Artists for Cirque Du Soleil’s ZAIA show got their official Cirque bathrobes yesterday. The photos on this post are not of the actual bathrobe – these are pictures a friend sent me making fun of how much I like my bathrobe. And I do love my Cirque bathrobe! It’s heavy and black with a hood and has a gigantic CDS logo in full color on the back. With the hood we all look like Obi Won Kenobi or Sylvester Stallone in Rocky.
The bathrobes are a Cirque tradition for artists once they have passed their probation periods. Other traditions include the different Cirque jackets artists receive for each year of service. It was a nice surprise to all of us – although I had been asking about the bathrobes since our first training period back in Montreal. I would ask people, “I think we get bathrobes” and everyone is like “Why would we get bathrobes?”. So my long wait is over.
I will admit that I walked around in my Cirque bathrobe this morning drinking a cup of coffee feeling very important as I gazed out over my view of Taipa and mainland China. I don’t know if the feeling of importance came from the bathrobe or my French press Starbuck’s coffee. I think it was the bathrobe.
I have heard about other Cirque traditions that I guess we will find out about as we go along. Like getting thrown in the water after opening night? Mmm….will have to pick out my clothes carefully for that evening.
Before I signed my contracts with Cirque I searched the web to try to find out bad experiences and couldn’t find many (or any). Now I know why. Cirque rocks. Most of us would give our last breath for them.
May the force be with you young, Conrad Songwalker.