Veteran Cirque Du Soleil Performer Dies After Fall During Tampa Show
March 18, 2018
Veteran Cirque Du Soleil Performer Dies After Fall During Tampa Show
Yann Arnaud, a longtime aerialist for Cirque Du Soleil, died after injuries sustained Saturday night in a fall during a performance of Volta in Tampa, Fla.
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The official Twitter handle of Cirque acknowledged Arnaud’s death in a Twitter post, calling the fall “a tragic accident.” Arnaud, a 15-year veteran, fell to the stage and emergency crews immediately rushed to administer treatment. He was then taken to an area hospital, the company said, where he later died.
“The entire Cirque du Soleil family is in shock and devastated by this tragedy,” Cirque president and CEO Daniel Lamarre said in a statement. Arnaud “was loved by all who had the chance to know him. Over the coming days and weeks, our focus will be on supporting Yann’s family and employees, especially the Volta team, as we go through these difficult times together.”
An investigation into the accident is in its early stages, and details are thus far limited. On the Cirque website, Volta is described as “a spellbinding story about the freedom to choose and the thrill of blazing your own trail. Inspired in part by the adventurous spirit that fuels the culture of action sports, the show weaves acrobatics in a visually striking world driven by a stirring melodic score.” Sequences in which acrobats swing on long straps are a signature element of many Cirque shows, and the company even brought them to last month’s BAFTAs in London.
The last two performances of Volta in Tampa, the company said, were canceled.
— Cirque du Soleil (@Cirque) March 18, 2018