Here in Orlando we are the permanent home of Cirque Du Soleil's, La Nouba. While most cities have to wait until a tour touches down, one of the many perks of living in this attraction-filled city is the privilege of being able to see a Cirque show any time of year.
If you haven't been, you should. If not for the death defying acts, then for the exquisite costumes and world class make-up.
Cirque was started by two friends who were fellow street performers in their native Montreal in the 80's. Together they brought the idea of the traditional circus into a contemporary, character driven show far from the performing animals and kitschy side show attractions typically seen.
Today there are 22 different Cirque Du Soleil shows to experience worldwide and each one is distinctly different from the other. They each have their own unifying theme, whether it be astrology, water, imagination, or tributes to the Beatles, Elvis or Michael Jackson. This leads to boundless creativity when it comes to the overall look of the show as well as each performer's contribution to the show's theme.
Nathalie Gagne, make-up designer for Cirque's Verakai, says that the make-up can take up to an hour to complete. While there are documented designs for each character's make-up, the performers themselves are responsible for applying their own make-up each night and it can take several performances before they are able to complete it without step-by-step directions. They learn all of this in a camp style workshop during the show's rehearsal stage.
The performers also go through annual make-up evaluation to make sure they are still applying it as close to the original designs as possible. The make-up the performers use is oil based and usually involves a blend of contrasting bold colors like reds, blues, and yellows set to finish with powder, and then reapplied to redefine the lines.
Powdering is an important part to keep the base layer in place so that the make-up can last through the performance without streaking under the sweat and hot lights of the show.
The next time you see a great Cirque show in your town, take a closer look at the acrobats and performers. Not only do they have to perfect their acts of balance and grace, but they have to painstakingly apply that amazing theatrical character make-up to create a complete package that will dazzle the crowd.
http://blog.vegas.com/las-vegas-shows/vegas-puts-its-face-on-3762/
http://montreal.about.com/od/cirquedusoleil/ss/cirque_du_soleil_varekai_makeup_photos_2.htm
Today there are 22 different Cirque Du Soleil shows to experience worldwide and each one is distinctly different from the other. They each have their own unifying theme, whether it be astrology, water, imagination, or tributes to the Beatles, Elvis or Michael Jackson. This leads to boundless creativity when it comes to the overall look of the show as well as each performer's contribution to the show's theme.
Nathalie Gagne, make-up designer for Cirque's Verakai, says that the make-up can take up to an hour to complete. While there are documented designs for each character's make-up, the performers themselves are responsible for applying their own make-up each night and it can take several performances before they are able to complete it without step-by-step directions. They learn all of this in a camp style workshop during the show's rehearsal stage.
The performers also go through annual make-up evaluation to make sure they are still applying it as close to the original designs as possible. The make-up the performers use is oil based and usually involves a blend of contrasting bold colors like reds, blues, and yellows set to finish with powder, and then reapplied to redefine the lines.
Powdering is an important part to keep the base layer in place so that the make-up can last through the performance without streaking under the sweat and hot lights of the show.
The next time you see a great Cirque show in your town, take a closer look at the acrobats and performers. Not only do they have to perfect their acts of balance and grace, but they have to painstakingly apply that amazing theatrical character make-up to create a complete package that will dazzle the crowd.
http://blog.vegas.com/las-vegas-shows/vegas-puts-its-face-on-3762/
http://montreal.about.com/od/cirquedusoleil/ss/cirque_du_soleil_varekai_makeup_photos_2.htm
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