Cirque Du Soleil Acrobat

How to Become a

Cirque Du Soleil Acrobat

The complete career guide to be a Cirque Du Soleil Acrobat: salary, job growth, employers, best schools, and education you may need to get started.

Why We Love It

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  • Creativity Focused

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  • Don't Take Work Home

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A Cirque du Soleil acrobat is an accomplished performer who takes part in theatrical shows produced by the company. Every show is a combination of circus styles from around the world.

What is a Cirque Du Soleil Acrobat?

Duties

As an acrobat with Cirque du Soleil, you will be expected to do the following tasks:

  • Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a team of experienced performers on a regular basis.
  • Maintain superior levels of physical fitness for stage performances, along with a sensitivity towards artistic mastery and precise execution.
  • Train several times a day before and after a stage performance to perfect the quality of movement.
  • Collaboratively work with both cast and crew members for a successful performance, e.g. costume artists, light technicians, stage managers.
  • Utilize creative talent and professional circus arts training for a strong stage presence as an acrobat.

Day In The Life

The day to day routine of a Cirque du Soleil acrobat consists of extensive rehearsals, trainings and show performances. Depending on what time your performance is scheduled, you will spend long hours resting and recovering from prolonged physical activity. You will spend close to an hour practicing the performance before the show runs up to once or twice a day.

Before the show, you have to put on make-up and a glamorous costume, do warm ups for half an hour with exercises like push-ups or handstands. Once your show is over, you would practice the moves again for some time. Working at high levels can lead to aches and pains in the body so many artists keep a habit of getting a massage at least once in a week to minimize sore muscles.

Work Schedule

Artists working with Cirque du Soleil have to train for around 12 hours per week, and perform shows 300 to 350 times every year. The number of performances vary depending on whether you are on resident shows, arena touring shows or Big Top touring shows.

Timings for performances can be either during the day or night depending on the schedule, so some performers choose to sleep in and then practice for 45 minutes for a night show. You will be housed at the Cirque du Soleil's artists' residence during the term of your contract, which usually has a comfortable living space and extensive training facilities to fine-tune your performance.

Growth Of The Job

Being an acrobat is grueling work – there are very few trapeze artists in their late thirties or early forties so planning your career progression early is vital. Having experiences in acrobatic, theatrical and dance trainings can lead to instructional positions with educational institutes, performance studios or theatre.

Join a private school as an instructor after attaining Qualified Teaching Status (QTS), upon completion of a degree and a postgraduate qualification in teaching. You could also take up independent contracts as a choreographer. In addition, Cirque du Soleil has a career transition program to assist artists considering a career move from the stage. Through its support, many artists have switched over to management positions and even joined the company's Casting, Scouting and administrative teams in Montreal.

Typical Employers

Cirque du Soleil hires experienced circus performers, artists, acrobats, actors, clowns, dancers, musicians, singers and athletes for their wide range of shows.

How To Become a Cirque Du Soleil Acrobat

This profession is best for highly skilled trapeze artists. While talent is a must, you have to demonstrate superior mental strength to cope with intensive physical training. You must maintain a light body weight to perform challenging stunts with your partner at great heights. There is no room for being nervous as a regular performer – with 5000 people watching you along with your troupe, keeping calm and focusing is essential. A comfort level with frequent travel can help you succeed in this career path, since you will be changing cities once every six weeks for shows nationally and internationally.

Start your journey by undergoing training in gymnastics and ballet from a young age. You can involve yourself with amateur productions and join a local dance school. As your experience increases, you must begin your professional career at a dance school or enroll in a professional course. Since Cirque du Soleil is an immersive experience, learning how to act, dance and sing are useful skills to acquire before auditioning with them. This career line is a great fit for individuals that look forward to trying new things and be in a physically demanding job while entertaining large audiences around the world.

Cirque Du Soleil Acrobat Salary Data

We've provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.

National Anual Salary

National Hourly Wage

How do Cirque Du Soleil Acrobat salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Cirque Du Soleil Acrobat's can make an average annual salary of ---, or $23 per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make --- or $11 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.

Salary Rankings And Facts

  • #815 Nationally for All Careers

Highest Education Among Cirque Du Soleil Acrobats

  • 2.5% Doctorate
  • 5.7% Masters
  • 30.4% Bachelors
  • 7.7% Associates
  • 28.8% College
  • 20.5% High School
  • 4.4% Less than High School

Job Growth Projections and Forecast

How does Cirque Du Soleil Acrobat job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of 2,100 jobs for a total of 32,100 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a 7% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.

Growth Rankings And Facts

  • #317 Nationally for All Careers

What Companies Employ The Most Cirque Du Soleil Acrobats

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