To make an artist for one of Cirque’s productions, it takes a talented individual who is open to new experiences – and veterans who can guide the way through those new experiences. Cirque du Soleil has assembled some of the most well-known and respected collaborators in their fields – coaches, choreographers, creators, composers and others – to help artists achieve their goals. And through a series of interviews on their casting website, we meet some of them. Like the “Meet the Artist” series of Q&A’s we recently published, the “Meet a Mentor” set are equally fascinating reads – even more so! We’ve collected all 11 mentor interviews for you to peruse in this series, which, due to the page count, we’ll publish in three parts, beginning with Part One: André Simard (Acrobatic Research and Development), Bernard Petiot (Vice President, Casting and Performance), and Boris Verkhovsky (Director of Acrobatics and Coaching).
PART ONE
ANDRÉ SIMARD
Acrobatic Research and Development Specialist
A true icon in the world of the circus arts, André Simard hails simultaneously from the world of elite sports (as a former gymnast), art (he was a fine-arts student) and the circus (with years of teaching acrobatics to his credit). In addition to training hundreds of artists and developing or helping to develop scores of aerial acts at Cirque du Soleil and elsewhere, André was able to draw on the skills he acquired in these three worlds to take the swinging trapeze to a whole new level. In 1987, the act he created for Nouvelle Expérience revolutionized aerial high-flying.
In the early 1970s, André was pursuing a career with Canada’s national gymnastics team while also studying at Montreal’s Institut des arts graphiques. After taking part in several world championships, he represented his country at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.
When he was subsequently named national coach of the men’s gymnastics team, André continued to teach basic acrobatics to clowns and street entertainers at Montreal’s Centre Immaculée-Conception. Home to Quebec’s first circus school, the Centre would give rise to the world-renowned National Circus School a few years later.
In 1987, André retired from his elite sports career to devote himself full-time to his new passion: developing spectacular acrobatic and aerial acts for the circus. For nearly a decade, he trained artists at the National Circus School in Montreal. His reputation earned him invitations to teach budding performers outside the country, including at France’s École nationale du cirque, to supervise internships and to speak at events around the world. It was during this period, nearly 20 years ago, that André began working with Cirque du Soleil, and in 1997 he became a member of the organization’s permanent creation team.
In large part, his success in the circus world can be attributed to his personal and artistic sensitivity along with his exceptional ability to help artists master their discipline. But even more importantly, André is able to show artists how to get their emotions across to spectators.
One of André’s major technical contributions to aerial acrobatics was his invention in the early 1990s of a secure safety line which revolutionized the aerial world by allowing artists to execute difficult acrobatics in optimal safety and comfort. That contribution was key to raising the bar for aerial acrobatics around the world.
The man to whom the new circus arts owe the “aerial silk” discipline developed many of the aerial acts currently featured in Cirque du Soleil shows worldwide. “What fascinates me the most at Cirque is the constant opportunity for innovation and renewal we have here.”
Q. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
I design human acrobatic performances, mainly aerial, for new shows in creation.
Q. WHAT IS CIRQUE’s APPROACH TO ATHLETES?
Athletes who join Cirque du Soleil come to us with a complete spectrum of acrobatic skills. They have trained as athletes for years, and when they come to Cirque they are ready to refocus their careers on the world of entertainment. The training approach we use depends on the show to which each artist is assigned, meaning the ideas the director and other creators have in mind and the set in which they will be performing. But even if the top priority is delivering the show, I nevertheless try to use a personal approach with every artist to bring out his or her own energy.
Q. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CREATIVE PHILOSOPHY?
Today, inventing a brand new aerial act is getting harder and harder to do. The art of aerial movement has spread across the planet over the last 15 years, so many avenues have already been explored. New communication platforms like YouTube, for example, have made it easier to share information. As a result, creating and reinventing focus on combining and interweaving different types of content and playing with the nuances between them. Ideas that are truly one-of-a-kind are more difficult to find … but at Cirque we do have some new approaches that are currently in development and will be unveiled in the future!
Q. AS AN ACROBATIC DESIGNER, HOW DO YOU WORK WITH THE DIRECTOR OF A NEW SHOW IN CREATION?
Every creator, whether acrobatic or artistic, works very closely with the others to meet the director’s requirements. The show creation process always begins with a brainstorming session and at that point, anything and everything is possible. Even ideas that aren’t necessarily feasible are welcome. We go as far as we can and come up with as many ideas as possible. That’s crucial. We can’t close any doors. Instead, we let ourselves go and join in the adventure led by the director and the director of creation.
Q. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A CANDIDATE WHO’s THINKING ABOUT JOINING THE CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ADVENTURE?
Candidates should be completely open-minded. They should show up ready to give their all and to learn. The possibilities at Cirque’s training studio are unlimited, and the conditions are excellent. They just have to take advantage of that!
BERNARD PETIOT
Vice-President, Casting and Performance
“Athletes who join Cirque du Soleil must continue to develop their skills and challenge their limits. However, unlike the situation in the competitive environments they came from, they now do so by working in cooperation with their peers. Everyone is interdependent. Because when all is said and done, the true winner at Cirque du Soleil has to be the show.”
After discovering artistic gymnastics as a child, Bernard followed his passion all the way to the Canadian university circuit, where he won numerous titles including “Athlete of the Year” from Quebec City’s Université Laval in 1975. Then, along with one of his professors, he founded Club Salto in the same city, where he created the women’s gymnastics program and coached for eight years.
Upon completing his Master’s degree, Bernard was recruited by Montreal’s Club Gymnix to take the reins of the advanced gymnastics program while simultaneously teaching at Université de Montréal. In 1997, he created an advanced training program for coaches at the National Multisport Centre in Montreal as part of the National Coaching Certification Program. Bernard’s career as a coach was prolific: in addition to taking part in 13 World Championships, he trained four Olympic athletes, more than any other Quebec coach.
In 1998, Cirque du Soleil recruited Bernard to head up its training studio, directing training programs for acrobats and supervising coaches and medical staff.
Q. AS VICE PRESIDENT OF CASTING AND PERFORMANCE, WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
I am in charge of casting for artists from artistic, circus and sports backgrounds. I am also responsible for supervising coaching operations, training programs, artists’ health therapists and specialists who design innovative human performances of a physical and acrobatic nature, as well as seeing to the good governance of all those activities. I make sure the necessary resources, infrastructures and mechanisms are in place to meet our goals for shows currently in performance as well as new creations.
Q. HOW IMPORTANT ARE SPORTS AT CIRQUE?
Sports are very important for us since 50% of our artists-acrobats come from a sports background. Also, part of Cirque’s fame and unique style can be attributed to the highly developed athletic and sport skills featured in our shows, and gymnastics skills are the main contributors. Drawing on acrobatic skills acquired through sports, we can explore various performances faster and in greater depth and take calculated risks that are a cut above the traditional circus approach. That’s true from a psychological viewpoint as well as from a technical and physical perspective.
Q. WHAT IS CIRQUE’S APPROACH TO ARTISTS?
We have two distinct approaches. With artists from an entertainment background, like singers, musicians, clowns and actors, our approach is based on respecting the strengths they already have. They are professionals who come to Cirque with special skills and abilities, and we treat them as such. Our role is to help them apply their expertise in the Cirque du Soleil context. With athletes, their arrival at Cirque means they have chosen to reorient their careers. We therefore have to respect the skills they’ve learned, but we also start from the premise that those skills are insufficient to meet all our needs, whether in terms of acrobatics or show-specific aspects like stage presence. As a result, we teach them what they need to know to make the transition a success.
Q. HOW DOES CIRQUE ASSIST ARTISTS ALONG THEIR PATH TO JOINING A SHOW?
We have a complete infrastructure in place. First, an orientation team helps artists make the transition to life in Montreal, where our training studio is located. Then, we offer three types of training: acrobatic, artistic and personal-professional. Each type of training is overseen by experts, allowing artists to achieve real progress. As soon as they join Cirque in Montreal, athletes become artists-employees. As such, they have to take responsibility for their artistic development, and they have to get used to doing things they’ve never done before. That process requires them to demonstrate their own creativity, making a real effort and learning by trial and error.
Q. HOW MUCH OF A CHALLENGE IS THE MIX OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES?
The biggest challenge is communication: understanding artists, making yourself understood by them, and making sure they get along with each other. The solution lies in accepting our cultural differences. We have to help our artists become active participants in life at Cirque. In other words, we have to succeed in making the most of each person’s individual color and unique personality and cultural traits.
Q. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A CANDIDATE THINKING ABOUT BECOMING PART OF THE CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ADVENTURE?
Don’t put up any barriers or cling to preconceived notions: instead, try to be open-minded. The best way to do that is to get as much information as possible—for example, by visiting the Casting website, learning about Cirque by viewing DVDs of our shows, and eventually sending us your application. In a word, candidates should open their minds to getting in touch with their inner artist!
BORIS VERKHOVSKY
Director of Acrobatics and Coaching
Early on, as an elite athlete part of the Russian Men’s National Team in Sport Acrobatics, Boris Verkhovsky discovered a bigger passion for coaching than performing. Having graduated from the Byelorussian State University with a degree in Physical Education and Sports specializing in coaching, he immigrated to Canada in 1978 where he had to quickly adapt his coaching style to the Canadian amateur sport environment. Having succeeded in that, he worked his way through the ranks to become the Head Coach of the Canadian National Trampoline and Tumbling team when, in 1993, he was approached by Cirque du Soleil to consult on a proposed tumbling act for the Las Vegas resident show Mystère.
Boris’ great expertise in the acrobatic field soon made it clear to all involved at Cirque that they needed to secure his expertise. First hired as Head Coach for the Acrobatic Training Department, his role through the years grew to the point where, as current Director of Acrobatic Performance and Coaching, he directs the assignment, development and management of teams of coaches, guiding them to select strategies and to design interventions and coaching methodologies to support Cirque’s current and future needs. Making full use of his knowledge and expertise, he also contributes directly to the design of acrobatic acts for shows in creation.
Q. HOW DO YOU GUIDE AN ATHLETE IN THIS TRANSITION FROM THE SPORTS WORLD TO BECOMING AN ARTIST ON STAGE?
The most important element is to make sure that the person is very comfortable with the concept that we will be capitalizing on what they’ve already accomplished. We tell them, you’ve achieved wonderful results, you’ve developed a phenomenal range of skills, now let’s use those skills but in a very different way and in a very different environment.
The modern thinking in complex model learning is that expediency in learning should not become the goal. Therefore, we begin right away the process of introducing the complex environment: the acrobatic and artistic elements are both present in learning. When the artists arrive here in Montreal, we begin intensive artistic workshops right from the start. Of course, we also introduce right from the start the acrobatic elements. As soon as there is an opportunity, we merge the two. In an ideal training environment, both elements should always be present.
The psycho-professional development is also very important to us. As Cirque is a very different environment, the performance psychologist helps reshape the attitude, the focus and the commitment of artists. In the sport world, you are used to doing a phenomenal amount of training and very few performances. In our environment, the reverse is true; training is limited as you cannot physically afford it but there is a lot of performance. In that regard, performing becomes a form of training. At the same time, you have a responsibility to the public: your performance cannot be perceived as “just training”.
Q. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AN ATHLETE SHOULD EXPECT TO FACE WHEN ARRIVING AT CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
When you are an athlete coming from a fairly elite level – which is the majority of people who come to us – you are used to an environment where you know every aspect – inside and outside. At that stage of the game, discovery is limited. You are a master at what you do. You have developed the capacity to deliver the performances in those few peak moments throughout the year called competitions. When you arrive at Cirque, the element of discovery is enormous. We put athletes in a different environment. They get to perform 9 to 10 times a week. They perform on equipment that they’ve never seen or tried before. Gradually, the artistic element allows them to learn that performing is not about doing tricks; performing is for the public. The acrobatics skills are one of the tools used to evoke emotions. That element of discovery is exciting to be part of.
Q. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CREATIVE PHILOSOPHY?
You have to begin with the notion that “everything is possible” It is at the base of every creation process whether it be in terms of training environment, development of an act or development of a skill, to name but a few. If you begin by thinking “It’s impossible” you are thwarting innovation and creation. In a strange duality is the fact that we have to be intelligent and reasonable. When we create, the risk of being overwhelmed by the passion for the new and exciting is fairly high. What we create has to be sustainable and delivered consistently, about 350 times a year in a touring show and 450 times a year in a resident show. Acrobatics are a mean of expression, not an end in themselves. They help generate the wow effect and that’s what people want to see when they come to Cirque du Soleil. But the wow can come in many different forms. Acrobatics are part of the vocabulary, as opposed to tricks but they are not the only form of wow.
Q. WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK ACROBATICS PLAY IN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? HOW DO THEY FIT INTO THE MIX?
Acrobatics are an essential part of Cirque. The human performance is the central point of Guy Laliberte’s vision when we create a show. That physical aspect of human performance and ability remains a very critical element. It’s a central element. Without beautiful choreography, intriguing costumes, wonderful makeup, phenomenal music, superb theatrical lighting and stunning scenography, acrobatics cannot speak. However, without acrobatics, something is lost. That is why at Cirque, every acrobatic element, or intention of an acrobatic element, has to be world-class.
Q. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A FUTURE CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ARTIST?
It’s not easy. It’s exciting. It’s an opportunity of joining a profession. It will take phenomenal amount of physical, mental and emotional effort. But it will reward you in ways that you haven’t experienced in a sport. Working for the public rather than for the judges is another world, and it’s a wonderful world.
Stay tuned for more pieces of this series coming soon! In Part Two, we’ll hear from Claude Chaput (Conductor, Composer, and Arranger), David Shiner (Director and Clown), Dominic Champagne (Director), and Francois Girard (Director). And in Part Three: Laur Fugere (Singer & Vocal Coach), Luc Tremblay (Choreographer and Educator), Mia Michaels (Choreographer), and Robert Lepage (Director).
