4 | March 4, 2019 7 March 4, 2019 | 5

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

Artists talk about circus, life Photo by Rosa Poetschke By Jubenal Aguilar Editor-in-Chief From left: Mea Warburton [email protected] repaints and perfects details in Photo by Jubenal Aguilar the artists’ shoes; Alix Croop, The circular stage under the Grand and uneven bar performer, Chapiteau went dark. The rock music ascends into the carousel silenced. during her trials as backup A single spotlight illuminated a Moon Goddess Feb. 19; Croop woman – Maïnha – in a floral-pattern performs her routine during dress standing among the audience as her trials; the arched entrance romantic music set the mood. to Cirque du Soleil Amaluna She murmured to herself and then welcomes spectators. talked in an unknown language to the audience. “Yoo-hoo,” Maïnha said as she called out to someone in the dark. She encouraged the audience to join. “Yoo-hoo,” a man’s voice excit- edly called from the other side as a second spotlight revealed Tito, Ma- Photo by Jubenal Aguilar Photo by Jubenal Aguilar ïnha’s newfound love. Maïnha blew a kiss to Tito. He reciprocated the act, and they ex- changed back-and-forth gestures as the audience gazed. A love letter, paper airplane, sling- Photo by Rosa Poetschke shot and a tennis match were used in the battle of kisses as the lovers pro- an actor,” Andreuccetti said. From above: Gabriella fessed their feelings to each other. Argento (right) and Behind the scenes of Amaluna Their light-hearted humor brought CLOWNING AROUND Thiago Andreuccetti are a change of pace to the intensity of Argento and Andreuccetti have a the two clowns of Cirque By Jubenal Aguilar two-hour show each night. day and night with only stage lights Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna. The symbiotic relationship. To perform du Soleil’s Amaluna Editor-in-Chief Their voices project across the Big shown onto it. show made its first U.S. stop Jan. their act and meet the high standards show; Andreuccetti and Top and electric guitars synchronize Above the stage hangs the carou- 3-March 23 in North Texas. of the circus, they must know each Argento hold hands as The world of Cirque du Soleil the artists’ high-risk, gravity defying sel, a 25-foot ring that rotates 360 other at a deep level. Tito and Maïnha in a does not end when the lights under acrobatics. degrees. It includes three acrobatic TWO FUNNY “We are always together,” An- boat during one of their the Big Top turn off and the audienc- All of Amaluna’s artists work in winches that can used simultane- “I am a clown,” Gabriella Argen- dreuccetti said. “Before the show acts in Amaluna Feb. es go home. Artists, crew and staff unity to deliver a compelling and ously by aerial acrobats. to, a Brazilian actress, said. Argento starts, we are always together. Be- 26.;Maïnha sits to tell a have much to do to prepare for the memorable story with fascinating plays Maïnha in Amaluna, opposite ing together is good to warm-up the story on the circus stage next show. feats of human contortion and ex- MOBILE CITY Thiago Andreuccetti, who plays Tito. clown thing.” as Amaluna begins. treme athleticism. Amaluna is like a small nomadic Argento and Andreuccetti worked Argento added: “We joke with AMALUNA city. Mami Ohki, Amaluna’s publi- together to create a story of their own each other. We make fun of each Amaluna is a mysterious island BIG TOP, cist, said the production used 85 ship- within Amaluna. They are two of the other. We play with each other.” governed by goddesses. Queen Pros- ROUND STAGE ping containers to transport nearly 48 artists who call Amaluna home. Their instructions range from simple pera directs the coming-of-age cer- Golden yellow and royal blue 2,000 tons of equipment when they They provide comedic relief to con- games to more serious competitions, emony for Miranda, her daughter. swirls project 62 feet into the sky moved from Colombia to Dallas. trast the more serious themes of the Argento said. Photo by Jubenal Aguilar In her might, Prospera causes a to create the iconic, unmistakable The entire Amaluna set is moved show. “Yeah, things that we learned in storm that washes a group of men look of Amaluna’s tents from city to city – everything that “We’re the clowns of the show, Siberia,” Andreuccetti jokes. to the shores of Amaluna. Among The Big Top is where the action is contained under the Big Top and which is very interesting because it’s them, Romeo, who is to become happens. More than 2,600 specta- the other tents that form the traveling a very different kind of clowning in- TRANING & SHOW suitor to Miranda. tors can enjoy the show from any circus. As they begin their tour in the side Cirque du Soleil,” Argento said. The training at Cirque du Soleil Their love unleashes a series of tri- of the seats around the circular U.S., trucks will be used to transport “It’s a hybrid of clowning and physi- is rigorous and spares no one, not als that must be overcome if they are stage. The stage has a wheels- everything. Ohki said. cal acting because we have to tell even the clowns who constantly re- to be together. within-wheels design allowing it to A total of 115 people, including all a story in a funny way. It’s not just hearse their acts. “We wake up and Amaluna comprises a cast of 48 rotate so everyone in the audience of the artists, are part of the Amaluna being a clown. It’s not just making then we do breakfast,” Andreuccetti performers – the majority of them can see each performance from ev- company. The group is melting pot people happy and laugh. We have to said. “Sometimes eggs, sometimes female. This lends the production to ery angle. This rotation also adds a of cultures and nationalities. Among tell a story.” coffee.” show off its female mythology in full level of depth to the scenes as the the artists, 17 nationalities are repre- Andreuccetti said their act is a love “No, actually we do have a pretty glory. movement is used to create or close sented with a total of 26 including story. “We fall in love, but we are normal life,” Argento said. Amaluna also has the first all-fe- distances and simulate the passage the crew and all traveling support not able to be in love because love is “We divide our days in training, male band of any Cirque du Soleil of time. staff. Thirteen languages are spoken complicated,” he said. practice and what we have to do in production. The group plays live The Big Top’s underside is a among the cast and crew of Amalu- The act, Argento says, alludes to order to do the show,” she added. music that accompanies the nearly royal blue – a color that projects na, Ohki said. the normal love between two normal The life of a Cirque du Soleil people who appear to have nothing clown involves constantly working Photo by Jubenal Aguilar in common. In Amaluna, Maïnha is on their act. With shows most days Miranda’s childhood nurse. She still of the week, all artists must maintain much pleasure to be here,” he said. “It’s part of the job and some- looks over Miranda as the princess a sharp mind and stay in physical “It’s very special to perform in times it’s difficult,” Andreuccetti enters adulthood. Tito is the manser- shape. the ring in the Big Top,” Argento said. vant of Romeo, the leader of a group “We do have to exercise and do said. “The geography of the Big “Every time you make a choice, of men who washed ashore on the physio and do lots of things to take Top is very interesting because it’s you leave something behind,” Ar- Photo by Rosa Poetschke island of Amaluna. care of our bodies,” Argento said. all rounded so you can see every- gento added. “Of course we miss Argento has been a clown for 25 “We take care of our act and we take body that you are performing to and our families, of course we miss our Clockwise from above: Alix years. “[This is] my third show in the care of our makeup and ourselves.” you can be seen by everybody. So friends, our countries and the place Croop practices descending and company,” she said. In 1997, she au- Andreuccetti said, “In a regular you have to dialate yourself, you we are coming from, but there are ascending into the Water-Bowl ditioned for Cirque du Soleil, but it day, we do makeup, our warm-up and have to make sure you are taking so many other things that pay off.” while the artistic director leads was not until 2004 that she joined the then we go to the fun – the show.” the whole stage. It’s very powerful, For Argento and Andreuccetti, her during a trial for Amaluna’s traveling circus. To prepare for a show, Argento it’s very beautiful. There is a very as well as all other artists and backup Moon Goddess; Shona Everyone at Cirque du Soleil has said she follows a routine. “I pray famous theater director used to say crew of Amaluna, Cirque du So- Roue, a cyr wheel artist, to audition. “It’s a large process,” Ar- every day,” she said. “I have a little the audience is like a dragon with liel has become like an extended practices her routine Feb. 19 gento said. “We have three days of ritual of my own. I just ask the forces a thousand eyes, so every day we family. for an upcoming performance; physical tryouts and improv games.” of theater to protect everybody [and invite this dragon to play with us.” “We have kind of a family artists shoes, belts and The requested abilities depend on the no one] to get hurt.” She also sings here because everybody is in accessories must be repaired part the artist is auditioning for. and performs other warm-ups as part LIFE IN THE CIRQUE the same boat,” Argento said. and repainted frequently at the Andreuccetti is one of the fresh- of her pre-show routine. Part of the Cirque du Soleil “Everybody that is here doesn’t Photo by Rosa Poetschke repair station; artist’s wigs rest er faces of Amaluna, with just Andreuccetti said everything is life includes being far from fam- have a family around, [they’re] at a dress station ready to be over one year of experience with still new to him at Cirque du Soleil. ily and friends for long periods of away from their countries. So restyled and repaired before the the company. “I worked about 15 “I’m learning day by day and for me time as the different shows tour we’ve built up this feeling of next show. years in the zoo as a clown and as it’s a joy to be here, and I have too around the world. family within ourselves here.”

Photo by Rosa Poetschke

Photo by Jubenal Aguilar