Demystifying the Casting process: the 8 most common myths

* Myth 1: we don’t watch all your videos

FALSE. Every time you upload something to your profile we receive a notification! It is then transferred to a specialist, so they can evaluate it. If you sent two videos, for example one of you dancing, one of performing a circus act, each one will be evaluated by the right advisor. So be mindful, don’t upload every week, try to do it once or twice a year ;)

 

* Myth 2: Casting chooses the artists for our shows

FALSE. The role of our Casting team is to find and foster talent through for our auditions or  our NexGen program, for example. We will also check the availabilities of each artist according to the show needs. Once it’s done, Casting advisors will present a list of artists they think are the best fit for a role. The final say is up to the artistic and/or creation directors who pick the artists!

 

* Myth 3: The advisors have access to our Instagram page

FALSE.  Our Cirque du Soleil Casting social media pages are managed by two specialists (Mathilde 😊 and Ron 🕺🏼 - Hiiiii!). 

We answer to all questions, make content, and are there to help! Of course, our colleagues sometimes ask us questions about an account or a post, but they don’t have access to the page, so to the mentions and DMs. Don’t worry we show them where to look for the posts you tagged us on!

 

* Myth 4: We have specialists in every discipline

TRUE. Yes! We have specialists for every discipline we cast! Of course, one advisor can have multiple specialties, so rest assured your videos are evaluated by an expert. If needed, we have a network of trusted partners who are experts on fields we might not master for particular casting calls.

  

* Myth 5: “If I don’t get a job, it means I’m not good enough”

FALSE. For a role on our shows, there are a lot of factors to be taken into account. It’s not only based on talent, but also other qualities including height, stamina, left/right-handed, secondary disciplines, etc.

So sometimes you may not be a good fit for that particular role, but that doesn't make you any less talented.

 

* Myth 6: You need to do an audition to perform.

FALSE. Although auditions are a great way for us to get to know you, many of our artists have never had to go through this process. The most important thing is to create/update your profile on our database. Also, when you're at an event where one of our advisors is present, don't hesitate to introduce yourself, so that we can associate this meeting with your profile.

 

* Myth 7: Casting advisors are scary and hard to approach

Hopefully FALSE. If there's a festival or competition we've announced on our social networks, don't hesitate to introduce yourself to our colleagues. Everyone at Casting is passionate about circus and wants to meet new talent, so it's your opportunity! It can also help you be “top of mind” when it comes to presenting artists.

 

* Myth 8: You need to speak English or French to join cirque

FALSE. Although English is the working language on our shows, we're here to help you integrate! We have interpreters for most languages at our head office in Montreal. What's more, we offer English courses so that once you're on your show, you won't be lost. You can also count on the support of other artists once on site to help you navigate.