Plopped right in the middle of Washington, D.C., just a few blocks from the White House, is the big top, or in this case, a collection of big tops comprising Cirque du Soleil. They have been in Washington since October 26 – the last show is November 26. Our tour of the grounds started with the kitchen and dining room where there is a constantly replenished selection of healthy and gourmet dishes, fresh fruits and vegetables, wonderful breads, chocolates and other desserts from the best chocolatier in the area. Nothing but the best for the pampered performers who wander in and out wrapped in their large fluffy terry cloth robes with the Cirque logo on the back. Two huge moving van sized truck beds fold flat and join together to make the kitchen and dining area. These units are moved with the tour and are part of a caravan of 42 massive trucks that transport everything – stages, rigging, costumes, luggage, technical equipment, computers, lighting, bathrooms and showers, makeup rooms, gyms, etc.
It is like visiting a small village. They have everything they need – food, trainers, bathrooms and showers, makeup, wardrobe, medical, child care and schooling for those who have children, computers, TV, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, everything. They build all of their own sets and make all their own costumes.
From the kitchen we went to the gym where people were flying through the air, flipping, spinning, hanging from the ceiling, flexing, doing cartwheels, backflips and landing on tiny edges of things – awesome to see. And the muscles, bulging legs and arms, not an ounce of fat in the entire gym (except us visitors of course). Some of the women have the tiniest little bodies and are hard as rocks. Coaches and trainers stand by performers giving direction.
Just a few feet from the gym is the costume section, seemed rather small. Two women were working doing sewing and ironing. Feathery lacy colorful things hung from racks on the edges of the room.
From here we went to the back stage area where props were stored. Huge hooped and ruffled skirts hung from the high ceiling. Large crystal chandeliers – seven feet tall – were all over the place, wooden crates that held huge (8-10-feet) wings made from feathers, and all over there were bits and pieces of odd things and I wondered what they were for.
People started passing us to go into the center of the main stage rolling huge silver loops. Then they stepped into the loops and put their hands on the top and rolled around the stage inside of them (see picture above). It was amazing. They could get going pretty fast and knew exactly when to lift their fingers so as not to roll over them. The coach would sometimes take a loop to show them something. They spoke Russian. Many of the performers are European, many are gymnasts. The stage alone cost 25 million (I think that's what they told me but now it sounds outrageous, wonder if I got it wrong?). They work all day either in the gym or rehearsing their acts. There are ten performances a week. They have one day off but when the show ends and they are moving to the next location they have more time off, but still must train.
On the way home I said to Dan "Wouldn't you just love to stow away and spend a week or two just hanging out spying on all this stuff?"
He said "No."
