San Francisco Downtown, November 2007

Clowning Around
Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza premiers in SF

One mention of Cirque du Soleil evokes images of gravity-defying aerial acrobatics, fanciful, uplifting pan-linguistic music, and awe-inspiring movement that seems to stretch the very limits of human physiology. KOOZA, the new Cirque production, premiering at AT&T Park on November 16 and running through December 30, is a return to the company's roots, infusing those core performance elements with an ample dose of fanciful humor. It draws on the ancient narrative of the trickster and the innocent, and is supported by a colorful roster of fools, jesters, wise guys and thieves. Theatrically, the show is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil; combining two circus traditions – acrobatic performance and the art of clowning – presented in a colorful mélange that highlights good old fashioned slapstick humor.

It takes a talented group of performers to execute the demanding feats of agility, poise and artistry that are required by Cirque du Soleil productions. Casting for such ensembles is a full time job - and then some. As an in-house talent scout, Marceline Goldstein travels internationally in search of acrobatically inclined athletes trained in a broad variety of disciplines.

"We need people who are experienced or have the capacity to be trained . They come to us as athletes, first off," Goldstein explains, "And they are acrobats, gymnasts, dancers. Some have specialties like tissue silk Spanish technique, Russian swing, trapeze and contortion."

One of the most spectacular acts of the show will be performed by an exceptional trio of contortionists from the SF Bay Area. In fact, Guinness World Record officials recently confirmed that on September 25, Cirque du Soleil contortionists from KOOZA established a new Guinness World Record™ for the highest circus act ever performed at the top of Toronto’s CN Tower in Canada. The daring four minute routine was performed in the CN Tower’s Glass Floor observation deck at an altitude of 1122 feet. The young contortionists, Julie Bergez, Natasha Patterson and Dasha Sovik, are officially new world record holders. They will see their feat commemorated in print in next year’s Guinness World Record™ book. The three young artists were previously part of The Mystic Pixies, a San Francisco troupe, where they trained a grueling 40 hours a week for the past five years before being asked to join Cirque du Soleil. Their lofty, record-breaking achievement couldn't have been timed better, just prior to KOOZA making its U.S. premiere in here in San Francisco on November 16, 2007, and continuing on to a limited engagement in San Jose beginning January 31, 2008.

The world renowned company will be in search of more local talent during casting calls tentatively scheduled for next January. "The Bay Area is where we do a great deal of our recruiting for dance," Goldstein reveals, "The dance scene is especially strong here and there is a creative and [burgeoning] circus arts scene."

Online innovations make the application and audition process much less daunting than live tests of talent. "We have really expanded our web site to include areas where prospective cast members can submit applications, pictures of themselves and even send in video clips of their performances and choreography," Goldstein says. Another interactive feature allows visitors to the site to click on the portraits of current cast members and read their first hand accounts of what being a part of "Cirque" entails. Perhaps most compelling are their tales of how they came to join the company. Often hailing from such far flung origins as Kenya, Tibet or Russia, they add their own flavor to the seamlessly multicultural concepts. There are also over 100 clips of performances and rehearsals available for viewing, offering further insight into the adventurous life of a professional muse.

In short, if you've ever dreamed of running away to join the circus, there is no dearth of means to fulfill that yearning. And even if you prefer to keep your feet planted securely in terra firma, taking in a performance of KOOZA is sure to inspire spectacular flights of fancy.

For more information about Cirque du Soleil and tickets for KOOZA, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com. Kooza premieres in San Francisco on November 16, 2007, under the Grand Chapiteau at AT&T Park.

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