VOA常速英语2007年-Cirque du Soleil Thrills Audiences

By Tetiana Vorozhko
Norfolk, Virginia
08 November 2007
 

Twenty years ago the original performers of Cirque du Soleil were street performers in Quebec Canada walking on stilts¹, juggling², and playing music. From these humble³ beginnings their circus has grown to be one of the largest and most famous in the world. VOA's Tetiana Vorozhko recently attended Cirque du Soleil's show called "Saltimbanco" and spoke⁴ to some of the show's stars. Jim Bertel has the story.

They spin and sail around their poles seemingly defying gravity with their intricately choreographed⁵ routines. These performers are part of the nearly one thousand artists performing with Cirque du Soleil in more than a dozen simultaneous shows around the world. Unlike traditional circuses, each unique show is a synthesis of international circus styles built around its own central theme and storyline.

Victoria Zherdeva is an acrobatic gymnast from Ukraine who grew up dreaming of performing with Cirque du Soleil. Four years ago Zherdeva and her husband videotaped their routine and sent it to the troupe⁶. She says, "We lost our hope. All of a sudden, we received the offer. First, we didn't believe it and thought it didn't mean anything."

Carmen Ruest ("Rue") was one of the original street performers who helped start Cirque du Soleil. She is now the artistic⁷ director of "Saltimbanco" and explains how the circus develops new talent. "We take other disciplines that they got with their sports, their skills, we take that and we adapt with artistic training," she said.

Taisiya and Ruslana Bazaliy are 21-year-old twin sisters from Ukraine who have been performing with the circus since they were 14.

The fearless performers enjoy performing their breath-taking stunts⁸ in front of a live audience.

Both say, "We are not afraid. Viewers, yes, they are scared. It is fun for us to hear when they scream 'oh,' 'ah.'

The Cirque du Soleil shows continue to pack venues around the world, inspiring young performers to dream of becoming tomorrow's stars

1 stilts   

n.（支撑建筑物高出地面或水面的）桩子，支柱( stilt的名词复数 )；高跷

参考例句：

• a circus performer on stilts 马戏团里踩高跷的演员
• The bamboo huts here are all built on stilts. 这里的竹楼都是架空的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

3 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 choreographed   

v.设计舞蹈动作( choreograph的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• There was some carefully choreographed flag-waving as the President drove by. 总统的车经过时，人们按精心编排的动作挥舞着旗帜。
• Achim had choreographed the dance in Act II himself. 阿希姆自己设计了第2幕的舞蹈动作。 来自辞典例句

6 troupe   

n.剧团，戏班；杂技团；马戏团

参考例句：

• The art troupe is always on the move in frontier guards.文工团常年在边防部队流动。
• The troupe produced a new play last night.剧团昨晚上演了一部新剧。

7 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

8 stunts   

n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 )；（广告中）引人注目的花招；愚蠢行为；危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He did all his own stunts. 所有特技都是他自己演的。
• The plane did a few stunts before landing. 飞机着陆前做了一些特技。 来自《简明英汉词典》