Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Special Video Episode is UP

On Feb. 10, I observed Cirque du Soleil's open audition process for dancers. This weekend, I put together this special 9-minute video episode of The Strip to show how it worked. You can right-click on that link above to download it or click on the YouTube embedded player below to watch. (Subscribe to the show via iTunes or via Zune to get all new content from "The Strip.")




You can also read my Las Vegas Weekly column for more.
And, as promised, here are some more photos.


As you can see in the video, the dancers had to perform improv numbers inspired by certain words they were given to whatever music was played for them. The first dancer, who is in the video, was given the word "airborne." I don't recall what the second one was told to do.



They also learned some steps of "Love" and "Criss Angel Believe" and then performed those for the casting team.


For some reason, No. 229 really loved my camera...


There was a lot of sitting around, of course:


Here is Cirque casting director Krista Monson speaking to the dancers who were still in the running to be qualified for potential Cirque roles. This is the afternoon of the fourth and final day of auditions.


It was an impressive experience, but it was also reassuring. I mean, who would've expected to find this...


...or this...


...or guys drinking this...


...at something like this? It makes me feel better about this...


...and this!

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I know the feeling. I'll see someone like that Asian guy with the abs and be like "I want to look like that" and then see something like the Doughnut box and lose the will immediately.