OH! Magazine - Australian Version October 2016 | Page 6

What do you write in the ‘occupation’ field
when you’re filling out your immigration
card?

Do you have any specific nutrition
requirements or eating plans that you adhere
to while performing in KOOZA?

I write ‘dancer’, as I feel like that is the
best way to describe me as a performer. I
don’t feel like I have the best voice, and I
am not an Olympic gymnast so I always
find that I can relate more to that word. I
am very passionate about dance and I am
lucky to be doing it as my career.

I wish I had a better plan of action when it
came to nutrition! Fortunately, we have an
amazing chef who provides us with healthy
options while we are working. I try to eat
vegetables and fruit but definitely gravitate
to the cheesecake more often than I would
like to admit!

Tell us a bit about your training. What sort of
workouts do you do, to help you stay
physically fit for this show?

What sort of health professionals do you
work with during the season, to minimise
your risk of injury (e.g. physios, personal
trainers,
nutritionists,
chiropractors,
massage therapists)?

While on tour, training for the show can be
difficult. I don’t have a particular gym I go
to in each city so during our tour breaks, I
am usually at the mercy of whatever
equipment is available at the hotel we are
staying in. Fortunately, we have everything
I need at the artistic tent, which includes
a cushioned floor for gymnastics training,
weights and cardio machines, and Pilates
and yoga instructors who train us onsite. I
typically warm up with a ballet barre and
then progress to simple gymnastics
tumbling. During the show, to stay in
shape I like to do dips, pull ups, bicep
curls, and P90X abs; of course, the show
itself provides a nice cardio workout which
keeps me fit.

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OH! MAGAZINE (OCTOBER 2016)

just be a gymnast or dancer; you must be
able to incorporate many different
disciplines to be an amazing performer on
stage. It is also imperative that as an artist
you are open-minded and willing to try new
things. You need to be easy to work with,
be free from attitude/ego, and approach
your work with artistry and kindness. At
Cirque du Soleil, work ethic is an essential
component to success, and important in
order to achieve personal growth as a
performer. Cirque du Soleil is a network of
trustworthy talents from around the world,
who gather together to create something
special and to inspire others.
You can see Cirque du Soleil's KOOZA in:

We have an excellent health services
department, which offers us Pilates
instructors, massage therapy, and physical
therapy if we have injuries. I help lead
abdominal training with the artists and
find that the stronger I am, the less likely I
am to be injured. I also stretch extensively
to minimise the risk of injury that can
result from tight muscles.

•

What advice would you have for people who
want to do what you do for a living?

For more info or to buy tickets visit
www.cirquedusoleil.com/kooza. Or to enter
to win a double pass to the show in
Brisbane on 1 December 2016 (valued at
$270), see page 28.

I would say that it is important to be well
rounded as a performer. It’s not enough to

•

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Sydney: now playing at the
Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park.
Brisbane: From 24 November 2016
at Skygate Brisbane Airport (near
DFO).
Melbourne: from 20 January 2017 at
Flemington Racecourse.
Perth: from 13 April 2017 at Belmont
Park Racecourse.

Photos: Matt Beard Costumes: Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt ©2012 Cirque du Soleil

( OH WOW! )