How Cirque du Soleil finds performers

The Canadian choreographer and former dance instructor is ultimately responsible for casting Cirque du Soleil's 1,300-odd performers, Kazinform has learned from CNN.

She directs a team of 60, including 21 talent scouts, who work in several countries and across social media platforms to find the world's best gymnasts, trapeze artists, contortionists, jugglers, ballet dancers, parkour practitioners, clowns, mime artists, musicians, synchronized swimmers and cliff divers.

Originally a small theater troupe formed by a stilt-walking, fire-breathing accordion player named Guy Laliberte , Cirque du Soleil began to tour in 1984, as part of Quebec's 450th anniversary celebration.

Today, it's one of the world's biggest and best-known circus shows,  the subject of a new 3D film  by "Shrek"director Andrew Adamson, and with licensing deals for shows featuring the music of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.

This year, the company estimates nearly 15 million people will see one of its 21 shows, and it will take in more than $1 billion.

To audiences, a Cirque du Soleil show looks entirely fanciful, but there are serious logistics behind all that fantasy.

Before joining the company in 2004 as artistic director -- which she says was like jumping on a fast moving train -- Monson choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2001 IAAF Athletics World Championships.

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