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Cirque du Soleil: The Spark - Igniting the Creative Fire that Lives within Us All
 
 
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Cirque du Soleil: The Spark - Igniting the Creative Fire that Lives within Us All [Hardcover]

John U. Bacon (Author), Lyn Heward (Creator)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)

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Book Description

April 11, 2006
Creativity and innovation are widely recognized as essential to success in business, and so many aspects of our lives. For over two decades, Cirque du Soleil has been a world-renowned laboratory of creativity, enthralling audiences around the world by fusing dazzling acrobatics, staging and choreography, and music, along with beautiful costumes and technical effects to inspire and create magical, almost otherworldly theatrical experiences. In The Spark, Cirque's former president of creative content, Lyn Heward, invites readers inside the world and ideas of Cirque du Soleil through the story of an ordinary man searching for meaning in his work and life.

Like so many other people in their careers, sports agent Frank Castle has lost the passion he once had for his job. But a chance encounter with an inspiring Cirque du Soleil director takes him inside Cirque du Soleil to meet the artists, directors, designers, and technicians who create, shape, and perform in their acclaimed shows. As the story unfolds, the artists reveal surprising secrets about the sparks that ignite their creativity — from the pressure of deadlines and the exhilaration that comes from risking it all, to the chance encounters and everyday occurrences that have changed the way they live and work. As Frank comes to discover, every one of us is creative — wherever we work or whatever our job title is — but it’s up to us to tap into that powerful force.

As The Spark makes clear, there is no single formula for creative success–each of us must unlock the power of our imagination in our own way. An inspiring tale that draws on behind-the-scenes stories from the most creative people in entertainment as well as some out-of-this-world Cirque du Soleil magic, The Spark is an unparalleled guide on how to make creativity a part of everything you do.


Lyn Heward is the former President and COO of Cirque du Soleil’s Creative Content Division and is currently acting as executive producer for a variety of special projects. John U. Bacon, a veteran journalist and public speaker, has won numerous national writing awards and is the author of three books.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For anyone who has ever marveled at the creativity, athleticism and magic of Cirque du Soleil, this book is a jewel that explores the showmanship, challenges and philosophies that have made Cirque an international sensation. Using a fictional narrative, Heward (former president and COO of Cirque's creative content division) and journalist Bacon follow a sports agent named Frank as he seeks the drive and enthusiasm that have faded from his career. Through a chance encounter while in Las Vegas, Frank sees a Cirque du Soleil performance and is enchanted. Before long Frank takes a leave of absence from his job and starts training with Cirque athletes in Montreal while giving the reader a behind-the-scenes look at how the Cirque sensation is created and the underlying philosophy. He gleans lessons on the value of working for a common goal, creating a meaningful experience for customers, using failure as a learning tool and how to reinvent oneself to find life's true path. While the scenarios that Frank encounters often seem too convenient, the book is captivating and offers important lessons that can be applied to many aspects of modern life. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"An inspiring tale about the power of creativity and the imagination, from Cirque du Soleil, the amazing troupe of performers that “makes nearly every other form of entertainment seem timid, sullen, earthbound.”
Time --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 135 pages
  • Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (April 11, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0385516517
  • ISBN-13: 978-0385516518
  • Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 7.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars One of the few books to discuss what we can ALL learn from the Cirque du Soleil creative process, April 24, 2006
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While this book had some minor flaws (I'll discuss those briefly later), it is worth owning, especially since it is one of the few books to truly discuss the creative process of Cirque Du Soleil and how the rest of us can learn from what the performers do every day- the type of risks they take in hopes of creating magic, the beauty and spiritual resonance of their performances.

There is another book out there that explores one man's experiences with one performer and it is also intriquing but this new book reveals more about a wider variety of artists, directors, designers, etc.


And, for all those who've watched and been entranced by a Cirque du Soleil performance...wouldn't we all like to create a little of that magic in our lives? Wouldn't we all like to ignite our own creative fires, even if they come out in different ways, perhaps in writing, perhaps in our work lives or the time we spend with our families or while alone.


One of the main lessons I got from this book is that being fully open as possible to one's imagination, hopes, dreams and aspirations can lead in wondrous directions and affect even the most "practical" or mundane tasks of life. It just takes the willingness to take the risk, to accept failure and setbacks in return for spiritual and emotional growth and lifechanging experiences.

This is more than a book geared to artists and peformers. It truly is for the rest of us. It can change your life.

Having said that, I found myself wanting more, felt myself not quite fully satisfied by this book. I felt some of the sections were a little too pat or formulaic. But these are minor quibbles when the book offers so much and is one of the few books that really explores the Cirque du Soleil creative process. Until a better one comes along, I'd consider this a MUST for anyone wanting to know more about the secrets and techniques of the Cirque du Soleil "spark", a spark that can affect us all.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An easy flow and a very insprational aftertaste., November 5, 2006
This review is from: Cirque du Soleil: The Spark - Igniting the Creative Fire that Lives within Us All (Hardcover)
A very easy and entertaining book to read that left me inspired, motivated and challenged. I was so touched that I bought copies for all my team members.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars No Spark in this book..., July 29, 2006
This review is from: Cirque du Soleil: The Spark - Igniting the Creative Fire that Lives within Us All (Hardcover)
After watching one of their performances, I wanted to read this book to find out more about Cirque du Soleil but this book left me frustrated.

I was lead to believe that this was a first person account of "Frank"'s life-changing experience with the Cirque du Soleil. The more you get into the book, the more it feels like a manuel of all the departments with a narrative to ease the transitions. It turns out that this is a fictional book.

This book would have worked as a behind-the-scenes special on how all the departments come together to make a performance or as a completely fictional story of someone reconnecting with their passion through getting a job at the Cirque du Soleil because it didn't work a faux nonfictional book.

I feel that the strength of Cirque du Soleil is visuals and this narrative didn't go justice to what they have actually accomplished. It would have been nice to see photos of the costumes, make-up, characters, training lessons and especially see a photo of a "German Wheel"? The book is less than 150 pages and can be read in less than an hour so written descriptions don't do them justice.

If you want to know more about the Cirque du Soliel, see a performance and skip this book.
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