(Below Center) Delirium’s soundtrack remixes 20 previous Cirque songs to create “what we call urban tribal beat,” says Nesbitt. This mix of techno and world music is performed by the house band, the Brazilian group Gaïa, along with a world-renowned lineup of percussionists.

(Below Right) The show is choreographed by Mia Michaels, who is no stranger to large-scale productions: She choreographed Céline Dion’s show at Caesars Palace and has worked with Madonna, Ricky Martin, and Prince.

(Below) The end product may look graceful and effortless, but the process to achieve it is anything but. “Our creators have these incredible ideas, but there’s a lot of planning in rehearsal to make these creative ideas work,” says Nesbitt. It’s not always easy making people float through space. “You can have a balloon with remote control, but not if [the character] turns around and hits his head on it.”

For tour dates and ticket information for Cirque du Soleil’s Delirium, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.