Cirque du Soleil

At the start of the 1980's, some young public entertainers create the High Heels Club. Most of them walk on stilts - a habit they got their name from - but there's also fire blowers, jugglers... It all happens in Quebec, a region of Canada with no circus tradition. These artists start a festival to gather like-minded performers to exchange ideas and showcase their talent. Eventually the performances move to a big top. And so, in 1984, during the 450th anniversary of the arrival of Jacques Cartier in Canada, the Cirque du Soleil is born. It travels around Quebec while offering a theatrical show which mixes the arts of the circus and the street, and features original music, light effects and costumes. It's also different from the traditional circus - there are no animals in the shows, although there are plenty of costumed acrobats who portray them.