A Cirque du Soleil performer was killed in a weekend stage fall while performing at a Las Vegas casino. Authorities announced the death in a statement on Sunday.
The performer was 31-year-old Sarah Guyard . She was pronounced dead shortly after she fell 50 feet during a performance at MGM Grand’s show Ka .
A spokesperson for the performance organization released a statement about Guyard’s death , saying:
“The entire Cirque du Soleil family is deeply saddened by the accidental death. The artist’s immediate family has been informed of the accident. Our thoughts are with her family and the entire Cirque do Soleil family.”
Along with the organization’s statement about their performer’s death, Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte added, “I am heartbroken. I wish to extend my sincerest sympathies to the family. We are all completely devastated with this news.”
The organization is working with authorities to discover what happened to the performer. Meanwhile, all performances of Ka have been canceled. Saturday’s is the first death of a Cirque du Soleil performer in the acrobatic company’s 3-year history.
Audience member recalled the accident, saying that the performer, Sarah Guyard, was suspended by a wire toward the last half of the show. But she fell. One audience member wrote that the “wire snapped,” causing her to fall “fast & awkwardly at least 50 feet.”
Guyard performed with Cirque du Soleil under the stage name “Sassoon.” She was part of Ka’s original cast, according to Laliberte, who added, “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.”
The Clark County, Nevada medical examiner’s office identified the Cirque du Soleil performer killed as Sarah Guyard. The office added that her cause of death has not been determined. Laliberte added that the company is “working with the appropriate authorities and have offered our full cooperation.”
[Image via Mikano ]