Cirque du Soleil La Nouba celebrates 10 years at Disney

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/a ... 3669.story

It's an artistic and acrobatic achievement every time the lights go up on La Nouba, Downtown Disney's very own piece of the Cirque du Soleil phenomenon. Tuesday marks a particular milestone: The show celebrates its 10th anniversary here in Orlando. By their reckoning, that's 2,094,484 feet walked on the high wire; 9,486 people jumped over by mountain bikes; and 853,740 minutes of leaping for Alexander "Sasha" Daniltchenko, a trampolinist whose particular claim to fame is never having missed a show since La Nouba's inception. We sat down before the show last month with Daniltchenko to see what keeps him on (and off) his feet for so long.

I can't go a year at my desk job without missing a day. How do you go 10 years of trampolining?

Eat healthy food? No, I'm joking. I would call it an accident, maybe. The first time I was sick I went to the doctor's office. I took a note from the doctor to bring to the theater, but I didn't realize it was my day off. In the beginning, we had a little competition going [with the other performers], but. . .

That's one thing that surprised me, to hear that you have had a lot of people here from the start.


What do you do in your off hours?

I have a family. I have a little one. She really misses me, and I like to spend time with family.

What is your history before Cirque Du Soleil?

I was a trampolinist. I mean, I'm still a trampolinist, but I was on a national team. I got five gold medals. I'd say I was a professional trampolinist, but the professional people make money. Now, trampolining is in the Olympic games, but I quit before it was included.

How hard was it to make the transition to this kind of work, where there are so many other people and objects to interact with?

You have to be very observant. You practice every day, and you can only see your partner a little bit. But you can feel him, and you can hear him. You use all your senses.

Seems like this show alone has created an entire new job market. Any advice for budding jumpers, aside from buying a trampoline?

No, don't buy a trampoline. It's better to go to a gym and be supervised by a professional coach who can spot you. Lots of people have a trampoline in their backyard to have fun, and so many injuries happen. Better to be supervised when you do this, and afterward you can have some fun. It becomes routine, and your brain starts working with your body.