Cirque Du Soleil's "Crystal" Heads To Everett

The grandeur of Cirque Du Soleil’s 42nd production, “Crystal”, will be arriving in Everett April 10 through Sunday, April 14, 2019 for eight performances at the Angel of the Winds Arena. “Crystal” is Cirque Du Soleil’s first ever show to bring the disciplines of acrobatics and ice skating together. Cirque Du Soleil’s world-renowned performers are joined by world-class skaters in a menagerie of breathtaking talent.

The acrobatic feats include swinging aerial straps, trapeze and an epic chair balancing act alongside extreme skating, synchronized skating and freestyle figures.

Finale from Crystal // Courtesy Cirque Du Soleil

Crystal, the main character and namesake of the production // Courtesy Cirque Du Soleil

“Crystal” follows the narrative of a young girl named Crystal on her journey to self-discovery and desire for creative liberation. The story begins by introducing Crystal as a misfit teenager who falls through a frozen pond and enters a surreal world of her own imagination. There, she meets a character that is a darker reflection of her own personality that encourages her to find confidence in herself again.

The production has visited over 60 cities and “has been received very well everywhere we have been performing,” said Cirque Du Soleil publicist Julie Desmarais. The storyline “connects and resonates with the audience that has been seeing the show so far,” Desmarais adds. The show is designed for all ages to enjoy.

“Crystal” has been touring North America since the production officially premiered Dec. 13, 2017. Desmarais said the show plans to tour internationally after September of this year. The production relies on about 90 people including 20 acrobats and 18 skaters. The cast represents talent from 11 different nationalities including: American, Canadian, French, Armenian, Australian, Austrian and Uruguay. Figure skaters joined the show without any background in acrobatics while the some of the circus artists learned to skate for the very first time.

Hand to trapeze // Courtesy Cirque Du Soleil

For juggler Jorge Petit, bringing his talents to the ice was both an opportunity and a challenge. Speaking by phone, he described the learning process as “hard at the beginning. It took me a lot of training trying to combine both but I developed the techniques to combine both (skating and juggling).”

Though the training took a while, Petit enjoys performing on the ice because “it brings a different dimension, the doubling of disciplines.” Petit calls the cast of the show his “big family” and feels that being surrounded by creatives from all around the world has been an “enriching experience.” The cast spends long hours training and travelling together, so it is imperative that they have a close bond.

Cirque Du Soleil’s YouTube channel features several videos that take viewers behind the scenes of “Crystal.” The video series “Gliding Higher” delves into the elaborate details of how the show went from a concept to a reality. It’s incredible to peek behind the curtain and see the cast up close as they learn how to how to do their own makeup, learn the complex choreography and watch as the stunning sets come together. The series follows the 15 weeks of preparation the crew went through to perfect the show.

For more information about “Crystal,” visit the production’s website: https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/crystal