... there's a lot that goes into this than just the traditional dance technique.
MIDVALE — A horizontal bar, 25 to 30 feet in the air, hangs by chains from the ceiling.
Tyce Nielsen is hanging upside down by his knees, arms stretched below. His wife, Mary, stands beneath him and jumps up to grab his hands. They bend, spin and contort their bodies. He lifts, she pulls, and within seconds, Mary is standing on top of the horizontal bar.
They continue this aerial ballet of sorts, with only a rubber mat on the floor below them. More spins, turns, and then Mary slides down the front of Tyce's legs. It looks as if she's going to fall by mistake. But then, her legs come to rest on his feet. Mary's arms up. They both smile, as if waiting for applause from an audience.
But not on this day. This is just practice.
And so it goes for the newly formed group "Cirque de la Soul." Its 12 members, until recently, were the acrobatic and aerial performers at Sandy's Mayan Adventure restaurant. But financial issues forced its closure Oct. 31, leaving more than 100 employees without jobs.
But for Tyce and Mary, and the others, their unusual brand of artistic performance is something they've all done for years. Giving it up wasn't an option.
So, pulling themselves up by the bootstraps — or in this case by their muscles — the group will stay together, in hopes of showcasing their skills in various venues.
"We're very portable", said group spokeswoman and performer Chastitie Lujan. "Our equipment is easy to move. Some of it needs some special rigging. But it's just a matter of hooking it up and jumping on."
Cirque de la Soul can tailor its routines depending on the size of the performance area, whether it's a large convention hall or ballroom, or someone's backyard. The whole idea is to give the audience something that's fun to watch. And the performers offer plenty: aerial hoop routines, trapeze acts featuring solo or duel performers, Corde Lisse (rope) and silk routines, as well as fire breathing and dancing routines. And all of it is done above the ground.
The performers come from a variety of backgrounds: ballet, gymnastics, body building and choreography. All know how to make their bodies move elegantly, and they're all extremely strong.
"It's takes a lot of training," Lujan said. "Lots of core and upper body strength. So there's a lot that goes into this than just the traditional dance technique."
For now, the group is rehearsing and working on new routines at the Pearl by Pole and Aerial Fitness in Midvale. Pearl offers a number of classes to learn all types of aerial and acrobatic routines.
What Cirque de la Soul is trying to do is similar to other types of shows in cities all over the country. And though it has a Vegas-style approach to it, this show is family friendly.
"We're really excited. Because in Utah you don't see a lot of this," said Mary Nielsen. "We want to show people that you can have a quality show like this, and you don't have to go to Las Vegas. You can stay home and bring your family."
Looking for a different kind of act for the holiday party? Lujan says, "We're the ones to come to, absolutely. Yes."
Email: kmccord@desnews.com