Cirque Du Soleil's 'Crystal' Will Wow Audiences

ST. CHARLES, MO — Jerome Sordillon is an aerialist with "Crystal," Cirque du Soleil's new show on ice that opens at The Family Arena this weekend. He performs the acrobatic portion of the show, swinging dozens of feet above the ice, suspended only by a pair of wrist straps.

At one point, during a beautifully choreographed ballroom dance, Sordillon lifts the main character off her skates and they soar through the air together. "I'm holding on to her," he said. "She's not holding on to anything. So it takes a lot of trust."

Trust, and plenty of practice. Do they use a net? "No," Sordillon said, "I am the net."

Originally from Lyon, France, Sordillon has been performing in circuses for over a decade, since he was 19 years old. He's been on tour with Crystal since June.

And he's just one of 83 cast and crew representing 19 different nationalities that make the show possible, said Crystal publicist Julie Desmarais.

Desmarais explained that show-goers are in for a treat. "Crystal is the story of a girl who has her head in the clouds, she's a dreamer, and she's not super comfortable in the environment she's in. One day she ventures out onto a frozen pond, and the ice breaks. She falls into a surreal underworld than opens her up to new possibilities."

Desmarais said Crystal is Cirque du Soleil's first production on ice in its 33-year history. "It's something that we've wanted to do for a very long time. We really wanted to explore the speed, fluidity and reflection that ice provides."

She thinks the show would appeal to the whole family. "I think we'll see a lot of audience members finding an element that reaches out to them. It's a brand new experience. And it will feature pop songs as part of the storyline that people will recognize."

She said audiences could look forward to remixes and covers of songs by Beyonce, Sia, U2 and more.

Cirque du Soleil's Crystal will be presented at the Family Arena this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets are available through www.metrotix.com or by calling 314-534-1111.

Watch a sneak peak of the show

Image via Cirque du Soleil