Costumes at Cirque du Soleil–The Challenging Work of Preserving Circus Heritage
Cirque du Soleil was founded over 35 years ago, and in that time has produced thousands of costumes for 52 stage shows. Its costuming department fabricates over 15,000 costume pieces per year at the international headquarters in Montreal, Canada that it then sends out to its touring and resident shows, as well as special events. Since the companyâs founding in 1984, their shows have explored a variety of themes which has translated to a diverse history of costumes.
Costume from Kooza. Photo credit: Caroline Bergeron The materials used for creating costuming has evolved to include 3D printed materials, LED lights, and even motors. Many contemporary circus artists have struggled with defining their work in a way that is not confined to and characterized by traditional circus, so preserving heritage is a topic that often seems to fall by the wayside, whether intentional or not. The evolution is an important part of the industryâs history though, and costuming is a critical component. It communicates when there may be no spoken words in a show. Vibrant colors spark emotions, just as drab, muted ones do. The costume of an imagined creature...Do you have a story to share? Submit your news story, article or press release.