Cirque du Soleil performer Adrienn Banhegyi dishes on her career as a jump roper, her fitness obsession and maintaining her diet while traveling
Written by Chris Jones
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“I started jumping rope about 20 years ago. My dad saw a movie with girls doing double-dutch and he thought it would be a great sport to bring to the school he was teaching at during that time,” says Banhegyi.
She decided to leave competitions behind to focus on performance. Banhegyi auditioned for Cirque du Soleil in 2006, but didn’t hear back from the company until 2010 when they contacted her to find out if she was still skipping rope and if she was still in good shape.
“I was very surprised that they called me back because it was such a long time, but it was a nice surprise and out of the blue. It’s an experience that I wanted to have and Cirque du Soleil is the best company to work for if you’re an artist,” she says.
The self-proclaimed fitness addict has meals catered via food service and works out two hours daily in order to maintain optimal conditioning to perform. Quidam—a two-hour show—features a seven-minute rope skipping solo performed by Banhegyi.
“I like to work out every day and we have backstage fitness equipment that we take wherever we go. You have to have a lot of discipline because you travel a lot and can taste a lot of delicious food everywhere,” she discloses. “I’m a Mediterranean type of person, I like the Greek style of food: salads, lean meats, but from time-to-time I like to let it loose.”
She expresses that the cardiovascular benefits of rope skipping also keep her in tip-top shape.
“If it’s done with the same intensity as running, it burns three times as many calories. One hour of rope skipping burns 1,000 to 1,200 calories,” Banhegyi estimates.
The Health Journal had the opportunity to speak with Banhegyi in March during a promotional event held at the Ted Constant.
In the main hall, 29 members of Jazzercise classes from Norfolk to Chesapeake have all come to greet and exercise with Banhegyi. She lines them up in pairs of two. Then she yells, “hop” and as the pairs attempt to synchronize their jumps, Banhegyi twirls her rope around the three of them moving between pairs.
Norfolk Jazzercisers Alison Schoew, Peggy Troyer and their instructor Elvia Reza are among those excited to meet and work out with Banhegyi. They all have found what they needed in the dance-based fitness program.
“When you get older, if toy don’t move it, you lose it,” chuckles Schoew, stealing a glance at Troyer who laughs.
“ It makes me more energetic,” adds Troyer.
“And the music is great, especially since no one expects this old white lady to know rap songs,” says Schoew to the amusement of the other women.
Reza has the class moving at full speed, directing her commands through a headset while thrusting and moving about the stage.
The fitness addict—in full costume and face paint—drops her rope and jumps right in. It’s what the addicted do.
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