Balance goddess | Lara Jacobs | TEDxEdmonton

Lara Jacobs was born into an artistic family. At the tender age of six she began performing and touring as a trapeze artist with her parents' theatre, Rigolo Nouveau Cirque. When she was just 16 Lara ventured to New York City and enrolled at the prestigious Alvin Ailey Dance Centre. She later took her love of dance to Istanbul where she trained in dervish dance, a traditional Islamic dance also known as Sufi whirling which consists of spinning one's body in repetitive circles. With this new talent, she began performing a solo fire burning skirt routine for Rigolo Nouveau Cirque, numerous galas worldwide, as well as, the famous German circus, Circus Roncalli.

In 2010 Lara was asked to audition for the role of Balance Goddess in Cirque de Soleil's Amaluna. The unique act has the Balance Goddess creating a world in equilibrium with a mobile made of thirteen palm leaf ribs. The routine is carried out to a spare soundtrack emphasized only by the sound of her breathing. Her movements are slow, deliberate and almost meditative as she concentrates all her attention on building this structure, reminding us of the fragile nature of harmony. The famous balancing performance was created and originated by her Father, who continues to perform the act around the world.

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