Stories from Backstage: Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas

Throughout Stories from Backstage: Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, you will find different colored sign toppers. This topper, focusing on HooDan from Cirque du Soleil’s KA, is double-sided, with each side examining the costume from two distinct perspectives: people, shown in [placeholder], and performance, shown in [placeholder].

The HooDan costume is worn during an intense swordfight, in one of KA’s most electrifying set pieces. A performer, wielding twin (very sharp!) machetes, engages another in simulated combat, effortlessly embodying Cirque du Soleil’s unique blend of artistry and athleticism. As with all Cirque du Soleil performances, this sequence is rigorously blocked and choreographed, practiced for hours by the performers before it hits the stage. On average, Cirque du Soleil performers will train about 12 hours per week. KA, itself, is staged between 380 and 470 times per year.

Throughout Stories from Backstage: Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, you will find different colored sign toppers. This topper, focusing on HooDan from Cirque du Soleil’s KA, is double-sided, with each side examining the costume from two distinct perspectives: people, shown in [placeholder], and performance, shown in [placeholder].

KA’s HooDan costume appears seamless when viewed from the audience, but is actually a highly technical multi-part outfit that reflects Cirque du Soleil’s commitment to innovation and safety. The entirety of HooDan is based on a unitard, with flesh-colored mesh carefully matching that of the performer. Above the unitard is a dress, which can easily be slipped on or off through a zipper and is secured via hooks and bars. An obi, typically used to tie Japanese kimonos, completes the look, serving as the costume’s centerpiece. Accessories include a chin-strapped hat and mask, gauntlets, and gaiters, which provide additional support to the performer’s ankles and calves.