press kit - Circus Fans Italia

PRESS KIT
OVERVIEW
Dralion™ is a signature Cirque du Soleil®
production acclaimed by more than seven million
people worldwide since it premiered in 1999 in
Montreal, Canada. After many years performing
under the big top, Dralion will now be presented
in arenas throughout the United States and
Canada, with the same quality performance.
Fusing the 3,000 year-old tradition of Chinese
acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach
of Cirque du Soleil, Dralion draws its inspiration
from Eastern philosophy and its never-ending
quest for harmony between humans and nature.
The show’s name is derived from its two
emblematic creatures: the dragon, symbolizing
the East, and the lion, symbolizing the West.
In Dralion, the four elements that govern the
natural order take on a human form. Thus
embodied, each element is represented by its
own evocative colour: air is blue; water is green;
fire is red; earth is ochre. In the world of
Dralion, cultures blend, Man and Nature are one,
and balance is achieved.
Bearing the unmistakable signature of Cirque
du Soleil and featuring 50 international
acrobats, gymnasts, musicians and
singers, Dralion soars to new heights as
it defies the laws of nature.
ACTS
Aerial Hoop
Aerial Pas de Deux
Bamboo Poles
An awe-inspiring creation of strength
and agility, this exotic aerial ballet
captures the passion and energy of its
signature element, fire. Suspended from
a hoop high above the stage, the artist
presents an evocative choreography in
which the hoop and body become one in
a dance of acrobatic precision.
Pas de deux is a languorous aerial dance. An
intertwined couple flies over the stage in a
long band of blue cloth. Within the cloth,
they perform various acrobatic figures that
demand great feats of strength and
flexibility.
In Bamboo Poles, six men balance long
decorative poles symbolizing fire. A
traditional act of the Chinese acrobatic
arts, the performers keep the poles
‘in flight’ overhead while performing
acrobatic feats on the ground.
Dralions
Handbalancing
Hoop Diving
A blend of the traditional Chinese dragon
and lion dances takes on new scope when
reimagined by Cirque du Soleil. In a
dynamic and energetic tumbling
sequence, the artists perform acrobatic
moves while balancing on large wooden
balls as the dralion characters surround
them with a spirited dance.
This act requires great strength and
flexibility. Displaying impressive control,
the artist balances on canes of various
heights, slowly executing a series of
astounding figures while maintaining a
delicate equilibrium.
Derived from Chinese acrobatic tradition,
the Hoop Diving act takes on a tribal flavor
from the African-influenced music to
which it is performed. Ten male artists
dive and throw themselves like arrows
through small wooden hoops. The hoops
are stacked on top of each other; some
are stationary while others rotate.
Juggling
medusa
Skipping Ropes
With stylized choreography that makes
the most of his incredible flexibility,
the artist incorporates a fast-paced
performance with hints of modern
dance. His incredible precision and
mastery of his art are evident as he
juggles up to seven balls simultaneously.
The artists execute graceful and lithe
movements which emphasize their extreme
flexibility and balance. Together, they
create extraordinary and harmonious
figures.
A children’s game familiar to everyone,
the skipping rope takes on a new
dimension in Dralion with a heightened
level of acrobatic prowess. As the artists
keep time with the long skipping ropes,
they perform flips, make pyramids and
even form a human column.
Trampoline
Chairs (Act in rotation) Diabolo (Act in rotation)
Defying the laws of gravity, fearless
aerialists bounce off trampolines using
the futuristic backdrop both as a
diving board and landing pad. They
cascade perilously through the air
performing spectacular stunts at a
dizzying pace.
In the Chairs act, the artist delicately
stacks chairs to create a tower on
which to perform a balancing act that
displays the human body at the very
peak of condition and muscular control.
The diabolo, or Chinese yo-yo, is a children’s
game which involves holding two sticks linked
by a string while sliding, juggling and tossing
a wooden spool. With increasingly difficult
maneuvers, the artists attempt to outdo
each other in dexterity and ingenuity.
CHARACTERS
AZALA (AIR)
GAYA (EARTH)
OCEANE (WATER)
Azala is the goddess of Air. She is the
guardian of the sun and immortality,
floating above timeless space in hues
of blue.
Gaya is the goddess of Earth. She
possesses within her human warmth
(fire) and the cool, fresh vitality of
life (water). She adorns herself in
ochre.
Oceane is the goddess of Water. As queen
of movement she controls, through the
art of dance, the movement of the
oceans. Her universe is green.
YAO (FIRE)
KALA
LITTLE BUDDHA
The guide to the fiery demons; Yao
commands the rhythm of the show. He
symbolizes both good and evil. He sees life
in vivid red.
KALA is the heart of the wheel that
represents time and the infinite cycle.
He is the internal propulsion of the
wheel that makes time evolve. It is the
ongoing circle of life.
The Little Buddha is the chosen child.
Although it possesses special powers
that will allow it to eventually become
an Âme-Force, it dreams of being just a
regular child.
COstUMES
The primary sources of inspiration for the costumes
of Dralion come from China, India and Africa. The
palette favors vibrant solid colors, while the
shapes are guided by the artists’ movements and
choreography.
Each of the four elements and its associated
family are represented by their own unique color.
Blue is identified with air, green symbolizes water,
red is for fire, and ochre represents the earth.
Facts
•O
ver 5,000 meters (16,000 feet) of fabric were
used in creating the costumes;
•T
he fabrics come from regions around the globe,
including China, the United States, Italy, France,
England and Quebec;
•M
aterials that might be considered unusual were
used in creating costumes and accessories:
horse hair, raffia, metal, window screen, emu
feathers, crystals, styrofoam, plastic, bubble
wrap, fun fur, springs and an array of
hardware items;
•T
o create the texture on the chest plate of the
singer’s costume, bugs were glued on and then
molded into different shapes;
•T
he artisans at the Cirque du Soleil costume
workshop in Montreal worked for over three
months fabricating the original costumes,
hats, wigs and footwear required for Dralion.
New costumes are continuously made.
•T
he majority of the Dralion costumes are
custom-made for each artist, including shoes
and head pieces.
•D
ralion has close to 1,500 costume pieces
including shoes, hats and accessories.
•T
he Dralion wardrobe team includes 4 permanent
touring staff and 3 local wardrobe employees in
each city. The wardrobe team is responsible for
maintaining and repairing all costumes.
•T
he Dralion tour travels with washers and dryers
because most costume pieces are machine
washable and then hung to dry.
•O
ver 300 pairs of shoes are cleaned and painted
by hand every week.
MUSIC
Blending Eastern and Western sounds to create
rhythmic and lyrical motifs, the electric and acoustic
Dralion score draws its inspiration from classic Indian
melodies, weaving in influences from Andalusia,
Africa as well as Central and Western Europe.
The band is composed of six musicians and two
singers who perform live for every performance.
SET DESIGN
A mammoth structure creates the huge backdrop
that dominates the stage. This metallic set piece
is 60 feet wide and 26 feet tall and is suggestive
of a futuristic Chinese temple or a giant plate of
medieval armor.
The most imposing feature is the wall which spans
the full length of the stage. Covered with
perforated aluminum tiles, the wall is strong and
resilient while giving the impression of being light
and flexible. The six giant claws attached to the
structure allow artists to climb and suspend
themselves from the wall.
Three concentric aluminum rings are suspended
high above the stage. The first serves as a
catwalk for performers and technicians. The
second is used to support technical and acrobatic
equipment, including the enormous lantern that
descends at the end of the first half of the show.
The third ring is used to move performers up, down
and through the world of Dralion.
CREATORS
original design
Guy Laliberté
Guy Caron
Gilles Ste-Croix
Guide and Founder
Director
Director of Creation
Stéphane Roy
François Barbeau Violaine Corradi Julie Lachance
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Composer
and Musical Director
Luc Lafortune
Guy Desrochers
harvey robitaille
Lighting Designer
Original sound designer
Sound designer
Choreographer
2010 Restaging
Sylvie Galarneau Lin yung biau
General Artistic Director
Assistant Choreographer
Eleni uranis
pierre guillotte
Make-up Designer
Production Manager / Arena Shows
AT A GLANCE
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque
du Soleil is a major Quebec-based organization providing high-quality
artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including
more than 1,300 artists from close to 50 different countries.
Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than
100 million spectators in more than 300 cities in over forty
countries on six continents. Cirque du Soleil International
Headquarters are in Montréal, Canada. The company has received
such prestigious awards as the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE,
Gémeaux, Félix, and Rose d’Or de Montreux.
For more information about Cirque du Soleil,
visit cirquedusoleil.com.
THE MISSION
The mission of Cirque du Soleil is to invoke the imagination, provoke
the senses and evoke the emotions of people around the world.
THE CREATION OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
It all started in Baie-Saint-Paul, a small town near Québec City, in
Canada. There, in the early eighties, a band of colourful characters
roamed the streets, striding on stilts, juggling, dancing, breathing
fire, and playing music. They were Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul
(the Baie-Saint-Paul Stiltwalkers), a street theatre group founded
by Gilles Ste-Croix. Already, the townsfolk were impressed and
intrigued by the young performers—including Guy Laliberté who
founded Cirque du Soleil.
The troupe went on to found Le Club des talons hauts (the High Heels
Club), and then, in 1982, organized La Fête foraine de Baie-Saint-Paul,
a cultural event in which street performers from all over met to
exchange ideas and enliven the streets of the town for a few days.
La Fête foraine was repeated in 1983 and 1984. Le Club des talons
hauts attracted notice, and Guy Laliberté, Gilles Ste-Croix and their
cronies began to cherish a crazy dream: to create a Quebec circus
and take the troupe travelling around the world.
In 1984, Québec City was celebrating the 450th anniversary of
Canada’s discovery by Jacques Cartier, and they needed a show
that would carry the festivities out across the province. Guy Laliberté
presented a proposal for a show called Cirque du Soleil (Circus of
the Sun), and succeeded in convincing the organizers. And Cirque
du Soleil hasn’t stopped since!
A FEW STATISTICS
• In 1984, 73 people worked for Cirque du Soleil. Today,
the business has 5,000 employees worldwide, including
more than 1,300 artists.
• At the Montreal International Headquarters, there
are close to 2,000 employees.
• More than 100 types of occupations can be found
at Cirque du Soleil.
• The average age of employees is 37.
• The company’s employees and artists represent close
to 50 nationalities and speak 25 different languages.
• More than 100 million spectators have seen a Cirque
du Soleil show since 1984.
• Close to 15 million people will see a Cirque du Soleil
show in 2012.
• Cirque du Soleil hasn’t received any grants from
the public or private sectors since 1992.
TOURING SHOWS IN ARENAS
In 2012,
Cirque du Soleil
will present twenty-two
different shows around
the world:
Europe
Europe
TOURING SHOWS
UNDER THE BIG TOP
North America
North America
North America
South America
Europe
Japan
North America/Mexico
North America
RESIDENT SHOWS
North America
Treasure Island
in Las Vegas
Bellagio
in Las Vegas
New York-New York
Hotel & Casino
in Las Vegas
Walt Disney World® Resort
in Orlando, Florida
MGM Grand
in Las Vegas
The Mirage
in Las Vegas
Luxor
in Las Vegas
ARIA Resort & Casino
at CityCenter,
in Las Vegas
The Venetian
Macao-Resort-Hotel
in Macau SAR, China
Radio City Music Hall
in New York City
Los Angeles
TM
Cirque du Soleil, Sun Logo, Saltimbanco, Alegría, Dralion, Quidam, Varekai, Corteo, KOOZA, OVO, TOTEM, Amaluna, Mystère, “O”, Zumanity – the Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil, La Nouba, KÀ, ZAIA, Zarkana, IRIS – A Journey Through the World of Cinema are
trademarks owned by Cirque du Soleil and used under license. The trademark LOVE is owned by The Cirque Apple Creation Partnership and used under license. The Beatles is a trademark owned by Apple Corps Limited. The trademarks CRISS ANGEL and Believe
are owned by Criss Angel and used under license. Viva ELVIS is a trademark owned by Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and used under license. © The Cirque EPE Partnership. Elvis name and likeness used under license. Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour
is a trademark owned by Cirque Jackson I.P., LLC. Trademarks used under license. The Michael Jackson name, image, likeness and associated trademarks and logos are owned by Triumph International, Inc. and used under license. © 2010 Cirque Jackson I.P., LLC.
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