"Death-defying," which usually describes any Cirque du Soleil performance, took on a sad, ironic meaning last Saturday as one of its performers fell off while doing an aerial acrobatics scene at the MGM Grand performance of "Ka," the LA Times reported.
31-year-old Sarah Guillot-Guyard, who has performed with the world-famous Canadian group for over seven years as performer "Sassoon," fell from a catwalk during a climactic battle scene, with audiences reportedly having seen the freefall and ultimate drop.
Guillot-Guyard was pronounced dead within an hour of the accident. Her death was reportely a first in the troupe's 29 years of touring around the world.
The LA Times quoted 27-year-old Bryce Johnson, who witnessed the accident, "It didn't look like she was trying to grab on the wall or anybody else as she fell."
The audience looked helplessly as the music went on and then later silenced. Performers halted their routines and dangled from ceilings. Cries could be heard from the pit, while ushers immediately blocked the pit from audiences to prevent them from seeing what was happening on that sad part of the stage.
The performers could all be seen simultaneously listening to a message via their earpieces, while someone was heard to be calling for a gurney.
Some 10 minutes after the accident, the audience was led out of the theater and promised to be refunded.
"Guillot-Guyard was taken to University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead shortly before midnight," the LA Times wrote.
Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte called the event an accident in a statement released to the media.
"I am heartbroken," the LA Times quoted Laliberte. "I wish to extend my sincerest sympathies to the family. We are all completely devastated with this news.... We are reminded, with great humility and respect, how extraordinary our artists are each and every night."
Cirque du Soleil was founded in Montreal in 1984 and employs around 5,000 people in shows all over the world.
"Ka" has since been canceled until further notice, the LA Times noted.