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'TOTEM' Performers Reveal Life Behind-The-Scenes

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Many of the performers in Cirque du Soleil's "TOTEM" bring their families with them on tour. Some of their children perform on stage with them.

Jessica Kartalija takes us behind-the-scenes of "Cirque City."

Before taking the stage in Cirque du Soleil's "TOTEM," 10th-grader Nikita Moiseev attends Cirque School.

"I have a Grade 1 and 2 student working on math, Grade 3 student doing social studies and a Grade 10 student doing science," said Patricia Elliott, Cirque School teacher.

Based out of Quebec, Cirque School follows Quebec's curriculum.

"We receive the government exams, they FedEx them to us on tour, we administer the tests then send them back," said Elliott.

Performers don't live in Cirque City, but they eat together and train on location.

At just 22, some of the acrobats are on their first tour with Cirque.

"They have a lot of experience. We are fresh, we just started in that world," said Louis-David Simoneau, Trapeze Duo.

They're getting a world-class education.

At 15, Moiseev's been to a dozen different countries, but she has never attended a high school.

"Of course I wonder what high school would be like. I would like to have many other kids there my age. I'm sure there's good and bad things about both," said Moiseev.

Students will earn a high school diploma through the government in Quebec.

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