Cirque du Soleil Performer Guillaume Blais Crystalizes His Art

Based out of Montreal, queer trapeze artist and aerialist Guillaume Blais has performed in over 5,000 shows in more than 30 countries. But before all that, Blais was a hairdresser who made wigs for Cirque du Soleil – the very same company he’ll be performing with this Wednesday through Sunday, Feb. 21-25, in CRYSTAL at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park.

Guillaume Blais (Courtesy of Public Content)

“I was backstage,” Blais recalls, “and I saw the artists warming up and I was like, 'Ooh, that's what I want to do.' And everyone thought I was crazy.” Was he crazy? Not even a little. Soon after being inspired by the Cirque performers, he enrolled in circus school in Montreal where he honed aerial and trapeze techniques. A plus for Blais was his background in dance, an advantage that served him in his career doing duo trapeze: a discipline requiring intense acrobatic skill.

Once graduated and out in the circus world, Blais didn’t flip for Cirque right away. He explored other companies, moved to Europe, and developed his artistic side. His achievements have include being the co-founder of his own circus cabaret Le Monastère. Blais calls out NoFit State, a circus company operating in the UK, and their guest artistic director Firenza Guidi as particularly encouraging of his creative growth during his 2015-16 run with them. “I've learned a lot by how I like to grow as an artist and how to communicate with the public,” Blais says. “That’s what made me evolve, just mixed with my dance background. And I think I kind of made my own style in the discipline.”

Communication is a key element to Blais’ performances, as he prefers an intimate setting. “I really like the proximity,” he explains. “It’s a bit funny when we say that as we're performing in an arena. But the smaller arena, where actually I can see the public and try to get eye contact: I can connect more with the public and that's what I really enjoy the most.” Of course, he quickly points out the good qualities of a big room like the H-E-B Center, such as “when there's like 8000 people clapping at the end of your act,” Blais says. “It’s such a wave.”

Guillaume Blais performing duo trapeze in CRYSTAL (Courtesy of Public Content)

While he does say not everything is about size, trapeze actually is about size. At six foot, Blais works as a catcher in duo trapeze acts, which will be extra challenging during CRYSTAL as its an ice show. After joining up with Cirque in 2016 for their Paramore-backed tour, CRYSTAL will be Blais’ second time chilling out, so to speak, with the circus. “I guess I became like a specialist of being a trapeze catcher on ice,” he says, admitting as well that the freezing temps push his limits. “I mean, we're not gonna lie. It's on ice. We're cold. It’s harder on the body and I'm not getting any younger … I need more time to warm up than I used to.” There’s also the fact that during CRYSTAL, Blais will have no crash mat beneath him - meaning no soft landing if he slips. “Even [for] myself,” the trapeze veteran says, “when I have to cross the whole ice up in the air with no protection under, sometimes I still get the chill even after almost a year.”

Over Blais’ career, he’s developed a massive community in the circus world. In that world, he says he hasn’t had to face much stigma for his queer identity. “I've been very lucky with this,” Blais admits. “Circus is such an open minded form of art. And I feel like no one judges you about who you are, what you do. It's more what are your propositions and then people respect you more as a human being.” Because of that tight-knit community, however, Blais feels that he’s just barely begun to connect with the wider LGBTQ world. His attempts have been touch-and-go so far. “Sometimes I was having conversations with people from the LGBTQ community,” he says, “and I was like, ‘I don't understand why I'm not connecting with this.’” As his artistic life continues to flourish, Blais wants to encourage growth in his queer connections as well. “I'm trying more and more to reconnect with this root of where I was probably like 25 years ago, coming out,” he says, “and I think it's quite important to give a voice to this.”

Cirque du Soleil Presents: CRYSTAL at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park runs from Feb. 21-25. Get tickets at cirquedusoleil.com/crystal.