Cirque du Soleil has returned to South Florida, and their newest production is unlike anything they have brought here before.
Luzia, Cirque du Soleil's 38th original production, is now playing under the big top at Gulfstream Park. The show invites audiences into an imaginary Mexico — a surreal world suspended somewhere between dreams and reality. With more than 100 cast and crew members from over 25 countries traveling together, the big top becomes its own moving city, supporting one of the most technically ambitious touring shows Cirque has ever created.
Hoop diving on a treadmill — a Cirque first
Among the show's most jaw-dropping moments is a never-before-seen act: hoop diving performed on a treadmill. Quentin Greco, one of the show's hoop divers, sat down with Entertainment Insider, Ariel Cipolla, to explain what that looks like and what it took to get there.
"My specialty here is called hoop diving. So I do acrobatics on the ground, and I jump through hoops," Quentin said.
What makes Luzia unique is that this is the first time Cirque du Soleil has ever incorporated hoop diving on a treadmill — and for Quentin, it was a first as well.
"When I arrived here, it was the first time I did acrobatics on the treadmill. So when I arrived, I had to train the acrobatics on the treadmill for the first time," he said.
He described the training process as a gradual build of skill and confidence.
"You do step by step, and you get comfortable with the treadmill, and then when you have a skill set good enough, you do bigger tricks," Quentin said.
Life inside the Cirque community
For Quentin, being part of the Cirque du Soleil touring community feels less like work and more like a way of life.
"I feel like a kid. I feel like I'm still at school. Sometimes we are training, we are having fun, and I think, 'I'm actually at work right now.' It doesn't feel like work," he said.
When asked what he hopes audiences take away from the performance, Quentin's answer was simple and powerful.
"To get back home with stars in their eyes. To be impressed, to be moved," he said.
What to expect inside the tent
Water rains down in perfect patterns above acrobats soaring through the air. Artists perform impossible feats on moving treadmills. Entire worlds transform before your eyes, from smoky dancehalls to underwater dreamscapes.
But beyond the spectacle, Luzia becomes something more — a celebration of connection, culture, imagination, and the shared experience of wonder.
Luzia is playing at Gulfstream Park through April 25. Get your tickets before Cirque du Soleil leaves South Florida.
For more information, visit cirquedusoleil.com/luzia.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
