“Who Has What It Takes? (Part 3 of 4)”
By: Keith Johnson & LouAnna Valentine – Seattle, Wash (USA)
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10:45am – Richard and Charles look for another song for Charmaine to use. They search through the CD collection, finally settling on a track. Charmaine teaches them a piece of choreography from one of Cirque’s shows. LouAnna shoots more pictures and is already through here first roll. But the “No Flash” rule means she has to increase her exposure time, and attempt to capture the candidates in a rare moment of relative stillness.
The selection process, Richard comments, is like carving a statue. The Audition Team are the miners of the rock, while the Director of Creation and Artistic Directors are the carvers, taking the raw stone and creating a thing of beauty.
Cirque du Soleil is always in the process of creating, from KÀ to Cirque 2005 to the Celebrity Cruise Lines shows to the Beatles/Mirage show. The Montreal headquarters is now constantly buzzing with creative activity. “Cirque du Soleil: Fire Within” gave us a peek into that process for Varekai. How true-to-life is it?, we ask Richard.
“What I liked about Fire Within was how well it documented what the artists went through. It showed the reactions to the different environment that’s been created in Montreal. The creation process is one of the most wonderful things an artist can go through because something is created on them based on what they do and who they are, as opposed to something that’s been done before by somebody else. But it’s also incredibly demanding, physically, emotionally. That’s what makes it wonderful, that intensity that you live with. But it’s not for everyone, not everybody likes it, but some people thrive on it.”
“For some people, creation is all they’d like to do; go from one creation to another. Because artists are extreme, they love the intensity of emotions of the creation process. It starts out like a honeymoon and gets intense until the completion is in sight. When they look back on the creation they feel it was all worth it.”
Outside of roles in existing shows, the audition team is also on the lookout for artists that can be used in new shows and creation processes. “What’s coming is a lot of fun too, because we don’t know what they’re going to ask for, so we just look for something special. People that are different, an open personality. For example, for a touring show you look for someone that likes to tour. So we look to what’s already there and what might be coming later.”
“Anyone that can impress us in any kind of way – to show us their individuality – even if we can’t see it in our shows right now, it’s important for us to keep and document. Because what we in casting and the scouts present to the creators and artistic directors of our new shows can influence which direction they’re going to go. Because if there’s a “weird” talent or something they’ve never seen before they might say, “Oh yes, I want that person, I want that image.” We feed them. And it’s important to find these people so that we don’t miss anything and we can present these things. It’s all about getting new things.”
“Sometimes an artist creates a character that resembles themselves. It’s what they do, they do one thing great and that’s what we want. So they could perhaps have a career out of that [one thing]. One of the synchro swimmers in O, he had his arm behind his head in an unconventional way. One moment he was part of a group and the next he has a solo. Why? Because of one thing he does well. And it was a powerful dramatic image.”
How does the creation process work? “There’s no formula. Each creator has a storyboard, and as the creation process develops things change. Artists might suggest certain things. A lot of times they’ll start with too much. Zumanity was once a three-hour show and had to be cut. It’s always better to have too much than not enough.”
“Sometime some elements get eliminated in the process. But eventually [the artists] understand why. Especially if it’s the first time they go through the creation process, at the end they “get it.” They understand why it happens [like it does]. It’s usually because of the product that ends up on stage. Because it’s trial and error. Some things will work, some things will change, and that’s the creation process.”
“That’s why Guy Laliberté, in his role as Guide, is wonderful. His strength is his eyes, his vision. The ability to look at what is on stage and simply see what works and what doesn’t. With his experience and what he’s done he’s able to pinpoint – “This is what will work, I need more of this” – and that’s one of his main roles now. That’s probably why this company is doing so well artistically.”
11:30am – A break is called. Several of the candidates hang out in the back room, chatting amiably with each other. This doesn’t seem to be a high-pressure situation for them; this isn’t a winner-take-all reality show. They come from such diverse places as Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Phoenix, LA and Toronto. They sent in their demo tapes from 2 months to 1.5 years ago. I mention to one how much people are sweating. His answer, “Yeah, but we love to sweat.”
We ask Richard what kind of atmosphere they try to maintain during an audition. “It’s tricky because some people are incredibly good at auditions but when they’re in front of an audience it’s a different story. And some people are not as strong in auditions but you put them on stage and they shine. So you have to try to see it. That’s why we try to help them relax and create an atmosphere almost like a game. And you can see on the second day there’s already a connection between the artists. All the auditions I’ve seen for dancers and actors it happens this way. They might never see each other the rest of their lives but during that moment they are sharing the same experience and emotions. So there’s a very strong bond. And because of the nature of the roles we have, and how different we are, they understand very quickly that there’s a place for each one of them so they’re not in competition with each other.”
11:45am – The improv section of the audition starts. The candidates watch from the far end of the room as each takes their turn in front of the team (and the camera). As we watch the Argentinean woman do her improv, Richard suggests, “It must be fun for them to watch the other do something independently.”
Would those who go later and can consider their reactions, we wonder, have an advantage over those who go early? “Sometimes the people at the beginning have more spontaneity,” Richard responds. “Sometimes when you think too much about something it doesn’t work because it’s not natural.”
It is here we begin to see the difference between other auditions and Cirque du Soleil auditions. These artists are being asked to show their minds, their personality, their very essence to the audition team. It’s obvious that just having the dancing chops won’t be enough; candidates should be well versed in acting skills as well. “Some of the exercises we do are tools for evaluation to get to know the candidates,” says Richard. “But acting and emoting skills are important. You have to be as complete as possible. It’s important because of what we require from the artist, because of what they have to do on stage.”
12:38pm – As we break for lunch, cuts are made. A tall lanky young man, a girl with cornrow hair, and one other girl. They will not be back this afternoon and pack their things, faces grim. Ten of the original 27 artist candidates remain. Before heading off to lunch I comment to Richard how, with his help, we can see how people we thought would be cut in the morning are still here. “It’s nice to know our process makes sense to other people” he smiles. “There’s a purpose behind our madness.”
1:40pm – After lunch, the group re-convenes. Anne-Marie gathers them again in a semi-circle to give instructions about the rest of the afternoon. Charles manipulates lights in the ceiling to better aid the videotaping; Richard helps by controlling the light board. An older woman with white hair has joined the troupe (we later find out she is 78 years old). She is a tap dancer who was here yesterday and has been asked to attend the last half of today as the morning session wasn’t geared toward her skills. She’s very open, we’re told, and they want to test other aspect of her talent. LouAnna and I refer to her as “Taps.”
1:55pm – The audition continues. The artists line up against the near wall, Anne-Marie sits on the floor near the audition table. The music is a lilting repeating melody from a French film soundtrack. One by one each is called forward for a solo improv exercise.
Why do some of the exercises you do, we wonder. “The people on our stage are not just dancers, they’re not just musicians or singers, they’re characters,” Richard says. “So we need to evaluate that. We want to see their range and their imagination, their quickness to respond to direction. It’s a way for us to clarify our decision. Somebody could have beautiful legs and feet, but if that’s all they have and they’re totally blank up here [in the mind] and can’t do anything else, can’t communicate with the public, then they are not ready for us.”
“We’re testing a different aspect of their talent. Some will be OK with it, some won’t. For us it’s easy to find the ones that fit right away. It’s easy to find the ones that don’t fit at all. The ones in the gray area, that’s the hard part. Can we see them in one of our shows? There are so many questions, so you test. We give them a chance to show us what they can do, and if they can respond well.”
Anne-Marie often has to remind the artists not to move. Playing a character while not moving, Richard says, is “incredibly telling. The hardest part for an artist is to just stand there and project. It’s easy to attract attention by a whole bunch of frantic movement.”
Is it the same process with musicians as well? “Musicians it’s a little bit different because they are often in the background, or in the booth. But we do a little exercise with them to see their openness. Are they willing to participate with us or not? If you’re not willing to be taken outside your comfort zone you might not be the best person to go into a creation. Also we want to know how easy they are to work with.”
2:40pm – Time for a different exercise, this time a group improv. With this exercise, “we want them to show their creativity outside of dance, their versatility,” Richard advises.
3:12pm – Time for a break. As the remaining candidates relax in the back room, LouAnna asks if she can get a group photo. They all huddle together and smile as if they were already a close-knit family.
Shortly afterward, Anne-Marie asks if anyone has anything special they would like to share. If any of them has a specialty now’s the time to show it! The Argentinean couple hands Richard a CD. With the video camera watching they perform a dance number, and they shine. They are very good! One candidate (influenced by street dancing) does a work-in-progress improvisation of an opera singer interrupted by a piece of hip-hop music and becoming influenced by it.
3:30pm – Taps does a tap number. To our eyes she isn’t as polished and technical as we were expecting. One sings a song a cappella. The girl from Toronto shows off her athletic prowess, striking various gymnastic poses. Another also shows some skills. Anne-Marie asks her to do splits to both sides, which she executes flawlessly.
3:45pm – Anne-Marie announces a final exercise.
4:10pm – A break, and more cuts. Another girl is cut, as is Toronto. We were disappointed; we had been rooting for her since this morning when she had entered the building with us. She had gotten so far only to be cut at the last minute. But in watching her we could see she lacked maturity in her movements and thinking. To her credit she waits until the audition is over, asking Anne-Marie for feedback about why she wasn’t chosen.
Out of an initial group of 27, the group is down to 8, less than a third of what they started with. These are the finalists, the ones going into the database with positive marks and video highlights. While being videotaped, each is asked to walk from the left side of the room to the right, then forward to the audition table. What can you tell about a person by the way they walk, we ask Richard. “Self confidence. And posture. For singers it’s very revealing. In
Saltimbanco for example the singer has to walk in high heels, so we need to make sure the candidate would be able to walk with such shoes on.”
When they reach the camera Anne-Marie stands next to them for a moment. Everyone at Montreal IHQ knows Anne-Marie, Richard mentions, so at 5′ 10″ tall she is used as a height comparison. Then they speak their name and anything they would like artistic directors to know. They also sing. “We like to test the voice. They don’t necessarily have to sing, but if they sing well and a creator wants to use that then we know they have it. It’s a process of documentation. We try to document everything and not miss anything. Because that one little thing may be the difference between their getting the job and not getting the job.”
4:46pm – The street-influenced dancer does her walk-up. At the end she points excitedly to herself and exclaims, “Pick Me! I’m the one!” Everyone laughs at her enthusiasm.
5:12pm – The audition is finished. Gathered again in a semi-circle, the entire audition team solicits feedback from the artists on how the audition went, what they liked, what they didn’t like. This is as important a part of the process as the auditions themselves are for the team. Richard leaves his seat beside us to listen to the discussion.
Each remaining artist is given a letter with a form to fill out. Several sit cross-legged on the floor, bending far forward to reach the paper as they write their information. The letter begins: “CONGRATULATIONS! YOU’VE MADE THE FIRST CUT! We are adding your name to our list of potential candidates. Of course, this does not represent an immediate commitment on our part. Making it through this first stage means that you may be selected for a position requiring your expertise. What happens now?” The letter asks for a photocopy of their passport (and advises them to keep it valid) as well as a recent resume and videocassette, and reminds them to keep Cirque appraised of any changes to their contact information. The letter concludes, “If we wish to approach you about replacing someone in one of our current shows or in any new production, someone from our Casting Department in Montreal will contact you. Please be patient while you wait to hear from us.” There is also a form asking for a more detailed breakdown of their skill set.
We ask Richard, as things are winding down, what he finds most rewarding and challenging about his job. The challenge in working for Cirque, Richard notes is not so much doing the work as it is thinking about how you’re doing it. “You constantly have to re-examine your process and question it. To see if it’s still valid, if you’re going in the right direction, if you can do it better. It’s the same thing creators do with shows, from show to show; you do Varekai, now what next? How can you do better? We go through the same process with our techniques, our process of auditions and casting. It’s challenging because you’re not second-guessing yourself, you’re questioning.
“It’s part of our day-to-day routine. [After every audition day] we sit down and ask, “How did we do today? Are there things we did that we could have done better?” And we find we can push our limits and find new ways to do our thing. What we did 10 years ago may not work now, so you try something else. It’s always encouraging to find you’re able to do it, it gives you hope and an incentive to go through that questioning process; it’s not threatening anymore. I think it makes us better at what we do. It makes us better people, too.”
Being able to work for a company you love and respect is a blessing too few of us enjoy. But not so for Cirque du Soleil employees. “There’s a pride to working for Cirque. Yes, there’s a lot of work; Cirque is a big machine and there’s lots of work to be done. But people work incredibly hard. The interesting thing is that a lot of them will work late into the evening, 7-8pm. The scouts are renowned for working late and hard. Me too!
“And it’s because we love our jobs. I don’t have any problem getting up in the morning to go to work. Going on an audition trip for me is a treat but I don’t mind having to go home (to Montreal) and catch up.”
“You’re proud of what you do and you want to do a good job. Like the scouts, looking for a particular type of artist. They’ll search all over the world until they find what they’re looking for. (This was strongly illustrated in “Fire Within” as they searched for a male singer.) That feeling is so strong that they want to deliver a good product. Because they know they have to live up to the quality of Cirque, or better it.”
“Cirque treats us right. At the Cirque Headquarters there are lots of things they do to enliven the atmosphere. Sometimes on Friday they’ll have a big popcorn machine and they’ll give us popcorn. Or the winter carnival. They organize trips for us to ski in the winter. So there’s always something. And we get a lot of feedback. The letters people send are distributed throughout the company, “Here’s the effect you have.
“All those t-shirts [you see Cirque employees wearing], they’re free for us. And we’re proud to wear them. Like my Cirque jacket, I love that jacket. When I’m in the Montreal subway and I’m wearing my Cirque jacket, I won’t sit down. I’ll stand with my back to the biggest window of the car so the back of my jacket, with the Cirque logo, can be seen through the window.”
“At one point, Cirque was voted one of the best places in Canada to work, and I agree!”
Cirque du Soleil has worked hard to achieve and maintain its reputation as the premiere circus arts production company. They have literally changed the face of circus, and have grown far beyond its creator’s wildest dreams. But as Richard reminds us, it didn’t start out that way. “I don’t think Cirque du Soleil took on the mandate of changing the world of circus. Yes, one of the shows was titled, “We Reinvent the Circus” but I don’t think that was meant as pretentiously as people think. There is one goal, and Guy reminds us of it all the time, to bring a smile to people faces. That may sound a bit hokey, but that’s what it is. You put on a good show so that for an hour and a half people forget their problems and have a good time.”
“It just happened that in the process all those other things [came about]. And I think that’s because of the integrity of keeping that goal. It’s not about money, it’s about putting out good product so that people live a wonderful experience through our shows and appreciate it.”
“And it brings good people to work for us. The working conditions at Cirque are really good, the artists and employees are well treated. And that’s why we are able to get good people, good creators. That’s why we end up with the type of product we have, because we innovate.”
And it all comes back to the man at the top of the triangle, Guy Laliberte. “I think the people that work for him have a lot of respect for him because of his vision and the way he runs the company. Because of what he gives back to us and to the community with Cirque du Monde and all that. Anybody who has that kind of vision is OK in my book.”
5:23pm – The artists leave, knowing they’re going into the database and, as is typical of the artist’s life, may or may not be called. The audition team packs up and leaves, their day far from over. They will spend the rest of their evening de-briefing the day and making notes, ending about 10pm. They will then move on to the auditions in their other disciplines, staying in Seattle another two weeks.
And the artists will go on with their lives, hoping for that special phone call.
We’d like to express our deepest gratitude to those special Cirque people who helped us immeasurably with this series, most especially to Richard Dagenais – Head of Auditions and Logistic, Casting (our host) for his openness and willingness to let us in on the process. Also to the rest of the Seattle audition team; Anne-Marie Duchène – Artistic Scout, Charles St-Onge – Audition Coordinator, and Charmaine Hunter – Dance Evaluator. Also thanks to Chantal Côté – Corporate Publicist, and Simon Frances – Marketing Agent, Casting for helping arrange our day. And finally, thanks to all of the artists who allowed us to eavesdrop on their job interview.
END OF PART THREE
Next Issue: In Part 4 we’re going to speak with a couple of candidates who made it all the way through the process!
