COME TOGETHER

“The Beatles LOVE” by Cirque du Soleil resumed performances on Aug. 26, 2021

By Heather Turk

The Cast of “Love” gets back into the groove to wow audiences

Celebrating her 13th anniversary with Cirque du Soleil in April, dancer Laura Cota admitted she wasn’t familiar with “The Beatles LOVE” when she first auditioned for the entertainment company.

“As soon as I found out that their shows were expanding into hiring dancers, it was a no-brainer,” Cota, who previously worked for Tokyo Disney Resort and Norwegian Cruise Line, recalled. “I was like, ‘I need to be working for that company!’ I was actually asked to do two other shows that fell through before I was asked to do ‘LOVE.’ I really couldn’t have been placed in a better show for myself, though. It was meant to be.”

Following a 17-month intermission, “The Beatles LOVE” danced its way back into The Mirage last August. One of five Cirque du Soleil productions currently playing on the Strip (the others being “O” inside Bellagio, “Mystère” inside Treasure Island, “Michael Jackson ONE” inside Mandalay Bay and “KÀ” inside MGM Grand), “The Beatles LOVE” celebrates the musical legacy of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Cota is one of 14 ensemble dancers typically featured in the production, who perform five full dance acts each night plus a couple of smaller numbers depending on which dance track they’ve been assigned. Some nights Cota may be a dancing jellyfish in “Octopus’s Garden,” while others she’s one of four girls soaring 100 feet in the air for “Something.” “That’s one of my favorite Beatles songs and also my favorite act that I do in the show ’cause I get to fly during the number,” Cota said of the aerial routine. “It’s so much fun. It really makes me feel like I’m in the circus.”

Cota isn’t the only person who gets to experience something new at “LOVE” almost every performance. The visual spectacle constantly gives repeat ticket

holders something different to enjoy simply based on where they sit.

“When you have a stage that’s in the round, you can just switch your seat the next day and it’s like you’re seeing a completely new show,” Cota noted. “That’s the beauty of our show. Even me, if I sit after this many years and watch it somewhere else, I’m like, ‘Oh, wow! I haven’t seen that before!’ So as an audience member, you’ll always notice something different coming back.” Cota knows that she’s “very lucky” to be doing her dream job for so long and credits the talented cast and crew she works with — not to mention The Beatles’ timeless music — with “LOVE’s” continued success.

“My favorite part of the job is getting to see how many different kinds of talent can come together to form such a magical, magical performance,” Cota said. “Between the people who work in lighting and the people who work in props, plus the people in video, dance and acrobatics — just all of these people who are so talented in different areas — we all come together so nicely to put together such a magical show.” cirquedusoleil.com/love

Cota said that performing for 2,000 people a night is a “rush like no other” True to its name, Cota described “LOVE” as “a very positive experience” for anyone watching the production