Inside The Modern World of Cirque du Soleil's ECHO Show

What's up, guys? Leslie Robbins here. Young Hollywood is back under the big top with Cirque Du Soleil. This time I'm taking you behind the scenes of Echo. And let me tell you, the sights, sounds, stretches and stunts in this show are truly unbelievable. Okay, so we're under the small or big top of Cirque Du Soleil. And Cirque knows what they're doing. This is the 20th big top show that they have. Well-oiled machine, right?

This was our 20th big top show, but this is actually the 53rd production of Cirque Du Soleil, because as you know, we have shows that are in theaters, we have shows that are in arenas as well. But for the big top, this was the 20th. This show is very modern. So, traditionally when you go to Cirque Du Soleil, you see a very busy stage, a lot of props, a lot of color, a lot of stuff on stage. This one here is really based on the acrobatics. So the basics of Cirque Du Soleil.

There's so many Cirque shows, but each are so special.

You know, there is something really interesting that I think is the relation between human and nature. And Echo is about this. So and also what our actions affect the world entirely.

Everyone has its job here and there are people who do aerial stuff. There are people who do acrobatic stuff. I'm the guy who bases and I hold people and I throw people in an easy way to say.

You're a base for people?

Yeah, I'm a base for people. Okay. I put them on my shoulder. I hold them with my arm here on the top. That's what I do.

Well, you are the epitome of strong. How do you get this and how do you maintain it on a daily basis?

There's a there's a exercise we do with a human, really doing here. We swing and then we lift up.

With a human?

Yeah, with a human. So it's a kettlebell swing, just a regular one. Uh yeah. We throw people. It's like two bases. Yeah. Yeah. Like this. Let me hold your wrist with the left. Can you hold mine now? You can hold mine like this. Oh. Yeah. And then we'll put someone here. And we just breathe and we throw that people. It's like a human net. It's like a human net. We call it banking.

So I see some gorgeous masks here.

Absolutely. So we are the show with the most mask. They are made specifically to the head of each artist because obviously they're doing tricks and jumps and stuff around. So we need to make sure that this is secured to their head. So in Montreal, we have a mold of every single artist that we have on the show. And when they build these, they build them on top of the mold of the artist in Montreal.

Now, as an acrobat, I would think having a mask on your head makes your job so much harder.

Most of them the mask are made out of mesh so the artist can see what they're doing. But obviously, it's still cumbersome. Uh but they are very, very light.

How much is one mask worth, do you know?

We're estimating around $20,000 for the smallest ones and then something like that is probably around 50,000 with all the R and D that went into it. There's a lot of man hours in this. Uh so obviously, um you know, it's it's worth a lot of money.

Walk me through how you even prepare to get on that stage. Second guest: Sure. Well, we can start on the floor. Okay. So, I like starting on with my two hands on the floor. I feel my feet in the ground. Okay. And then I just do a nice little cat stretch like a cat.

Yeah. Now, rumor has it you were studying architecture before you got into all of this. Second guest: Yeah. Isn't that amazing?

How did you even make the transition? Second guest: I was doing aerial tissue and then I moved to Montreal with my first co-op. Like I was working with a ceramicist and I was meeting circus students at the same time and then I ended up auditioning and then I got into the circus world.

You literally like left and joined the Cirque. Second guest: Yes. Yes. Yes.

That's amazing. That's amazing. Second guest: We can do shit together and just down. Okay. You can reach. Oh, here we go with the Cirque stuff. Okay. Bur.

Okay. You were in a Cirque Du Soleil show with Disney in Orlando first. So how does that Cirque show differ from this Cirque show, which is Echo? Second guest: That show is a resident show, so it doesn't move. It doesn't travel like Echo does. Right. Yeah, so that's a big difference because just lifestyle-wise, we're in the same city. You can really settle down. And here we're on the go and traveling every few weeks.

Now, I did hear you say you eat and your body's incredible and obviously you have to be in the best shape of your life. So what does a Cirque performer eat to A, maintain the energy levels you need, the mental clarity, but also to look as good as you do.

The kitchen here does a really amazing job by giving us really amazing food.

Kevin, I have to say I've been covering Cirque Du Soleil for over a decade and I've never been inside the kitchen. So the kitchen here is where we're going to get our meals.

So we get breakfast, lunch and dinner here every day that we work. So we have six chefs that are traveling with us.

So that's amazing that the performers don't even have to leave the big top to eat. They can eat right here and then if they want.

Absolutely, because sometimes we have two shows a day, sometimes we have three shows a day. So obviously they don't have time to go off site, have a meal and then come back for the show. So we have our kitchen here traveling with us. So in every city we go in, we're going to hire some people to help us out and we're going to use local suppliers as well for the food.

So take me into the world of Echo. How is it different than all the other Cirque Du Soleil shows?

The relation we have between the cube and the artist and what is happening. The cube is like this, if you look now, but the cube sometimes is closed like the entire cube. And during the show, you see the the the small pieces being removed, it's strategically organized, but you just don't notice. It's it's like you notice but you don't notice. And then the cube is different and you see someone inside the cube.

The wardrobe department's pretty cool. You have the tailors working. You have all of these cases filled. It's very dramatic back here.

It is actually. And this is just a small portion of what we travel with.

How many pieces of wardrobe do you travel with with Echo?

So with Echo, we're probably around 5 to 600 pieces of uh costumes. In Montreal, our head office does about 60,000 pieces a year to replace the costumes, obviously, because there's a life to all of these costumes.

So what's your favorite piece amongst all these?

I think my favorite piece is definitely this costume here, which is the dog costume. And so it goes with a dog head, obviously. And there are juggler in the show.

This is actually very on trend. It looks kind of like a warm-up suit. I'd wear this out to the grocery store.

Absolutely. Like I was saying, the show is very modern. It's beautiful.

So within Echo, what's your role? Second guest: I play the frog. And also I'm a flyer in the human cradle.

You're going to show me something today? Second guest: Sure. We can do some handstands. Let's do it. I start on the floor. Okay. Like this, so I can just to warm up. I go like this. And then I stretch my back.

That looks more than a handstand. Yes. Okay. And push up through your shoulders a little bit. Nice. Got that part. Be here and try to push down. You make it look effortless and easy. Wow. Okay. Just focus on trying to push down. Do I grab the box like this with my hand? Second guest: You can hold them with the these two fingers on the.

Bunny fingers. And then like that. Perfect. Ah, okay. Okay, I'm going to kick my legs. You got them? Ready? Yes, I've got you. One, two, three. Yes. Good. Push down. Yes. My. Goodness. Yes. Literally. Yeah. Here we go. Here we go. Yes, yes. I'm ready for Echo. Yes. Yes. Yes.