Since its inception in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has delighted spectators in more than 100 cities around the world. Now for the first time, Cirque du Soleil presents Solstrom, a new and extraordinary ...

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Estefani Evans, a fifth-generation circus performer currently starring in Cirque du Soleil's Alegría. It has been edited for length and clarity.