A shocking accident left attendees of Cirque du Soleil’s ‘KOOZA’ show at the Portland Expo Center reeling Saturday night.
According to the criteria of
Russian acrobat Mariia Konfektova, known for her aerial hoop skills, suffered a dramatic fall from a height of approximately 4.5 metres during the first act of the show. The moment was captured on video and quickly went viral, leaving the audience in shock.
The fall in the middle of the show
Jason Pehling, one of the attendees, described what happened: “We saw the artist flying through the hoop, she seemed controlled, but suddenly she lost control, fell and hit the ground. Her head bounced hard, and she didn’t move at first.
There was a big thunk when her head hit the floor, and after that, the audience was silent.” Pehling, who is a specialist in oral and facial pain, believes Konfektova may have suffered jaw injuries or lost some teeth.
Last Saturday night, during a performance of Cirque du Soleil’s “Kooza” show at the Expo Center in Portland, Oregon, Russian aerial artist Mariia Konfektova suffered a nasty fall from a suspended hoop.
The incident left the… pic.twitter.com/fB8LbBK0ws
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At that point, the performance was temporarily halted while paramedics rushed onto the stage to assist the acrobat. Spectators were evacuated for about 15 minutes before the performance resumed.However, according to Pehling, tensions in the audience were palpable throughout the rest of the show as they feared for the safety of the other performers.
Official statements from Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil released an official statement confirming the accident: “On August 24, during a KOOZA performance in Portland, a performer was injured during the 7:00 p.m. performance. Following our emergency procedures, the show was briefly halted, and the performer was immediately assisted by the tour’s emergency response team. She was then transported to the hospital for a medical evaluation. The health and safety of our employees is always our top priority, and the performer will continue to be monitored by our medical team to determine when she will be able to return to the show.”
On Sunday, the company provided an update on Konfektova’s condition, saying she was “conscious, stable and being treated by medical specialists.” They also expressed their gratitude to the public for the support and concern shown following the incident.
Message from Mariia Konfektova and her world record
Through her social networks, Konfektova herself reassured her followers saying: “I’m fine” after the fall. It should be noted that the artist She holds a Guinness Record for the greatest number of rotations in an aerial hoop in 30 seconds.
The accident left a lasting impression on those in attendance. Benjamin Goldstein, a 10-year-old who was at the show with his family, described the emotional impact of the event. “At first, I thought it was part of the show, but when people started acting strangely, I realized something was wrong.”
Despite the accident, Cirque du Soleil will continue with KOOZA performances in Portland, which are scheduled to run through October 6.
This incident adds to other accidents documented at Cirque du Soleil shows. In April, a performer on the “O” show in Las Vegas suffered a spinal injury after a miscalculated jump.These events have certainly raised concerns about the safety of these impressive performances.
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*This content was rewritten with the assistance of artificial intelligence based on information from La Nación (GDA) and international agencies and was reviewed by a journalist and an editor.
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