Last year, I wrote a column about Circus Center; that time, I (partially) overcame my irrational fear of heights and was mesmerized by the instructors as I glided through the air and learned a few trapeze tricks. This time around, I got to do a little bit of a behind-the-scenes look into Ovo, the Cirque du Soleil show that concluded this past Sunday here in San Francisco.
Another reason why being a Synapse editor rocks: aside from the modest monetary compensation, one-of-a-kind opportunities present themselves from time to time. Those, and comped tickets! I mean, how often would you get a chance to go backstage to an event?
Fredericka was our tour guide for the day, and she's got that lively and bubbly personality fit for a PR person. She showed us around Cirque du Soleil's version of a self-sufficient mini-village; they bring everything with them, even generators to power the entire village. She dutifully informs my entourage other Cirque trivia tidbits, like the number of pieces of costumes the designer, Liz Vandal, and her team have created for Ovo (1500), to the number of Trampoline Olympiads they have as part of the cast for Ovo (Two).
We got also got a sneak peek into the performers' practices; we saw the adorable ants perfecting their craft as they spun blown-up piece of kiwis and corn using their feet. At first, they appeared to me as spectacularly solid, but not necessarily amazing; they definitely blew me away come game time. We also saw the trapeze artists practicing on stage; they were definitely a treat.
She showed us around the artists' lounge. This is where we met and interviewed Robyn, one of the characters in Ovo. Here, she plays the black spider, and she describes her character as being "reclusive" and "a little bit sexy, a little spicy, kind of evil, like the evil quirky stepsister" (to the red spider). "This is my character that I've created. It's really me. It's who I am, but a little bit exaggerated," Robyn adds.
This is Robyn's first traveling show; her former Cirque performances have been permanent residency shows (Mystère, Zumanity, and Love), all based in Las Vegas. Any positives and negatives on life on the road? "On one hand, life is a more simple; no worries about having to pay rent," she replies. On the other hand, she misses the amenities of Las Vegas, like showers in her dressing room, and extra space for her toiletries and products.
One of the many things that I fancy about her is her unique background. I would've thought that most performers come from ballet, or that they're former Olympiads (which are the cases for some of the Cirque performers). Yes, she did have formal training in other dance disciplines (salsa, African, swing, etc), but what captured her attention was breakdancing. She was living in Fort Collins at the time, attending Colorado State, and what drew her to breakdancing was the "free-for-all" atmosphere that it provided for her. She also radiates this reserved confidence without appearing smug or condescending. That's something that I aspire to do.
If there is anything that a pharmacist and a performer have in common, it's the fact that we're both in a no-mistake business. When I do see them mess up, more than anything, it just reaffirms to me that after all, they're still human, and what they're doing out there is outrageously out of this world; it makes me appreciate their show a bit more. "People look at us like we're these robots and inside this box, but dancers and performers are some of the zaniest, wildest people out there," Robyn answers. But just like a pharmacist, performers are bound to make gaffes from time to time. She said that she's had her fair share of them, ranging from a falling headpiece to "wardrobe malfunction" (she's forgotten her shorts on her dress). The difference between her and me is that for the most part, if she messes up (or thinks she messed up), she can play it off as an artistic flair; mine plays off as a medical malpractice claim.
Also, like some pharmacists, performers can go through monotonic and repetitive periods at work, like when they do shows 6 days a week, two shows in one day at times, as in the case for Robyn. How does she deal with this? "That's actually one of the big challenges: to keep it fresh. There's always room for improvement. I analyze my performances, and I find that there's plenty of stuff to work on."
Another thing that I relate to Robyn with is that she and I are both surrounded with extraordinary talent. How does she deal with this? "If you're in Cirque, it means you're really something. It's pretty cool to be around such talent. We do get used to it, like 'Oh he's just hanging from one finger. That's just what he does.' But it's pretty important to remember that we are special," Robyn answers.
I would think working in such close quarters for a prolonged period of time with the same people would breed either animosity or amorosity. "Whether there is drama or not, we still have to come here and perform the show," Robyn quips. She's also got the amorosity covered; she met her fiancé during her stint in Zumanity, been together for 5 years, and just got married this past Tuesday!
Towards the end of our interview, I asked Robyn if she would be willing to teach me a sequence. She happily obliges, and gracefully gets up in the practice wall. The first sequence that she did went way over my head; I didn't even attempt to do it, the fear of falling down from the wall and being crushed like a squished bug was a bit much to overcome. The second sequence was a little better; it involved using my (nearly non-existent) arm strength to prop myself up from the rocks while doing some neat leg sequences.
If you didn't get a chance to see them here in San Francisco, it's not too late! They're still here in the Bay Area; you can catch Ovo under the Grand Capiteau at Taylor Street Bridge in San Jose. Performances run from February 4th to March 7th.
