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Cirque du Soleil’s creative centre, otherwise known as The Studio, is part of Cirque du Soleil’s international headquarters and is comprised of three acrobatic training rooms and two artistic training rooms. Artists who come to Cirque du Soleil come from a variety of disciplines, including artistic gymnastics, tumbling, acrosports, swimming, diving, dance, music, and singing. Cirque du Soleil’s troupe of artists represents about 40 different nationalities. In 2009, more than 200 artists were trained at The Studio.

Every costume for each Cirque du Soleil show is made-to-measure, and most are original designs - conceived and created, from A-Z, at the Workshop. The Workshop, unique in North America, is 4,180 m2 of dedicated space for various specialists in the fields of shoe making, textiles, lacemaking, wigs, clothing design, le patronnage and hat making. In all, the Workshop is made up of 300 full-time employees.

Cirque du Soleil’s accessories workshop creates and builds all objects and machinery used in for its shows (sculptures, mechanical devices and game accessories, etc.), in addition to costume accessories (masks, leatherwork, shoes, textured fabrics, etc.). An accessory specialist has to be multi-talented. At Cirque du Soleil the production of accessories is a team effort, and each team works at sculpting, welding, painting, molding, sewing and sawing, all the while knowing how to work with various machines, electronics and plumbing. This diversity of skills illustrates the ingenuity, and, above all, the artistic approach used in everything they create.

Cirque du Soleil shows’ touring schedules can be found at our Show Tickets page.

To find out if Cirque du Soleil has been to your area, visit our show history.

Our previous creations were named Cirque du Soleil, La Magie Continue, Cirque Réinventé, Nouvelle Expérience, Fascination, Pomp Duck and Circumstance, Soleil de minuit, DELIRIUM.

Cirque du Soleil’s logo was created in 1984, by Josée Bélanger, and is based on a tarot card representing the sun. The sun as a symbol is important to Cirque du Soleil because it embodies youth, energy and dynamism. The logo has evolved slightly, since 1984, while retaining its symbolism and image from the tarot cards.

When it came time to give his troop of traveling acrobats a name, Guy Laliberté, thought of the name Cirque du Soleil (literally translated, ‘Circus of the Sun’) while watching a sunset in Hawaii. Upon his return, he researched the significance of the word ‘sun,’ in a dictionary of symbols and found the word referred to ‘youth,’ ‘energy’ and ‘dynamism’ - words that defined the troop perfectly.

For biographies on the founders and creators of Cirque du Soleil, visit the biography page.

For the complete list of Cirque du Soleil’s awards and accolades, click here.

Cirque du Soleil’s international headquarters (IH) stands proudly in the Saint-Michel district of Montreal, Quebec, next to the former Miron sandpit and Montreal Waste Treatment and Disposal Centre. Construction of Cirque du Soleil’s IH is part of a larger Saint-Michel initiative: an urban development program where Cirque du Soleil embodies the cultural centre of the district’s Environmental Complex. For more about Cirque du Soleil’s IH, visit Cirque du Soleil Press Room.

Invisible Roads is a free event created specially for Québec City. For more information, visit Quebec City Invisible Road's website (French only).

As part of the 2010 World Expo that will be held in Shanghai, China, from May 1 to October 31, 2010, Cirque du Soleil will design the creative concept for the Canada Pavilion, create the public presentation, produce the cultural program, and develop strategic corporate alliances, under the theme "The Living City: Inclusive, Sustainable, Creative,". For more information, please visit the Canada Pavilion website.

If you are a young person interested in participating in a Cirque du Monde workshop in your area, please check the list of partner organizations on the Cirque du Soleil website. If you would like to participate as an observer or volunteer, please submit your request here: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/about/global-citizenship/community/social-circus/cirque-du-monde.aspx

We are always seeking good instructors who are capable of combining circus techniques with social intervention skills. You can submit your application through the Cirque du Soleil website, in the Jobs section.

We recommend supporting the local and international Cirque du Monde partners. You will find contact information for these partner organizations on our website: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/about/global-citizenship/community/social-circus/cirque-du-monde.aspx

Everything about the ONE DROP Foundation can be found at ONE DROP's official website.

Cirque du Monde is an international social action program consisting of circus workshops that work with organizations that help troubled youths. You can find more about this initiative on Cirque du Soleil Global Citizenship page.

Cirque du Soleil made the choice of getting involved with communities, and more specifically, troubled youths. Concerned with the future, Cirque du Soleil has decided to face global issues, such as the fight against poverty. Working together with valued partners, Cirque du Soleil is making a difference in nearly 80 communities, in over 20 countries on five continents. For more information, visit the Global Citizenship website.

You will find a general overview of this discipline on the Cirque du Soleil website: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/about/global-citizenship/community/social-circus.aspx

You can find information on the International Network for Social Circus Training (INSCT) on the Cirque du Soleil website: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/about/global-citizenship/community/social-circus/training.aspx

Social circus training is offered by certain circus schools (e.g. the National Circus School in Montreal) and their partners.

You may contact the Cirque du Monde partner in your area to discuss how you could volunteer or get involved.

You will find the contact information for the social partner organizations on our website: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/about/global-citizenship/community/social-circus/cirque-du-monde.aspx

The Cirque du Monde network is not currently looking to increase its number of partners.

Cirque du Soleil is pleased to award tickets to its shows to those organizations whose work benefits children in need. To learn more, visit the Global Citizenship's Action on Tour page. Cirque du Soleil does not offer free tickets to individuals.

Cirque du Soleil’s international headquarters does not offer tours or visits. As a place of work and creativity, it is reserved strictly for our employees and partners.

Cirque du Soleil does not make video recordings or take photographs of our shows.

In order to respect the little down time our artists have in their intense schedules, we do not offer this service. That said, should you wish to explain your idea to Cirque du Soleil’s special events department, please write to evenement@cirquedusoleil.com to discuss how other artists may be available for your private event.

While we are flattered you would consider consulting with Cirque du Soleil experts about your idea, Cirque du Soleil is presently managing no less than 18 shows around the world, in addition to developing new projects. These endeavors monopolize all of our resources and people, and is why we cannot put you in contact with one of our experts.

Due to certain laws and licensing regulations, Cirque du Soleil cannot accept proposals or suggestions from unsolicited parties.

Please send a detailed email to contact@cirquedusoleil.com, and it will be forwarded to the appropriate department or team.

While we would very much like to accommodate requests for special occasions, such as wedding proposals or anniversary announcements, we cannot. We receive many such requests, and so we must always refuse.

While we would very much like to accommodate requests for backstage visits, to meet an artist or get an autograph, we cannot. Our performers and trainers have extremely busy schedules and so we respect the little down time they have by not offering such visits.

To contact Cirque du Soleil artists, please send an email to contact@cirquedusoleil.com. You can also send a letter to the following address: Cirque du Soleil Customer Service 8400 2nd Avenue Montreal, QC H1Z 4M6. Don’t forget to specify the name of the artist and the show they were a part of. While it will be our pleasure to make certain your message gets to the right person, please note that there is no guarantee the artist may reply, especially given his/her intense schedule.

For more information on the procedures to host Cirque du Soleil in your city, please email contact@cirquedusoleil.com.

Cirque du Soleil does participate at private engagements. If you are interested in such an opportunity, please contact Cirque du Soleil’s special events department, at evenement@cirquedusoleil.com.

While we do not have a brochure which can be sent to students, everything to know about Cirque du Soleil is on our official website.

As Cirque du Soleil is focused on creating shows, it does not organize day camps, circus art courses or workshops.

As Cirque du Soleil is focused on creating shows, it does not have its own circus school. For those wishing to invest time in circus arts, please contact the National Circus School.

For Cirque du Soleil job opportunities, visit Cirque du Soleil jobs website. You may apply for a specific job, or submit a CV which will be kept in our database.

If you’ve forgotten your employment profile password, please email talents@cirquedusoleil.com.

To apply for temporary Cirque du Soleil job opportunities the next time the Big Top is in your area, please contact the temporary staff recruitment agencies located in the area of your interest.

Cirque du Soleil does not hire temporary employees for its fixed venue shows (including arenas and theaters) as the locations provide all necessary personnel.

Thank you for your offer to volunteer, however, Cirque du Soleil does not use volunteers for its shows.

Cirque du Soleil does not offer rigging training. For those interested in becoming riggers, please visit Collège Lionel-Groulx’s website. Information is in French only.

To become a performing artist in a Cirque du Soleil show applicants must submit a videocassette or DVD of them demonstrating their special talent, or take part in one of the many auditions held around the world all year round. For more about being cast in a Cirque du Soleil show, visit our Casting website.

Cirque du Soleil audition schedules can be found by clicking the ‘UPCOMING AUDITIONS’ link at the Casting website.