Acrobat still surprised he's part of the troup
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL PRESENTS "SALTIMBANCO" THIS THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AT THE MITCHELL CENTER ON THE U-S-A CAMPUS. (April 2,3,4 & 5, 2009)THERE WILL BE SEVEN PERFORMANCES OF SALTIMBANCO, AND TICKET PRICES START AT $35 FOR ADULTS.CALL TICKETMASTER OR THE MITCHELL CENTER FOR TICKET PRICES AND SHOWTIMES.They perform, with ease, what would seem to be the impossible.
Bending.
Flipping.
Flying...
...cloaked in a surreal fog that is best described as a dream.
24 year old Olivier Renaud never dreamed he would be... in that dream.
"Oh, absolutely not!", THE PERFORMER EXCLAIMS. "It took me by surprise! I never dreamed I would end up here... not at all!"
And where is here? It is the magical world that is Cirque du Soleil... and the show they call "Saltimbanco!"
Olivier is an easy going, likable fellow, and I'm struck by the normalcy of our conversation. Because when he and his fellow performers are on stage, in costume and makeup, they seem locked in a world we can watch, but never quite reach.
"Oh, that's my job! Yeah! That is my job! absolutely! It's always fun having friends in the audience, or people you invite in the audience, because you want them to be able to say, hey, that was weird because that's not you! And if they're able to not see you you're doing a good job with your character."
Olivier's character is Po-po, and today "they" are practicing something called the Russian swing. Olivier's strength is the engine that drives it. He is responsible for flinging the acrobat into the air. Then comes the flip... and the landing on a huge air matress with a bang!.
"When you get that really loud noise, that means it was a good jump! Like the big pow..."
"If they richocet off? Not so good?"
"No. Not so good"
Olivier was discovered by Cirque du Soleil less than a year ago, noticed for his strength and stability as a college cheerleader. He jumped at the chance. But there were reservations.
"Of course you're expected to leave everyone you love and everything you've been establishing over the last "x" amount of years behind to enter this new world, so there's a side of excitement, but also a side of.. I just can't leave everyone. So there's a bit of hesitation..."
Still, it is a fascinating journey he is taking now... just as fascinating to Olivier as Saltimbanco is to us. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Here's Darwin, NBC 15 News.
