Ginger Ana Griep-Ruiz of Cirque du Soleils ZED performs live at TEDxTokyo. A zany kingdom inhabited by lithe denizens in lush, unearthly plumage. A troupe of master acrobats, mimes, comics and storytellers offering vignettes full of grace, slapstick, pathos and danger in equal measures. Cirque du Soleil draws you in, and makes you forget any other realm exists. Formed in 1984 by twenty street performers, Cirque du Soleils mission is to invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions. Based in Quebec, the group now has over four thousand employees from over forty countries, including a thousand artists. Their shows have brought wonder and delight to almost a hundred million spectators in over two hundred cities on five continents. The company has garnered such prestigious awards as the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE, Gémeaux, Félix, and Rose dOr de Montreux. www.zed.co.jp About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)