Rehearsals are underway for Cirque du Soleil's CRYSTAL which is taking over the main bowl of the WFCU Centre in Windsor.
The show features seven traditional circus acts including trapeze, hand-to-hand, Banquine, aerial straps, hand-to-trapeze, juggling, and hand balancing that is combined with figure skating and extreme skating.
CRYSTAL is Cirque du Soleil's 42nd creation and the company's very first acrobatic experience on ice. Since its creation in 2017, the show has toured to over 130 cities in 15 different countries including Canada, the US, UK, Mexico, France and Germany.
A performer with Cirque du Soleil's CRYSTAL takes part in rehearsals at the WFCU Centre in Windsor. Nov. 23, 2023. (Photo: Rusty Thomson)
One of the featured performers is former Canadian Olympic figure skater Shawn Sawyer.
He is the 2011 Canadian national silver medallist and a three-time Canadian national bronze medallist. He represented Canada in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy finishing 12th overall.
Sawyer says his first dream was to be part of Cirque du Soleil which is why he started in gymnastics.
"When we saw that there was no way that I could make it to a show like Cirque du Soleil when I was eight or nine and I transitioned to figure skating," he says. "Then my biggest goal was to make the Olympic team. So when I did make the Olympic team, I felt like I had fulfilled something huge. But still my number-one dream was not fulfilled, so when I heard about this show, I had to be part of it."
Sawyer says this show has the elements of acrobatics and the element of the ice.
"There's different types of skaters, it's not just figure skaters here. It's not an ice show, it's a show that utilizes the element of the ice. It's a typical Cirque du Soleil with great story, great music and amazing acts. This one is so different, you must see it," he says.
Sawyer says this show will have something for everyone.
"The story line is fantastic, the music, the acts. There truly is something for any kids, any teenagers, young adults, couple and elderly people. There something for everyone, that's for sure," he adds.
CRYSTAL will be at the WFCU for five shows from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3.
Click here to purchase tickets.