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In Search Of Zoé
Isabelle Gaul, Hand To Hand, Vol 17, 02 Published: March 2008 Finding the artist who's a perfect fit for the artistic directors' desired profile: that's the complex assignment our talent scouts take on. They have to hunt down artists with particular skills, like dance, acrobatics or clowning - as well as very precise physical characteristics in terms of size, height and so on. And recruiting child artists is an even bigger challenge. Julie Barron, Talent Scout - Voice, and Senior Talent Scout Yves Sheriff know all about that: the two were in charge of finding the girls now playing Zoé in Quidam. "The way the search process usually works is we hold auditions; artists send in their demos and we build a bank of candidates that we can draw from as needed. But that last option is impossible with children, because they're still growing!" explains Yves. The search for someone to play the character of little Zoé in Quidam is a good illustration of the challenges our talent scouts face. "Zoé is a rich character, a girl who looks somewhere between 10 and 13, with the body of a child that age (not an adolescent, not a woman), and a pure, little girl's voice. Traits that can be elusive, and they can change overnight. But Zoé is more than that. There's also the attitude, the ingenuous, innocent quality the character radiates: the artist has to have that. We have to see Zoé in the little girl." Yves adds that the girl doesn't necessarily have to be exactly the right age. Our last Zoé was Denise Gonzales, who played the role brilliantly for five years, until she was 17. "As well as having a wonderful voice, Denise was totally capable of becoming the child Zoé even when she reached adolescence. She had to leave the troupe but, much to our delight, she sent us a demo the day she turned 18, telling us she wanted to work at Cirque! So far, she's replaced someone on Corteo."
A long road to the stage When the auditions have wrapped up and the artist has been chosen, the process is still far from over. "Then a five-month training session is required, including singning and acting classes and follow-ups with a psychologist, a nutritionist and coaches - and sometimes during that period, children grow, change or realize this type of life just isn't for them. Then we're back to square one," says Yves. And that's not all. A number of other factors, like discipline and the ability to handle emotions and adapt to life on tour, come into play. However magical their role may seem, these young artists will be doing a job, with all the advantages and disadvantages that implies. Yves and Julie both agree they were doubly lucky this time, because the two girls alternating in the role of Zoé - Ella Bangs and Dalyane Dumas - are both absolutely fantastic. One look at the joyful pride in the eyes of our talent scouts when they talk about their meetings with the two girls, and you know they can't be wrong. So we'd just like to wish the girls - and their older colleagues - every success in this Cirque adventure. A family affair Ella Bangs' story seems right out a fairy tale. Julie Barron first noticed Ella at a concert where the girl was playing the violin. "When we needed to replace Zoé, we called her for an audition and right away we saw our Zoé, her innocence, her energy." Ella, who was barely 10 years old when she started her training, impressed the whole team by being a conscientious, disciplined student despite a gruelling schedule. A few months later, the whole Bangs family signed on with Quidam. First, Ella's father Robert took a long leave from work to act as his daughter's guardian. A musician himself, he replaced an injured musician, moving into an artist role. Then, mom Lauree applied for and got the job of Tour Services Coordinator. After selling their house in Canada, she joined the tour, along with Ella's sister Tessa. And, to top it off, Tessa is doing her bit by replacing certain musicians occasionally. (???) Making contact "In the arts world in general, and especially in fields like singing and music, people don't always know Cirque is a potential employer, so we have to get our name out in those circles," says Julie Barron, Talent Scout - Voice. "In scouting for artists, we often rely on contacts, in choirs, singing schools and casting agencies, or people who send demos after seeing the show, for instance. Even employees can give us leads if they think someone they see, or someone they know, is a rare gem. Keep your eyes open!" © 2003, 2005-2007 Cirque Du Soleil Inc.