Club Med has partnered with Cirque du Soleil to introduce a new concept in experiential travel to its all-inclusive Club Med Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic. Club Med CREACTIVE by Cirque du Soleil, which launched June 15, draws on the expertise of the groundbreaking Quebec-based circus arts company to create a fully immersive environment that has been custom designed to encourage guests to learn new skills and discover unexpected abilities. Up to 30 acrobatic and artistic activities are available, which will vary according to the season. Options include high bungee, flying trapeze, aerial silk, tightrope, trampoline, juggling, percussion and dance.
Corporate groups will be able to take advantage of a flexible team building program, available this September. Participating groups can select from one of three themes, depending on their objectives: nurturing creativity, taking risks and exceeding limits. The sessions will last three hours and consist of introductions, a warm-up activity, two circus activities – one artistic and one acrobatic, a final group performance and a debrief. A maximum of 40 people can participate in a session, but larger groups can be spread over different sessions. Custom-created workshops are also available.
“Club Med CREACTIVE by Cirque du Soleil is an opportunity for corporate groups to team build,” says Camille Olivere, senior VP of sales for Club Med US. “These activities encourage and explore team member bonding, risk taking and trust. They are exciting and fun, and there are appropriate elements in the CREACTIVE playscape for all ages, sizes and skill levels attending the event. Participants will leave the event with a new sense of accomplishment while having improved their understanding of each other and perhaps learned some new interesting skills to show off!”
Club Med has offered circus activities at its resorts since 1983, and more than 50 percent of its all-inclusive sun resorts feature a circus school. An estimated 240,000 guests try the flying trapeze every year, with help from 115 expert instructors worldwide. The new CREACTIVE playscape takes this feature to the next level by offering a unique Cirque du Soleil training experience in a dedicated 37,500 sf arena.
There are five core areas in the CREACTIVE playscape, including the 108 ft Grand Trapeze and a dedicated body-sized German wheel called La Piste where spins, flips and stilt walking can be practiced. The Big Top houses mini trampolines and its instructors teach balancing acts, diablo throws, devil sticks, juggling and tight wire walking. L’Atelier emphasizes creativity with lessons in dance, physical theater, percussion and face painting, while the Acroplex offers multi-disciplinary acrobatic training such as the Spanish Web, bungee and contemporary arial dance.
Daniel Lamarre, Cirque du Soleil President and CEO, says: “This partnership is a natural progression, stemming from the success and uniqueness of Club Med having provided circus instruction for over 25 years, and now with Cirque du Soleil’s 30 years of experience and know-how, this activity will have a new color.”
