The great 18th-century French writer and philosopher Voltaire famously said, "Illusion is the first of all pleasures." His 55-year-old compatriot Philippe Decoufle would probably agree.
The celebrated dancer, choreographer, mime artist and theater director burst onto the international stage with his daringly surreal, circus-inspired choreography for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1992 Winter Olympics in the French town of Albertville.
Since then Decoufle has gone on to write and direct with Cirque du Soleil, while DCA — the company he founded in 1983 — is renowned for edgy, hybrid productions featuring acrobatic feats, multi-media, dance and, of course, illusion.