A most exciting show that will transport you into a world of true artistry.

Stepping into Cirque du Soleil’s OVO is like shrinking down into the vibrant, acrobatic world of insects — an ecosystem buzzing with colour, movement and energy. But I had the rare opportunity to venture beyond the breathtaking performances under the Pavilion tent at Toronto’s Lakeshore Boulevard and go backstage to witness the heart of the production in all its true forms.

The scale of Cirque’s mobile arena is staggering — approximately the size of 22 tennis courts, housing everything from the massive set pieces to costume trailers to training spaces for 53 performing artists from around the world. Here, bugs don’t just crawl — they soar, flip, twist and fly.

Nansy Damianova, a former Olympian for Team Canada–turned aerial cradle flyer, greeted me warmly. “I get thrown by guys up in those structures you’ll see on stage,” she said with a laugh, pointing to the intricate rigging above. “I didn’t know I wanted to join Cirque until after gymnastics. I missed performing — and this gave me both performing and travelling.” She also performs in OVO’s Silken Cocoon act, which represents caterpillars’ metamorphoses before they emerge as beautiful butterflies.

The show’s Brazilian theme pulses through every detail, from the costumes and music to the joyful chaos of its storyline. “It’s uplifting, full of colour and positivity,” said Damianova. “Especially now, people need that.”

I wandered through the wardrobe area, where the artists transformed into ladybugs, crickets, spiders and scarab beetles. The attention to detail is mesmerizing. Each costume, a tactile tribute to insect life, is enhanced by vibrant makeup, which the artists often apply themselves.

Janie Mallet, Cirque’s senior publicist, happily shared the show’s storyline: A curious blue fly arrives with an egg (ovo in Portuguese) and finds love and community in the insect colony. “There’s no narration,” she said. “They speak bug language — so it’s all visual storytelling, accessible to all ages.”

Performer Jesse Harris, a Chinese pole artist from Arizona, shared what the experience means to him: “I love the energy, that rush when the crowd applauds — it feels like you’re giving people a break from life’s problems.” His colleague, Toronto acrobat Nathan Shuh, here a Trampo Wall cricket, echoed the sentiment: “It doesn’t feel like work. We’re a tight family.”

By the end of my tour, as artists rehearsed flips and formations in a blur of motion, I realized that OVO is more than a show — it’s a living, breathing world powered by passion, precision and play.

From behind-the-scenes to the spotlight, this is all an invitation to rediscover wonder. For two hours audiences get immersed in the magic, just as we did in our own imaginations as children.

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