TEDTalk: “The Power of the Circle | Michel Laprise”

In this inspiring talk, show director Michel Laprise shares with passion a few aspects of the collaborative creation process of Cirque du Soleil. He exposes how this organic process is part of a social, personal, emotional and artistic experience. He shows us that the actual physical space deeply influences the collaboration and inclusion of the creative work place everyone might want to create. He also talks of an experiment where, using the internet, the circle of collaboration was opened to include the audience in the crowdsourcing of a scene. As an actor, director and artistic director, Michel Laprise joined Cirque du Soleil in 2000 where he grew to become one of its most audacious prolific directors. He directed numerous out-of-the-box and innovative large-scale performance events. He collaborated with pop star Madonna on her Superbowl half-time show and then directed her award-winning MDNA world tour. He directed the acclaimed record-breaking Cirque du Soleil’s Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities in 2014, still currently touring. In 2017, Michel wrote and directed Cirque du Soleil’s 40th production, “Sép7imo Dia – No Descansaré” inspired by the music of Argentina’s most cherished rock band of all time, Soda Stereo and currently touring in big arenas in Latin America. He is currently preparing two more shows for Cirque du Soleil. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.