Meet: Brandon Livanos, TORUK Acrobat

Brandon_Livanos

Brandon Livanos started life in Rynfield, but has ended up touring the globe with Cirque du Soleil, one of the largest theatrical producers in the world.

He said he feels privileged to have made a career of his passion, which started with the local Eagle Tumbling Club, where he was coached and mentored by owner Cindy McCall-Peet.

“I think I always wanted to do acrobatics; since age eight when I started, I have not stopped,” said Livanos.

“For me it was the only thing I ever wanted to do.

“As a kid I remember being obsessed with it, I could not get enough of going to tumbling classes at John Barrable Hall; I had all my friends there.

“It was just the most awesome place for me to be and that kind of stuck with me all my life, as I still feel that way and now my home is with Cirque du Soleil, on stage in front of thousands of people a week.”

Although he was born in Germiston, Livanos described Rynfield as being his first home, where he lived until his teenage years.

The traveller attended Arbor Primary School as a child and then went on to Benoni High School.

After high school, Livanos focused more heavily on acrobatics, which led him to this point in his life.

His mother, Gail, boasted about her son having travelled the world and explained how thrilled she is that he is living his dream.

“He’s worked very hard since he was young and has achieved so much by now,” she said.

Asked how his travelling career affected her, the mother said: “It’s difficult, as he’s abroad so much, but he’s coming back home for a few weeks now; he arrives on January 26.”

“Life on tour can be challenging, as we move every six days,” Livanos said.

He explained that the troupe arrives in a different city every Monday, with preparations lasting till Wednesday, followed by several shows from Thursday to Sunday.

“We fly out of the city straight after the show on Sunday evening and repeat the cycle for 12 consecutive weeks before having a week off,” he added

Livanos said he worked as a stuntman before he joined Cirque du Soleil, often doubling for actors in Hollywood movies.

“I have worked on The Bang Bang Club, as Ryan Phillippe’s stunt double, on Chronicle as Dane DeHaan’s stunt double, as well as Tom Felton’s stunt double on Labyrinth,” he said.

The stuntman added that he had also performed in Dredd and Death Race Three.

In addition to his impressive lineup of roles in film, Livanos listed the countries he has travelled to with the circus: China, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Europe (most countries in the continent), Russia, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

“My favourite place, I would have to say, is probably Cape Town,” he reminisced.

“I think it is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been in and I feel there is so much potential and beauty there and opportunity for some wonderful things.

“My plan is to open up a performing arts school and international circus space in Cape Town one day.

“Through that I’ll help as many South Africans as possible to reach the dream I have been so blessed to live.”

Livanos performs as an acrobat and two characters in the circus’s running show, Toruk – The First Flight, inspired by James Cameron’s Avatar.

“The character I play is a member of the Omaticaya Clan, which is the original clan we see in the movie,” he said.

“I am also a member of the Kekunan Clan, which is a group who mainly fly on Banshees, the bird-like creatures the Na’vi use to fly.”

He explained the tour would take him and his colleagues through Canada and the USA until next year, when they will head to Europe and Asia.

“I would like to continue my acrobatic career as long as possible, however this career does have a shelf life,” the acrobat said.

“There are already future plans in the making for that day, however, I absolutely love performing and will ride this wave as long as I possibly can.”

{ SOURCE: Benoni City Times | http://goo.gl/y49P2H }