Yesterday, my husband and I witnessed the lastest performance by Cirque du Soleil entitled Totem and we were completely blown away by all the incredible acts. Everything about the show was impeccable, thoughtful and creative. I have been a fan of Cirque for a while and I just love how they continue to push boundaries and surprise the audience with their brilliance.
I like to share an old post I wrote on what I have learned from Cirque du Soleil, which was written after I watched their previous show, Ovo. Whatever that i wrote then still rings true. In fact, Totem is one of their masterpieces and how they outdo themselves repeatedly is something that is simultaneously bewildering and inspiring to me.
I am a huge fan of Cirque Du Soleil. My very first experience with Cirque was via Quidam back in 2005. I was totally blown away and mesmerized by the mind-blowing performances. Since then my husband and I make it a point to watch Cirque's production whenever the opportunity presents itself. Our all-time favourite is KA.
We went for our most recent adventure with Cirque via Ovo and once again I was reminded of why I love their performances so much. Other than the jaw-dropping acrobatics and outrageously beautiful costumes and sets, I draw great lessons and inspiration from the show. It is incredible how the performers use their bodies to sculpts stories, to carve ideas out of thin air in order to evoke the audience's emotions. Simply astounding.
When I shared my thoughts with my husband, he told me about Cirque du Soleil: The Spark - Igniting the Creative Fire that Lives within Us All. The next day, I was thrilled to find the book on the shelf waiting for me to devour it. Devoured it I did, most definitely.
It was written in a form of a story to demonstrate the work ethics and passion of all those who are involved in the production of Cirque's performances. Engaging and inspiring, I managed to pick up important life lessons from the book.
- Passion is the key to everything we do.
- Learn to take the right risks that will allow you to fulfill your vision.
- Our fears hold us back, make us fall short of our goals. Only by taking risks can we hope to accomplish the extraordinary.
- You are never trapped in life. When you realize that, you find you're free to accomplish incredible things.
- You have to be confident enough to let your imagination spin off in all kinds of directions. And if you really want to make things happen, you have to be willing to crash.
- Risk-taking is inevitable in life – not just the big risks but the small chances you take every day that give your life a sense of excitement, of possibility.
- It is never my failures that I regret, it's the things I pass up because I am too scared, too safe.
- If you want to live fully, you have to trust.
After reading the book, I am even more in awe and inspired by the incredible work that they do in igniting that "spark" that we all need in our lives.
"This is what Cirque is about. We transform the dull and ordinary into something special and memorable, something that touches people's lives. All of us have that power no matter what we do."
Filled with awe, I found myself completely energized and inspired after the show. If you have not been to any of Cirque's production, I urge you to. You may wish to watch the preview on the website.
Come, let's flourish together!