Cirque du Soleil always piques the imagination. The 22 extravaganzas currently presented by the Montreal-based organization around the world are filled with music, eye-popping acrobatics, exquisite costumes and curious characters conveying bewitching stories. “Quidam” boasts all of those qualities in abundance. Unlike the others, it takes place in an arena, not the customary tent. Arriving in Washington this week, it tells the story of a bored young girl and the imaginary characters who guide her to a dream world.
Cory Sylvester is one of the few Americans in the cast. While attending a touring performance of “Quidam” in 1996, he was so impressed by the German Wheel that he made up his mind to master it.
| Onstage |
| Cirque du Soleil: ‘Quidam’ |
| Where: Verizon Center |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, 3:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday |
| Info: $35 to $113; ticketmaster.com; cirquedusoleil.com/quidam |
“It was 10 years in the making,” he said. “I had no athletic background and was only good at video games. I’d had a little bit of gymnastics and dance as a kid, but I was always the one who goofed around. After seeing that show, I applied to the National Circus School in Montreal and studied there for three years to earn a degree in circus acting. I trained in every aspect of circus performance, including the high wire, juggling and handstands, but my goal was still the German Wheel.”
Sylvester spent more time perfecting his skills for corporate events before deciding he was ready to submit a tape to Cirque du Soleil. Upon acceptance, he trained at their headquarters in Montreal for several months. The nod to join the troupe and perform on the German Wheel came in 2006. Five years later, he still loves traveling around the world, meeting people and discovering the flavor of each country.
Fabrice Lemire, a native of France, is the “Quidam” artistic director. He began his professional dance career at age 9 when he went to Japan with the Paris Ballet.
“Cirque du Soleil first noticed me when I was working in Las Vegas with the Celine Dion show,” he said. “A woman representative saw what I was doing and talked with me, but I never heard back until two years later.”
While “Quidam” was touring South America, he was promoted to the role of its artistic director, a position he has held for more than a year. He is responsible for the entire cast, not just the dancers.
“Since stepping away from the stage, I’m happy to not be in the spotlight,” he said. “Now my job is to have a critical eye on every performer, to be sensitive and proactive and make certain they’re ready to go on every day. Safety is first. If an acrobat isn’t ready, I won’t let him go on.
“I love working and collaborating with many people in a live show. The crew make everything possible. Our schedule is 10 weeks of travel followed by two weeks off. That’s when I can go to my new home in Palm Springs, collect my thoughts and recreate.”
