Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria
Since its inception in 1994, Alegria has toured Japan, Europe, Asia and North America, in addition to becoming the inspiration for a film of the same name.
So what’s all the fuss about? It’s just a circus, right? Wrong! Cirque du Soleil is an otherworldly event that will no doubt change any grumpy humbug into an immediate lover of the circus arts. Alegria is an exceptionally brilliant two-and-a-half-hour show that incorporates magnificent acrobatics with its synchro trapeze and aerial high bars, where performers soar 40 feet above the ground and into the waiting arms of another swinging aerialist. The Russian Bars segment of the show includes performers turning somersaults and mid-air rotations before landing safely on the shoulders of assisting acrobats.
The Fire Knife Dance has an artist rhythmically maneuvering flaming knives around his unscathed body in a mesmerizing way, while contortionists beautifully twist and turn their bodies into remarkable positions. And the Fast Track, a demonstration of beautifully synchronized tumbling and choreography upon a built-in trampoline system, keeps artists on their toes as they manipulate the laws of physics so gracefully.
The theatrical inspiration for the this performance does not go unnoticed by audiences as their attention is captured by the exceptional beauty and spectacle of the show, a feat accomplished through the hard work and talent of Alegria’s creative team, led by director Franco Dragone, who has also directed many of Cirque du Soleil’s other shows. Dragone joined the company in 1985, just after its initial inception, and has been a driving creative force ever since. With a background in theater, Dragone makes the collaboration of that art with the circus a seamless one. In addition to directing the film version of Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria, Dragone has also received three Obie Awards for his work with the live performance version of Alegria, as well as the Cirque du Soleil shows Saltimbanco and Quidam.
Costume designer Dominique Lemieux began her career as a book illustrator before designing costumes for many plays and shows in Canada. She eventually became aware of Cirque du Soleil, a perfect outlet for her creativity, and has since designed the costumes for nearly every Cirque du Soleil production.
Debra Brown, the Alegria choreographer, is no stranger to talent and craft, either. The acclaimed choreographer has been involved with dance since she was nine years old. After receiving degrees in Physical Education and Fine Arts, Brown began choreographing pieces for dance companies in Canada as well as for the Canadian national gymnastics team. After discovering Cirque du Soleil’s magical combination of dance and gymnastics, Brown was hooked. She joined the company in 1987 and has since choreographed some eight productions, and has received several awards, in addition to the many opera houses she continues to work with across the US.
One of the beautiful aspects of any Cirque du Soleil show, Alegria included, is the amazing set design. The first element of the performance that most crowds come in contact with, the set must provide a backdrop for the creative and daring feats performed in Alegria. Set designer Michel Crete creates for the audience a mesmerizing scene, one that does not fade into the background amidst stunning performances. Rather, the set welcomes viewers into a different world; an enchanted place where mysterious creatures come to life and the banality of normal existence fades effortlessly.
Also on the creative team is Ria Martens, the artistic coordinator for Alegria. Responsible for 50-plus artists between the ages of five and 62, Martens says working with Alegria is like working with a family of a few hundred other people, adding that the production, while extensive and specifically detail-oriented, is a great group experience.
“Everybody’s role is important,” she says. “Alegria is everyone in the production working on a daily basis to create something unique and unlike any other show
