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Cirque du Soliel Preparing For 4-Day Run On Temple U. Campus

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Cirque du Soleil performers are hard at work on their latest show to visit Philadelphia.  "Quidam" runs November 10th through 13th, at the Liacouras Center.

At rehearsals today, acrobat JP Viens (below) said that Cirque du Soleil is a true of labor of love.

"We get up to six or seven hours of training a week -- that's mandatory -- plus eight shows a week," he tells KYW Newsradio.  "On top of that I do a lot of personal conditioning."

But he says that nothing beats the thrill of working in front of a live audience.

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cirque perf DL durham
(JP Viens, a performer with Cirque du Soliel, pauses during practice at the Liacouras Center. Credit: Michelle Durham)

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How did he prepare for this job?

"I did go to college -- but for kinesiology.  I think for me, college was a hobby and circus school was serious, because I was going to circus school at the same time.  I did four years of circus school."

And do his parents worry?

"It took a few years for Mom to stop screaming when I was performing -- I'm glad she's stopped now. They are pretty happy, pretty proud. My dad is not nervous, my mom always is. My dad got me climbing up trees when I was three years old, so he's not worried -- he got me there!"

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Tickets for "Quidam" are on sale now.

Reported by Michelle Durham, KYW Newsradio 1060


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