Jenny Block
Prepare to Be Spellbound As We Unveil Its Mad, Mad, Mad World
Photography by Jean-François Savaria. Courtesy of Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil’s newest big top show, ECHO by Cirque du Soleil, is making its Texas premiere in Houston at Sam Houston Race Park through March 23rd. And if you’re thinking, “Oh, I’ve seen Cirque a zillion times…” Not this one, according to our intrepid pop culture chronicler, Jenny Block, as she drops into rehearsal to get an up-close look at the iconic Cirque.
ECHO, “a story of connection, intention, and the symbiotic union between humans and the animal kingdom,” is equally stunning, surprising, thrilling, and touching. The characters and the set design seamlessly integrate mind-boggling video, the “animals,” the heart-stopping performances, the music, the costumes, the humor…all of it adds up to one sensational night under the Big Top.
Curated Texan had the chance to catch up with Henrik Veres, one of the incredibly talented Cirque artists in ECHO. The sixth-generation circus performer from Hungary specializes in juggling, and in this show, he also plays Ewai the Dog, a principal role in the show for select performances. Formerly with Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL and Cirque du Soleil at Sea, Veres joined ECHO at the end of 2023.
Jenny Block: I’m curious about what it was like growing up in a family of generations of performers. Did you ever say, “Mom, I want to be a lawyer. I don’t want to be a circus performer?”
Henrik Veres: It’s really funny you mentioned lawyer because I’m not sure why, but it was kind of an inside joke within the family. I was just starting elementary school when I was like six or seven years old, and I can’t remember why, but it was an ongoing thing that if anyone asked me, what do you want to be when you grow up? And I don’t know why, but I always said I want to be a lawyer, which, oh my gosh, is so far from what I am right now.
As a kid, I was told every single day that I needed to study, and I needed to learn everything about this world. And I think I was, luckily, a quite easy kid because I followed those instructions. I liked to study. So, I was born into a circus family, but it took me quite a few years until I got into performing.
Jenny Block: How did you go about learning the art of juggling?
Henrik Veres: I would say there are three ways to learn. Either you kind of copy what your parents did, and it gets passed on from generation to generation. Some people actually sign up for circus schools and then they spend their years of learning at circus schools as well.
And then there are some weird ones, like me, who chose a discipline, which around me, there were not many jugglers at that time. So, my father knew the basics of juggling, just juggling with three balls. So, he showed me what he knew, and I started learning about it. And, in a few weeks, I was like, “Oh, what else can I learn?” And my father told me he doesn’t know much more, so feel free to experiment. And that’s what was happening. I tried to challenge myself, tried to add more juggling goals, different juggling apparatus, and all kinds of things.
I was lucky enough to be born in a world where the internet is accessible. So, that’s where I tried to search for the best jugglers in the world. And yeah, one of the best jugglers until today, it’s really like in the juggling history, his name always pops up and it’s Anthony Gatto.
I was following his journey. And at that time, I was like, okay, I’m going to try to aim that, which was so far, but I was like, I’ll see how far I can get. I was around 12 or 13 when I was getting into practicing juggling, and at age 14, that was the first year I performed for a live audience.
It was in Hungary, and it was one of the third biggest traveling traditional circuses in Hungary. Afterwards, my journey just kept growing. I did a lot of shows in Germany. I did a few cruise ships when I was around 20 or 21 years old. I started traveling on my own, and that’s when I started to discover the whole world. And it was in 2018 when I got the first offer to work with Cirque du Soleil, it was a really lucky timing.
I was exactly finishing one of my contracts in Italy. I said a big yes to join. That was in 2018, that was my first year with Cirque du Soleil
Jenny Block: And you always wanted to be a juggler as opposed to any other kind of circus performer?
Henrik Veres: Honestly, I tried a little bit of this and that, and I don’t know how this happens, but even when I ask my friends, they also tell me the thing that sometimes it just clicks. You try a few things, and then you feel what is your thing.
I know how to ride a unicycle. I can do an ugly handstand and minimal acrobatics, but none of those clicked with me. But when I started picking up juggling balls and started to learn, it made me feel passionate about it. I started being obsessed, and I wanted to be better and better. And I just tried to push it as far as I could.
Jenny Block: Now when I think of juggling, I first think of juggling balls, but after seeing so many Cirque shows, I know there are a lot more things that can be juggled. What’s the most unusual thing that you’ve ever thrown up in the air?
Henrik Veres:: Food, like oranges or eggs. But one of the most unusual, what people don’t necessarily see every day, which I also did in my juggling performances for many years, were fire balls. So, they were balls covered in Kevlar and soaked in methyl alcohol, which has a very beautiful color and burns well. And I had gloves for protection against heat.
Jenny Block: For those who have seen a lot of Cirque shows, what should we expect from this show in terms of surprises or similarities?
Henrik Veres: I would say everyone can expect that good old magic of Cirque du Soleil, but with really new refreshing energy and style. Because as soon as you sit down, you will feel that modern energy and modern style. It’s exciting as soon as the music starts, and people will see the giant cube appearing.
And even story-wise, it’s like any other Cirque show when you’re watching it. It’s not so much about understanding; it’s more about feeling what you see. And story-wise, I think a lot of people will still understand it’s really about the journey of a girl and her dog, they are the two main characters.
It’s a journey where we see that even the smallest actions can have a huge impact on the world. So, we will see that a negative action can cause a huge negative reaction or a positive action. Even just the tiny bits, one by one, can unite the world and make it into a more positive, healthier, better place.
Jenny Block: And what about people who have never seen Cirque du Soleil? Maybe some people think, I don’t know if that’s for me. Why should they come? Why should ECHO be the time that they just take a chance?
Henrik Veres: Because it’s live, it’s real, and we don’t get to see too many real things nowadays. For people who have never watched Cirque du Soleil, it’s not the same as just watching it on your phone as a short reel. Even if you would watch a whole show through your computer or even on your comfortable sofa at home, it doesn’t have the same energy.
And I get to experience this every day. The people, how they get emotional. They will laugh. They will get silent and focus and get nervous for the artists. So, it’s a rollercoaster of emotions, and that’s something that we can’t experience if we sit at home or even if we watch a movie. It’s not going to give the same kind of thrill and emotions as a live show.
Jenny Block: Would you say that the number one difference between Cirque du Soleil and say, gosh, almost anything else, is that there’s no fourth wall? I mean, you’re on the stage and the audience isn’t, but there isn’t a fourth wall. We’re in it together.
Henrik Veres: Exactly. It’s perfect how you describe it because usually anything else you watch, even any other shows you are watching, you’re a spectator. But here, even as an artist, if I live my everyday life, I have good days and bad days, but when I put the costume on, put the makeup on, and the music starts, and I get on stage, suddenly I enter a different world, and the audience will join into that. So, it’s kind of like a little escape. People are not just watching; they are kind of escaping from their everyday life. And it’s an unusual thing. It’s not something you can do every day.
Jenny Block: ECHO is a Big Top show as opposed to an arena show. Do you prefer one type over the other?
Henrik Veres: I prefer a Big Top because I feel like the big top can create that magical bubble and bring people in a bit closer. Maybe it’s just my perspective because I was born and raised traveling big top shows, so it’s closer to my heart. It’s one of the big reasons why I enjoy performing in ECHO because it’s a big top show and it’s close. For me, that is the real circus.
For tickets, visit: https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ECHO.
