Cirque du Soleil: VOLTA Crew Teach Us Insane Trampoline Stunts

Hey, guys, Young Hollywood behind the scenes at Cirque du Soleil's Volta right now, taking on the discipline Trampoline, which we are sitting on with Derek and Dylan.

This is your home away from home, this trampoline Correct.

It's my way for home away from home and this is our office where we do all of our work.

Wow. Now it's work. I'm going to be testing out. Tell me how trampoline is sort of part of the mold of Volta because Volta is about expressing your individuality.

Yes. About expressing your individuality. I like to associate the trampoline with feeling young and free and flying in the air. It's like I'm just able to observe everything and show off my different talents of what I have.

Now, when you see the show, you guys really look like you're enjoying life, but it's really hard. You have to concentrate. It's not just jumping up and down on the trampoline.

Yeah, it's a choreographed apparatus that we have a lot of different, intricate moves together. It's a fun job, tough job but it's a fun job. It's the most fun job I've ever had.

Wow.

I'm getting paid to jump on a trampoline. That just kinda sums it up. I spent my childhood dreaming about doing gymnastics and never dreamed that it would become a profession.

Now you mentioned your talent of gymnastics, both of you. Obviously you have to have a gymnastics background.

Hey, to be part of Cirque du Soleil, especially trampoline. Many of the acrobats here come from a gymnastics background competitive. Some come from recreational diving, parkour, all sorts of different circus schools. So we all combine together and that's what makes everything so unique here with us. Everyone has a different attitude to contribute to what we do.

Well, you said the word circus school. I'm in circus school right now, so, let's do it. Let's go grab on the tram.

OK, let's give you just a quick little introduction how to stay safe on the trampoli here while it's served. So you're going to want to face the long way on the trampoline for stability OK, have your legs spread shoulder width apart so you have your balance 50/50 weight.

Got it.

And then we have what's called the two foot rule. So any time you're landing on a surface it has to be two feet, you can't be on the edge and have one foot here or here, OK. Because that's how you really hurt your lower extremities. The other one is as you're going falling backwards for now, don't try to catch yourself whether it's backwards or forwards. Pull your arms in because we don't want you to hurt your upper arm extremities either.

OK. Pull arms in OK. All right. Let's have some bounces and just feel it out. Feel out the equipment. It's really good. A little bouncier than your basic backyard trampoline, huh?

Oh my God, I don't remember the last time I did a backyard trampoline. Well, this is the same specs that they have for an Olympic competition trampoline.

Wheww! All right. And let's see if you can bend your legs and freeze. And freeze. Try to stop your bounce.

Whoaa!

There we go, perfect. The goal when you're stopping is is to bend your legs, absorb the impact kind of like these are your shock absorbers, for a car.

Okay.

Excellent. That was perfect, so let's move on to a couple of basic elements. I'll have Dylan demonstrate a couple of real quick and see if you can Yes. Follow suit.

OK. Fine. Whooo! Yeah. Good turn. Yeah. And then freeze, I'm on it. I think you have it. I kind of think I have it too. Knees up to your chest. What are my hands doing right now?

Your hands want to start up, actually. And then you're going to bring your knees up to your chest and reach forward and grab your legs. There you go.

Whooo! Excellent. See it again. Whooo! Perfect. Now how about let's try the straddle jump? OK. Whooo! How about the pike jump? Lift your legs in front of you straight. Oh, wow. All right. Let's try the spin. How about the full turn? Whoof I'm scared to do that one. One, two. Perfect. OK, I could do this. You can do it. Here we go. And Eeeeeeeeeee Perfect. And you were worried the whole time. I think we've got some natural talent here. So how about putting this in sequential order? OK. So tuck, pike, straddle, right?

Tuck, straddle. So tuck, straddle, pike Full turn.

Full Turn.

So see if you can do that in sequential order. OK Repetitive skills back to back. 3-2-1.

One. Whoo! Stradle, here we go. Whoo! Pike. WhOOOO eeeeeh Ha haaa Bravo. Yeahhh

Now it might be time to move on to some advanced skills.

Yessss.

Stand right aside, we'll have Dylan demonstrate.

Good because I'm not out of breath anyway. Heh heh heh heh So pretty simple. Yeah. Landing on your seat. The only thing you have to worry about is lifting your toes up in front of you to go to your seat. You don't want to jump backwards Seat, drop seat. Correct. OK. Seat drop. drop your easy one to lift your toes up because if you jump backwards, you're going to project yourself back on the trampoline. Minor detail, but it makes a world of difference. It makes a world of difference. OK Start with a hands up and then when you land your seat, place them right by your side for stability. Whooo hooo! Wow, that's amazing. I may first go right. You know, I think it's time to move on to the even more advanced, one. Let's try swivel. Wow, that's amazing. See, as soon as you said, move on. Ha ha. OK. Advance. Advance is the swivel hips. Whooo. Swivel hips. so as to see drops throw with a 180 spin in between. Oh God! Fairly simple. We'll break it up into a couple of easy parts. First will be a C-drop with a 90 degree turn. On your feet, 90 degree turn right on your seat. Yes. OK. And then once you have that, you'll swipe your feet underneath you and land back on your seat. So it's breaking it up in two hats as a progression Makes sense? Yeah. There we go. Nice. Alright. Let's see if we can do it by taking the other bounces out from the middle. This? Yeah. Perfect. I feel smooth. I don't know. It looks smooth to us. So let's try it without touching your feet in the middle now. Whooo See if you can complete the half turn, see after and see. See if you can complete the half turn, see after and see. Oh, not bad. All right. Oh, not bad. All right. one last try. And I think we've got to move on. New Caption Yey!! Aaahhhhh! Now that I find it amazing, you're almost ready for search. Dude, good job. Would you like a quick demonstration of the wall and how we do things really quick before we have to finish up?

Please. Show me what you know that I won't be learning.

Yes, it would be our pleasure. Dylan, I'll do a quick little demo at the top of the wall.