I went into a show that physically maimed me': Australian acrobat prepares to sue Cirque du Soleil

Tallulah, yes! Look at that point! One, up. Yes, Leelai! Fingers up, fingers up. Control the fall. Control it to the core. Ah, Crispy is amazing. And he pushes you to your absolute limit and he can tell you where your limit is. Crispy is... very good. Daniel Crispin is not your typical suburban circus teacher. The twice-nominated Australian of the Year used to tour with the most famous company in the world. I saw Cirque du Soleil's 'O'

show

and it was all the money I had to see it, and that was it. That was the moment I said, this is what I'm going to do.

My name is Daniel Crispin, or Crispy, and I guess I'm a circus

acrobat

. What did your parents want you to do? Being a plumber, as if it were simple. That way I would quit school and become a plumber. But that wasn't going to be enough. I think it's meant to be on stage. It's its natural state! He's amazing at that. He has a magnetism around him. It's almost like a metadata moment where it doesn't matter what else is going on. When you're really in that state of flow with whatever is happening, everything else fades away and it's an incredible moment and it's impossible to describe.

After more than a decade of training and performing, Daniel finally received the call to join Cirque du Soleil as a leading man. I stood there and had that look, like I was saying, are you kidding me? What does this mean? Like because it was still like a moment where there was going to be a mistake. There has to be a mistake. He was the poster boy for Toruk: The First Flight. That's you! Yes. Wow. The production inspired by James Cameron's 'Avatar'. He even worked with Hollywood director. I can't think of a movie that's bigger than this.

So when you represent something like that, you want to make sure you do it to the best of your ability. Daniel performed in front of record-breaking crowds in stadiums around the world. His life as a professional

acrobat

was wild. About two weeks later they asked me to go perform at Madonna's house and the Cirque let me go and have her birthday party, I came back and I was at rehearsals the next morning. He gave me the opportunity to have the most incredible life that most people would never dream of. Look to you. How beautiful! I mean, even when I talk about it, it seems stranger than fiction.

But Daniel says that behind the scenes, Cirque du Soleil was a disaster. He battled one injury after another. It all started with sprains and broken ankles due to what were supposedly faulty props and sets. And later, a traumatic brain injury from concussions accumulated on and off stage. Three concussions in two weeks. And you continued acting. Yeah. Like I

went

on stage and I just didn't know which direction I was facing. Daniel says Cirque du Soleil did not scan his head or neck, and claims the company then ordered him to delete any video he had of the beatings.

But they told him to take some time off to get better. By the end of the race, I felt like I was in The Hunger Games. Even after recovering and returning to the program months later, new problems began to plague him. His biceps and hip were in chronic pain. He couldn't feel his fingers, his leg gave out randomly, causing him to fall. He was taking painkillers after every

show

. He just felt like a melting pot of pain. And he had been recording all of this at work and they kept saying it's just neural tension, it's tension in the neck, it's tension here, that's why he's going numb.

And um... they told me it won't make things worse if I keep going. Did Cirque du Soleil tell you that? Yes. Why did you keep acting and trying hard? There are a few reasons. I really wanted to be able to return to Australia. At least until Brisbane. You know, my father was hearing impaired, like profoundly deaf, his whole life, so to be able to see me perform for the first time, as a main character, in such a visually appealing show, he wasn't going to do it. I had that opportunity again because his cancer was quite serious and although he defied the doctors for ten years, time was running out.

His father died months after watching Toruk in 2017. And that show was Daniel's last. That actually feels a lot better, to be honest. Daniel's personal physiotherapist in Australia spent years helping him get to the top. And it was she who demanded that he stop. I think most people who have those types of injuries probably wouldn't return to the level of sport they had. That's much more flexible. Dorothy Hawkins has worked with Olympic teams and says Daniel's injuries were some of the worst she has seen. It's a little gloomy. Yes, we have been through dark times. And there have been times where he just felt like I can't do this.

This was on the table before they did the operation. Scans reveal Daniel had seven injured spinal discs, as well as nerve damage, a torn biceps and osteoarthritis. One of the worst things as an acrobat you can imagine. It was really shocking, not even being able to respond to someone calling him without hesitation or walking without pain was quite disturbing. Old people always say, 'Oh, you better be careful, you'll end up in a wheelchair!' As if that kind of frivolous comment was very close to reality. Daniel is now preparing to sue Cirque du Soleil, alleging that the company was negligent in failing to provide a safe workplace.

Cirque du Soleil requires a lot of perfection. Perfectionism is probably part of what they do. Attorney James Chrara alleges the company failed to adequately monitor and document Daniel's condition. When you're at that level, it's all about pushing yourself and pushing your limits, and sometimes you need to temper that. And that is where the responsibility of companies like Cirque du Soleil lies? Absolutely, I think so. Cirque du Soleil paid for Daniel's first lumbar spine surgery and some of the associated rehabilitation. But that was all. It was almost like the carnival business model where they would uproot stumps and just disappear.

Since then he has had at least seven operations and procedures, most of which he paid for himself. Well, I woke up and I could feel my legs. For the first time in two years I could feel my legs. Despite Daniel's repeated pleas, Cirque du Soleil has refused to acknowledge that his spinal injuries were due to his time with the company, making it difficult, and sometimes impossible, for him to claim insurance or obtain a compensation. And for years he has felt pressured to remain silent. All information, artistic, creative and technical, without limitation, will not be disclosed in any way.

Basically it's saying, don't talk about anything. After more than two and a half years, Daniel has been in rehab longer than he performed with Cirque du Soleil. He says he has lost up to $100,000 in medical expenses, home modifications and lost wages. I don't want anything more than what was agreed and I don't think it's too much to ask. I walked into a show that

physically

mutilated me. Cirque du Soleil has declined to comment for legal reasons. But in a general statement, he told The Feed that he provides the highest level of medical care and support to his artists.

He said if performers need medical support at the end of the contract, third-party insurers make decisions about care, which are outside of Cirque du Soleil's influence. It has been, without a doubt, the most challenging rehabilitation process we have ever faced as a company. That's exactly what we're looking for, friend. Exactly that! When you realized the extent of his injuries, did you think he would perform again? For a normal person, I would say no. But for him I thought so. Because he's just not a person who lies around and lies. He has so much strength of character and mental toughness that I thought, no matter what, he's going to try to come back.

But it's been four months since I met Daniel, he now uses a cane and has been hit hard. Doctors have told him that he needs to have his spine fused, which could mean he will never go on stage again. I got off the physio table and just said, it wasn't worth it. And Dorothy said what do you mean? And I said, that lifestyle, that whole career wasn't worth it because this is just hell. How would you describe your situation right now? I'm falling apart and it's like drowning in a pool and everyone's standing around holding on like a life raft, and I'm like, 'Hey, can I have one of those?' and they say, "we just need to have a meeting." Will you perform again after this surgery?

You have to have hope. But not me. I don't see it as a possibility. I want but um... Sometimes wanting is not enough. Does your case have the potential to set a precedent for companies like Cirque du Soleil? I think I should. Fundamentally, what we want to do is ensure the safety of all artists, regardless of the jurisdiction they are in, to prevent this from happening to the next person. I think my dream for the circus is to tour with Cirque du Soleil and tour the world. Make it big. What have you learned from Crispy? Never give up.

Yes, that's what I learned the most from Crispy: never give up and keep trying.