Cirque Life Docuseries Reveals Backstage Magic of Cirque du Soleil's Luzia
Makeup, costumes, stage, audience – magic. For the performers of Cirque du Soleil's acclaimed show Luzia, this potent alchemy creates an experience that never grows old. A new five-part documentary series, Cirque Life, premiering March 19 on CBC and CBC Gem, pulls back the curtain to reveal the intense dedication, rigorous training, and profound camaraderie that fuels this spectacular production.
Behind the Scenes of a Dreamlike Mexico
Cirque Life chronicles the show's four-month summer run in Montréal last year, strategically timed to herald Luzia's upcoming performances in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver later this year. The show itself centers on a vibrant, imaginary Mexico that exists somewhere between dreams and reality, featuring a breathtaking ensemble of acrobats, trapeze artists, aerialists, and contortionists.
The docuseries focuses on the lives and work of ten key performers, including Nelson Smyles, a hoop-diver and clown understudy from Australia who joined Luzia in 2018. "It's a thrill, an absolute thrill, and it's something that I'm completely addicted to," Smyles reveals. "It's the nerves and excitement and hopefully getting it right."
The Demands of Excellence and the Power of Connection
The series delves into the immense physical and mental demands of orchestrating up to ten shows per week. Smyles hopes viewers gain insight into the unique bond that ties the international cast together. "I hope they get a real sense of the connection that we have on tour," he says. "We're such a tight-knit family of people because we spend so many hours a day per week, per year, travelling the world, performing together."
This bond proves essential when executing dangerous acts. Smyles is part of an act representing nine hummingbirds, which requires diving through hoops as narrow as 76 centimetres (30 inches) while working on treadmills—a feat demanding exceptional agility and speed.
"The team that I'm on... we'll often play some drama games together... those kind of connection games that we do as a team really solidify our act before the show," Smyles explains. "We spend so much time together practising all those tricks as well. So if something goes wrong, we've done it enough so that we can handle it safely."
A Rigorous Regimen for Peak Performance
The documentary highlights the exhaustive training regimen required to maintain peak performance. On non-show days, Smyles dedicates two to three hours to team rehearsals, weight and cardio training, specific hoop-diving exercises, and rehabilitation and prehabilitation conditioning.
"Seeing how important it is to look after your body, even just for the mental and emotional capacity, has been amazing," he reflects. "Being able to use my body every day like this has been a very freeing experience and something that I'm hoping that I'm going to be able to do for a very long time."
Cirque Life promises an intimate portrait of the artistry, discipline, and human spirit behind one of the world's most celebrated theatrical productions, offering audiences a rare glimpse into the world where everyday effort transforms into extraordinary magic.
