Cirque’s 1st Woman Director

Brazilian born daughter of Russian - Jewish immigrants Deborah Colker trained for ten years as a classical pianist, top volleyball player and earned a psychology degree before founding her own dance company and started created and directing Cirque du Soleil’s new show, “Ovo,” also known as Egg, in Portuguese. The 48 year old says to Associated Press: “I like using everyday movements in all my works but I am interested in those everyday movements that everyone does and doesn’t want anyone to see,” she says. “You know like when you’re picking your nose to pull out a booger, or sniffling your underarm to see if it smells strange,” she says. Interested parties will get to spot her skills as a choreographer this week, starting tomorrow and running through Saturday, at New York City’s Center where her company will present “4 by 4″, a suite of four dances inspired by pieces of art. “Ovo,” her latest piece for Cirque du Soleil, is touring Canada and will premiere in the States in San Francisco next month before traveling through seven other cities until 2011. “For the 25th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil, we wanted to work with a woman director. Women have a different vision on things than men, Gilles Ste Croix, the circus’ Senior VP Creative Content said in an email. “We chose Deborah Colker because her choreographed shows always include interesting scenic elements.”

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