Cirque finds solace in LA rays

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Cirque du Soleil returns Friday to the shores of Santa Monica, bringing with it more than just a circus under a paltry beach umbrella.

The Quebec-based entertainment company, whose name means “circus of the sun,” presents its latest show, Kooza, which tells a story about a young boy whose adventures with a trickster puts him on a path of self-discovery.

“With Kooza, we wanted to give a little red thread, so that people can follow the character,” said Gilles Ste-Croix, co-founder of Cirque du Soleil. “The main character is meant to represent the child in each one of us [who] wants to discover the world [and] wants to go into this kingdom of imagination.”

Performed under the famed Grand Chapiteau, a massive tent measuring 165-feet in diameter and 82-feet high, Kooza relies on theatrical symbolism — created by props, body language and music — to reveal the evolution of an innocent character overcoming his fears.

“We built our show on evocation, and we built images that you can interpret the way you want,” Ste-Croix explained. “What you make out of it is really personal. Somebody beside you will see something else, [but that’s] not important, [because] we all have the same image to guide us.”

In celebration of the pier’s 100th birthday, the blue-and-yellow tent, also known as the “Big Top,” will be set up on the structure. The tent makes up one part of a mobile village, which takes more than 200 workers and 11 days to put together.

Unlike other Cirque du Soleil shows such as Ka, this low-tech production, which will run for six weeks, dazzles with high-level human performance and focuses on creating images with the body.

“It’s different, that’s all. You have to renew yourself. You have to be different,” Ste-Croix said. “The challenge of not using technology today is hard.”

The show takes traditional circus acts, including contortion, high-wire walking and even juggling, and transforms them into awe-inspiring physical triumphs to produce the magical ambiance Cirque du Soleil productions are known for.

“We create moments where it’s very slow and dynamic — sometimes it’s on the floor, sometimes it’s in the air. All this creates the skeleton, the aspect of where the performance is,” Ste-Croix said.

A “wheel of death,” included in one of the longer numbers, continues rolling while acrobats dressed like skeletons twirl and jump to stay aloft, as if laughing in the face of death.

But drawing upon fantastical acrobatic feats brings a certain level of danger.

“In this show… the public is so close to the stage. It’s like the wheel of death is on your knees. It’s right there, so it’s more scary,” Ste-Croix said.

Directed by David Shiner, a performer and clown himself, the show reflects Cirque du Soleil’s belief in nurturing talent from within.

Shiner, who performed in Nouvelle Expérience, began with the company in the 1990s. He’s noted for introducing interactive elements to his performances and incorporating humor into typical Cirque whimsy.

“[My job is to] gather these people together and create something from a white page. The mix of these people creates something very genuine, and Kooza is [one of] the great successes of that process,” said Ste-Croix.

A typical show takes a minimum of three years to produce, which infuses a new layer of dedication to the simple idea of running off and joining the circus.

“All the numbers you see out there, you have to find them,” Ste-Croix said. “They are not at the supermarket.”

Ste-Croix, who began his career as an apple-picker-turned-stilt walker, founded Cirque du Soleil with Guy Laliberté in 1984, combining jaw-dropping acrobatics with the art of theater.

As creative director, he is the mastermind behind shows such as O, Alegría and Mystère.

With more than 19 different shows running simultaneously around the world, Ste-Croix has his plate full.

“I make a very good living,” said Ste-Croix. “I create things.”

As the first location in the United States where Cirque du Soleil performed, Santa Monica holds a sentimental value and conjures up memories of simpler times.

“It’s a moment when Americans first discovered Cirque du Soleil, and made it a success for us,” Ste-Croix said.

From a humble group of 20 performers in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has transformed into a company employing more than 4,000 people from 40 different countries.

“[I love] always having a new exciting project. All kinds of new creators come and work for us, bring their creativity and create some fantastic new things,” Ste-Croix said. “That’s what keeps me alive.”