The circus is in his blood

For Vladimir Pestov, running away with the circus was something his parents encouraged.

In fact, it's in his blood.

The 20-year-old juggler grew up in the whimsical world of Cirque du Soleil - both his parents are acrobats with the company.

Pestov told SooToday.com that growing up on the road with his talented parents and the fine folks of Cirque was "the best thing ever."

Not only did he get to see the world, he gained a wealth of knowledge of the entertainment industry as a whole.

Originally from Astrakhan, Russia, Pestov said his parents have supported him in everything he's done placing no pressure on him to follow in their footsteps.

The choice to become a juggler was 100 percent his, and he began teaching himself the craft at age 12.

"You have to have a lot of patience and a lot of drive to do this. Without that, a lot of people burn out," he said. "Juggling is my drive and I love it. Everything that I know, I taught myself."

As rewarding as the work is, Pestov told us his favourite part of working with Cirque du Soleil is the people.

"It's like a family. It's incredible," he said. "Even though my family is back in Russia, it's a great feeling to travel together and work together. It feels like home. It has all my life."

Pestov and Cirque du Soleil will be in Sault Ste. Marie for seven performances of Dralion at the Essar Centre starting Wednesday, October 29.

The current Dralion tour marks the end of the show's run, which premiered in 1999.

Pestov said he hopes to continue with Cirque du Soleil following Dralion's final performance in Anchorage, Alaska in January of 2015.

"If you're 4 years old or 89, you have to see this show," he said. "I sometimes catch myself watching my coworkers with an open mouth saying 'Wow!'."

To learn more about Cirque du Soleil and Dralion, please click here.

For a schedule of Sault Ste. Marie performances and ticket information, please click here.

(Photo by Joshua Mowczko, costumes by François Barbeau ©Cirque du Soleil)

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