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When Daniel Aguilar was born, his mother already imagined him playing soccer, like the rest of his family. However, young Aguilar wasn’t very interested in soccer.
In fact, he wasn’t interested in it at all.
When he was on the soccer field, he never managed to focus on the game or on following the ball.
“I spent my time doing turns and acrobatics, I spent my time doing that in games,” Aguilar said in an interview with Deportes Nation.
It was there on the field where it all began for Aguilar. One of his mother’s friends saw his little interest in soccer and his natural talent for gymnastics. That friend unwittingly encouraged Aguilar’s career that today sees him form part of the cast for Cirque du Soleil ECHO.
“When I was nine years old, I started trampoline and gymnastics classes at a gym that was close to my house. The coach was an acrobat from the Cuban circus, that’s where my curiosity began,” Aguilar explained.
From there, Aguilar’s growth was unstoppable. He came to represent his home state of Yucatan and his country Mexico in competitions. He became a national champion in trampoline gymnastics. Success came to the young athlete who sometimes did not believe it himself but was always clear about the responsibility of wearing the colors of his nation.
“I am very proud to be from Mexico. I am very proud to be from Yucatan
And I am very proud to be Latino,” said Aguilar, who says that his favorite dish is from Yucatan, beans with pork made by his mother and grandfather.
Although the trampoline gave him so much happiness, discipline, and teachings, he reached a point where he no longer wanted to compete, he had lost his love for it.
However, the love for sport was still very much alive within Aguilar and he had the opportunity to participate in a circus show and it was there that he fell completely in love with the stage. Once again, life brought him closer to the circus.
“I was 21 years old when I first discovered love, the applause and support at that moment made me know that I wanted to dedicate myself to this until I can’t anymore,” said Aguilar with a smile on his face.
Chasing Cirque du Soleil
Being in the circus Aguilar remembered the first time when he was a child that he heard about Cirque du Soleil. It was on television where he saw different themes of the Canadian circus and at that moment at that young age he felt a connection to the show, especially with one.
“La Nouba was one of the first shows that used a trampoline and at that time me being a trampoline acrobat saw that as an opportunity, but being in Yucatan, being in Mexico I didn’t see it as an entrance to Cirque de Soleil,” Aguilar said.
The few times that Cirque came to Mexico for auditions were in larger cities like Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterey and at that time he could not afford to travel to these places, once again everything remained as just a dream.
However, his thirst to follow his art took him to Ritmos de la Noche, a well-known show in Mexico. A show that is a combination of artists, singers, and acrobats.
This is how destiny brought him closer to his dream of being part of Cirque. He met many people who were involved with Cirque who helped him with information and the tools to be able to approach one of his greatest challenges.
They gave him the idea of doing the casting virtually by making a profile to demonstrate his talents, since he had not been able to go to a face-to-face casting.
It was not an easy feat. For four years he had several approaches to Cirque, but none resulted in him being part of the prestigious circus. It was a whole process where he perfected his art and improved in everything he could.
He never gave up. It was the fifth time they invited him to train with them.
“They invited me to do a training program. A training doesn’t guarantee you a part in the show, but I was determined that if I’m going to train, I’m going to stay in the show,” Aguilar said laughing.
And so, after so much dreaming it became a reality, now officially bearing the name of Cirque de Soleil, he has been living his vision for two years. Aguilar is part of the cast of Echo, just as he promised himself to never give up.
Support needed
After achieving his most cherished dream, what now?
“A soccer coach once told me that the important thing is not to get there, the important thing is to stay there, under that thought it has served me in everything,” responded Aguilar who dedicates efforts to encouraging more Latinos to come to Cirque.
There are many talented athletes with big dreams in Mexico and Latin America, but as Aguilar mentioned, there is little support and athletes do not have the necessary tools to reach their full potential.
“I have had to support my gymnastics team now because they have not had enough support for equipment such as mats for throwing, tights,” Aguilar explained.
Being able to be part of the most recognized circus in the world is something unique for Aguilar who one day thought that perhaps he would not be able to reach the goal.
He wants the same result for more Mexicans, Latinos who may be in a similar situation to the one he was in. He wants to see more Latinos in Cirque du Soleil.
“There are more gymnasts from the US and Canada in Cirque than from other Latin American countries because they have the support, and you can see the difference. There may be more like me,” he said.
The young artist not only wants support so that athletes can reach their highest level, but he also wants the support of Latino spectators who go, and support shows like Cirque Du Soleil. Currently, the show that Aguilar is in, Echo, is in the city of Houston for most of the month of March. It is the perfect time to enjoy a show like no other full of art, visual magic, and athleticism in the same place.
