This blog is a 'back track' to explain how I came to wanting this dream (I know that some you you already know the story, but I'd like to write this all down so that it is a lasting account of the journey that I'll be abe to look back on, read, and remember - my memory is only going to get worse from here).
My very 1st encounter with Cirque was when I was in rehabilitation in '99 & a friend gave me a CD of the show Saltimbanco that she saw 2 years earlier. I really loved the music & played it a lot, blaring it out down the halls of the hospital all the while trying to sing to the then unkown made-up language. I thought it was French & that it was great I was learning another language. Until I read on the sleeve insert a long time after, that the Cirque language in their music is made up.
As a birthday present another good friend bought us both tickets to the touring show Alegria which had pitched it's Grand Chapiteau out the front Rod Laver Arena. It was incredible. Those who have been to a Cirque show will understand the feeling when you experience it for the first time.
It wasn't until 2 years later in 2001 when I saw Quidam that I knew that this was an arena that I had to perform in. In that particular show there was a performer who was weaving in and out of each act narrating through song, almost sernading each artist as they balanced on highwire, flew through the air on ribbons, juggled every possible object. He seemed to be the vocal link that binded & entwined the Quidam story. A particular song that caught my attention was sung while an acrobat was soaring through the air on two red silk ribbons that came down from the roof. Surprisingly it was the only cirque song I had heard to date that was in english. It was called 'Let Me Fall'. It was beautiful. An amazing accompianment to the flying pheonix. I went home and immediately found it on the internet, bought the music and a backing track & it soon became a regular feature in any of my sets.
In 2004 I decided to look into how to work with Cirque found out you could apply & then you go through many stages & if you're succesfull at each one, you could be a performer in one of their shows.
Bang! The spark had started. I wanted in.
First was the online application. Sent, recieved, accepted. Next I had to send a package including resume, photos, recordings & videos. Sent, recieved and they replied back saying that my application had been accepted and that they would like to audition me soon, next time they where in my nearest capital city. I kept track of where Cirque was auditioning for singers and nothing was on the Australian side of the equator. Every couple of months for the last 6 years I'd call & ask if they'd have a vocal scout out OZ way in the near future & everytime they would say "not yet but we'd still like to see you when we do".
Last year, 2009, Mel & I talked about travelling. I made a call to Richard, top dog at Assistance Dogs Australia, & asked what was the deal with travelling with Roxy. He asked when & where we wanted to go, which we hadn't really discussed to that detail, so off the cuff I said "well Canada sounds nice, but probably in their summer". Taken back he proceeded to tell me that there was an International Assistance Dog Conference being held in Toronto June 2010 and if he could organise it, would I be a guest speaker and entertainer? I don't need to write what my answer and reaction was.
I happen to be doing some research on the net about Canada & possible things to do and places to go & remembered that Cirque Headquarters was in Montreal, Quebec. Checked the website & there it was, vocal auditions in Toronto June 2010. Sometimes you have many paths in life to choose from, other times the road signs all point to the one destination. Canada here we come.
I contacted Cirque to let them know I would be in Toronto the same time as the audition & they agreed it would be a perfect opportunity and my invitation would be mailed soon. I upgraded my profile application for them - recorded some of their songs, produced a video presentation & even created & designed my own Cirque-like character Quadvox. Their responses to this material was very positive. Things were coming along well.
Alas I then ran into my first snag. I hadn't heard from Cirque for a few months & Mel and I were heavy into plans & not far off leaving. Unfortunately they cancelled the vocal auditions in Toronto. So I saw this as a challenge to see how much I really wanted it. With Mel's encouragement we decided to still go to Montreal at the end of a bit of a 4 week sightseeing holiday through Canada, knock down their door & demand to be seen. Afterall, it's been 6 years since I first applied. Time to go out and get it.
Before we left Jamie McGuane & Daryn Grayson gave me a very special Cirque book that has travelled with me for good luck. Thanks guys.
As you can see, we've had an amazing 4 weeks so far travelling, but in the back of my mind has always been the Cirque goal. The previous blog has detailed our arrival in Montreal, but I will now explain what happened when I contacted Cirque now that we were here.
I emailed my contact at Cirque to inform her I was here and would it be possible to visit HQ and possibly have an audition. Unfortunately the response wasn't favourable. Cirque is an extremely professional outfit as you could imagine, so to just rock up and expect to be seen and have an audition that's not advertised is not the usual thing. My contact informed me that she reviewed my file and application material and "unfortunately your candidicy as a singer cannot be selected". There were other things in the email but we thought this may have been a bit of a lost in translation moment. From the email we thought I wasn't going to ever be selected to even get an audition anymore. So, again with Mel's encouragement, I delved & pushed a little further to see exactly what she meant & whether this was going to be a waste of a trip.
Well after half a dozen emails backwards & forwards, I was finally offered an opportunity to meet her at Cirque HQ for a 30 minute audition.
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