Cirque du Soleil began in Canada in 1984. The shows, which contain a mix of theater, dance, and circus skills, have been performed on every continent except Antarctica and have been seen by more than 100 million people. Although earlier shows had myths, dreams, and coexistence as their themes, recent shows have become more commercial; since 2011, Cirque du Soleil has produced two tributes to the pop star Michael Jackson.

It is hard to account for the scale of the group’s popularity, but three main reasons have been suggested: First, the stories told in the shows are universal; second, the level of acrobatic skill cannot be seen in any other troupe; and third, people want to see the legendary costumes and makeup for themselves.

The organization has always promoted multiculturalism. It currently employs 5,000 people from 50 different countries, and its longest-running show, Saltimbanco, deals with the subject of racial harmony. Cirque du Soleil is also involved with charity projects that promote physical health and support young people at risk.

來自加拿大的太陽劇團成立於1984 年。表演形式囊括戲劇、舞蹈與馬戲團雜技，除了南極洲以外，其表演足跡踏遍各大洲，觀賞人數已超過一億人。雖然早期的表演主題以神話、幻夢和文化共存現象為主，近年來的節目內容卻更加商業化， 自2011 年起，太陽劇團已二度推出向流行樂天王麥可• 傑克森致敬的表演主題。

雖然太陽劇團的受歡迎程度難以一言蔽之，但主要可歸類為三大因素：第一，節目的故事內容老少咸宜；第二，沒有任何一個劇團做得到太陽劇團所呈現的雜技動作；第三，大家都想一睹傳奇的舞台戲服與妝髮造型。

太陽劇團素來提倡多元文化。劇團的5000 名表演工作者皆來自50 個不同國家，而創團以來巡演時間最久的劇碼《藝界人生》，更探討了種族和諧的主題。太陽劇團亦參與許多推廣身體健康和支援邊緣青少年的慈善活動。