Cirque Du Soleil Performer Sarah Guyard-Guillot Dies After Fall During Show In Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS -- A Paris-born performer in Cirque du Soleil's "Ka" died after a fall during a show in Las Vegas.

Sarah Guyard-Guillot was pronounced dead late Saturday night at a hospital after falling about 50 feet from the show's stage.

Witnesses told the Las Vegas Sun (http://bit.ly/14H3Te0) that the accident occurred near the end of the production Saturday night at the MGM Grand.

Visitor Dan Mosqueda of Colorado Springs, Colo., says the 31-year-old acrobatic performer was being hoisted up the side of the stage when she slipped free of her safety wire and plummeted to an open pit below the performers.

He says the audience initially thought it was part of the show, but realized it was an accident when they heard the artist cry from the stage.

Cirque officials issued a statement saying they were "deeply saddened" by the death and that performances of "Ka" have been canceled until further notice.
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Information from: Las Vegas Sun, http://www.lasvegassun.com

That must have been so frightening. What a terrible way to die.

That is awful! Those performers are so talented and things like this are sadly inevitable. Very dangerous job they have and they make it look so easy. My condolences.

Cirque du Soleil Performer's Death Ruled Accidental
7/3/2013
by Kimberly Nordyke


The death of a Cirque du Soleil performer in Las Vegas over the weekend has been ruled accidental by the Clark County Coroner's Office.

Sarah Guillot-Guyard, 31, died "from multiple blunt force trauma suffered when she fell approximately 90 feet" during a performance of Ka at the MGM Grand, authorities said Wednesday in a statement.



Officials added that the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident, and that could take up to six months to complete. Ka performances have been canceled until further notice.

After her fall, which eyewitnesses initially had estimated to be about 50 feet, Guillot-Guyard was pronounced dead at 11:43 p.m. Saturday at University Medical Center.







The Las Vegan Sun reported Sunday that the incident -- which marks the first reported onstage death in the 30-year history of Cirque Du Soleil -- occurred during Ka's closing "Final Battle" scene. Guillot-Guyard reportedly slipped out of her safety wire and fell into an open pit, out of the audience's line of sight and below the performers.

A Cirque do Soleil spokesman told THR on Tuesday that the company is continuing to offer support to Guillot-Guyard’s family as well as to its employees.



Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte told the Sun over the weekend that he was "heartbroken" over her death.

"We are all completely devastated with this news," he said. "Sassoon was an artist with the original cast of Ka since 2006 and has been an integral part of our Cirque du Soleil tight family. We are reminded, with great humility and respect, how extraordinary our artists are each and every night. Our focus now is to support each other as a family."







Guillot-Guyard was a citizen of France and resident of Las Vegas. (Previous reports had identified her as Sarah "Sassoon" Guyard-Guillot.)

According to the Las Vegas Sun, she spent 22 years as an acrobatic performer and was the mother of two young children.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cirque-du-soleil-performers-death-579930