by Erin Niemeyer
They danced. They climbed poles. They tumbled on a trampoline and paraded around in masks.
Sixty acrobats, dancers and performers from around the world auditioned Monday for Cirque du Soleil, the avant-garde performing arts company that began in Quebec, Canada, and has gone global.
Auditions for Cirque productions were held in the Mystere Theater at the Treasure Island.
More than 300 hopefuls submitted videotaped examples of their talents in everything from dancing and tumbling to flexibility. Talent scouts narrowed the pool to 60, who then auditioned live for Gilles Ste. Croix, casting director of Cirque du Soleil.
Aspiring performers, ages 8 to 30, endured a series of tests for strength and mobility, including climbing poles, climbing a 40-foot rope, tumbling and stretching exercises.
Mike Ward, dance captain for "Mystere," led a series of improvised dances. Hopefuls were placed in groups of 15. Each group had about an hour to perform. Eight performers made the cut.
The eight remaining hopefuls performed the final events of the day one at a time. Each had 30 seconds to improvise a solo dance, followed by "jeux," which means "to play." Rene Bazinet, a Cirque du Soleil veteran and one of the show's original clowns, led the activity.
Bazinet introduced the competitors to a variety of Cirque masks, including visages of a "village idiot," an angry man and a festive lady. Hopefuls took center stage one by one to act the part with their bodies.
"The trick is to find a voice for the mask," Bazinet said. "The masks look different on two different bodies. The body gives each face a different meaning."
"We want to see their soul," said Sally Dewhurst, public relations director for Cirque du Soleil. "We also need to see if they get embarrassed, that don't mind making fools out of themselves."
Stacey Bilodeau was among the eight who made the final cut. The 25-year-old, who performs in "EFX," a Michael Crawford production at the MGM Grand, said visual appeal is the key to success. "I try to move people, to make them feel like they're a part of the show, like it's their world, too."
Cassandra Crider, also a finalist, said auditioning was exciting. "It's embarrassing at first but once you get out there, you forget about everyone watching." Crider, 29, is a dancer in Siegfried & Roy's show at The Mirage.
The final cut will be made sometime next week, Dewhurst said. Three or four of the eight will likely be selected.
According to Dewhurst, gender isn't a factor in the selection process. "Cirque du Soleil tries to be pretty unisex. The costumes aren't male or female. We're more interested in talent," she said. "Quality (of the hopefuls) ranges but we've seen a couple of really good people."
Dewhurst, who performed in Cirque du Soleil for nearly six years, said natural talent is the key. "We're looking for natural strength, flexibility, natural body shape ... with a base that we can build on," she said. "You can tell right away whether someone has it or not."
