KOOZA A whimsical and daring ode to a traditional circus, Cirque du

By Sarah Comber

Butterflies flutter eagerly in Cedric Belisle’s stomach as the countdown to showtime commences. Calmly, he inserts his AirPods and begins to apply his makeup; listening to soft music.

To step into the whimsical and wacky world of Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA, and embrace his role as the show’s principal character The Innocent, it’s integral for Belisle to lower his energetic frequency.

“My character is very naïve; he’s a loner,” says Belisle. “At the start of the show it’s really important for me to channel that side of him.”

While the tracks Belisle favours to get into a pre-show mindset change all the time, Adele is one of his preferred musicians. “She’s also my partner’s favourite artist,” he adds. “So, it’s a way for me to stay connected to him.”

That connection, that grounding to reality, is echoed in the role The Innocent plays in contrast to the high-flying acrobatics and daring acts KOOZA is renowned for; including the Wheel of Death, the world’s only double high wire performance, and an aerial silks act performed by Japanese artist Mizuki Shinagawa.

“It’s very relatable for the audience to connect with The Innocent, because the show is told through his eyes,” says Belisle.

“Just like it could be told through the eyes of any members of the audience.”

Written and directed by David Shiner, KOOZA relays the story of The Innocent, an endearing if naïve clown, finding his place in the world. One day while flying his kite, The Innocent receives a mysterious item and is transported to the bizarre, zany world of KOOZA. The Innocent navigates this strange place under the watchful eye of the show’s other lead character: The Trickster.

“It’s a beautiful journey of self-discovery, and I think that every single member of the audience can definitely relate to The Innocent,” says Belisle.

Indeed, KOOZA’s plot might be familiar to Calgarians who had the privilege of stepping into the Big Top 13 years ago, when KOOZA last visited the city in 2010. Cirque du Soleil’s take on a traditional circus, KOOZA was revamped in 2021.

“It was beloved in 2010 and it has only gotten increasingly more impressive,” says Gracie Valdez, KOOZA’s artistic director. “There are new artists, and we’ve updated the technology in the show.”

This will be Valdez’s third visit to Calgary with Cirque. Most recently, she came to the city in 2019 as the artistic director of LUZIA. That was Cirque du Soleil’s last performance in Calgary before Covid-19 put a pause on tours.

“I love the Calgary audience,” says Valdez. “We always receive a really warm welcome. You guys love when people come in and perform, and are a really authentic and beautiful audience. I am really looking forward to that.”

In contrast, this will be Belisle’s first time