skin tone.

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The Yellow Bird character in "O" wears a costume made from moleskin fabric that is hand painted in Montreal, Canada. It is very strong and stretchy.

"Zebras" are a group that perform on an aerial frame, which is called a "cadre" in French. Their one-piece costumes are made from a soft suede-like moleskin fabric and their shoes and gloves have been screen printed onto the fabric to save money.

Photographer Unknown

Material from Ka's Firefly Boy's costume was on display and a placard stated: "The material is a Poly Lycra, a type of synthetic fabric that is a blend of polyester and Lycra, resulting in a very elastic and durable material. Originally this costume had beads attached to it, however, advances in technology have made it possible to replace them with a 3D fabric effect. This is achieved using a technique called sublimation. An image is printed on transfer paper with special inks and when the inks are heated up they bond to the fibers in the material and 'transfer' the picture."

Photographer Unknown

One of my favorite characters in "O" is Man on Fire, "...who is set on fire every performance, which is more than 12,000 times since the show opened. His costume is made from a material called Kevlar, which is manufactured as fibers that are made into thread and can be woven into fabric. It is flame resistant - protecting against temperatures up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit. While it is also lightweight, it is cut resistant, being 8 times stronger than steel wire, and is often used in body armor."

Photographer Unknown

A variety of footwear was on display, including footwear that looked like bare feet.

Picture by Kolohe

Artist Unknown

Picture by Kolohe

To ensure exact costume size dimensions for each performer, the wardrobe department maintains detailed key measurements of each performer based on a maillot with blue lines indicating where the measurements were taken. The record sheets are kept in the performer's file and maintained in the Company database.

Picture by Kolohe

A placard stated: "The process of fabricating a ventilated, or handtied, wig for use in a Cirque du Soleil show takes about 80 hours on average, depending on different variables including length of hair, materials used, and color variations. The wig making process begins with measurements taken of a performer's head, recorded in marker on a plastic head bubble; these measurements, which are often color-coded, can account for preferred and natural hairlines, location of ears, and ventilation direction."

"Today, synthetic hair is the most commonly used fiber in wig making, available in a wide breadth of colors. The arrows on the head block denote the direction in which the knots are tied, which defines the overall direction of the hair for styling. Other markings and shapes help with denoting highlights and color combinations for the wig."

Picture by Kolohe

One of the first things new performers learn is how to apply their own makeup. Over the course of several one-on-one sessions with a makeup artist, performers learn how to blend colors using the correct brushes and sponges for different effects. The process is photographed, so that once performers are on their own, they have a picture to compare their work to that of the makeup artist. Experienced performers can typically apply their own makeup in less than 45 minutes.