COFFEE WITH GOLDSTAR to Feature Cirque du Soleil's KURIOS

Curious to learn just how the stars of Cirque du Soleil pull off those amazing physical feats on stage? This Thursday, May 5th, audiences can log on to YouTube and ask the performers questions in real time when Coffee With Goldstar returns with two stars from the popular Cirque show, KURIOS: Cabinet of Kuriosites.

Broadcasting live from under the Big Top Tent in Atlanta where the show is currently performing, this episode of Coffee With Goldstar welcomes hand balancer Andrii Bondarenko and singer Eirini Tornesaki.

Ukrainian born, Andrii Bondarenko, started his career in acrobatics at what other performers consider a late age - 10. In 2002, he won his first world Acrosports competition at the European Championships in Belgium. For the next three years he competed around the globe taking home first and second place prizes at every turn. After winning the prestigious World Games in Duisburg, Germany in 2005, he looked for other opportunities outside the Acrosports community.

It was in 2006 that Cirque du Soleil came calling. Andrii got his start with the organization as the flyer in a four-man general formation team doing special events such as Mercedes Benz McLaren in Spain and Fiat Bravo in 2007, where he met director Michel Laprise. In 2010, Andrii's dream of joining his favorite show, Quidam, was realized. For four years he toured the world with the show as part of the Banquine group. It was on this show that Andrii learned hand balancing on a platform and served as back up for Rola Bola.

In 2014, Andrii was invited to be part of a brand new show created by Michel Lepris, KURIOS: Cabinet of Kuriosites.

Eirini Tornesaki grew up in Heraklion, on Crete, Greece. She started classical piano lessons at the age of six with Alena Rendzejova, while also studying music theory at AR Music Conservatory. Later, she studied cello with Soren Lyng Hansen.

After finishing high school, Eirini moved to the UK to study modern vocals at Brighton Institute of Modern Music, graduating in 2012 with honors. While in the UK, she worked as a singer - she collaborated with various artists of the British, Greek and international music scene, including Jona Lewie, Saw Doctors, Barry Manilow, Amy Winehouse's backing band, Yannis Economides, Dimitri Vassilakis and more.

Eirini appeared on Classico Latino's album, 'A Journey through Latin America,' recorded in Abbey Road Studios and toured with the group in South America. Since January 2014, Eirini has been working with Cirque Du Soleil in the show KURIOS: Cabinet of Kuriosites, touring Canada and the USA. Eirini is the original singer of KURIOS and performed the vocals on the soundtrack album of the show, recorded in Montreal and released in November 2014.

Tickets for this KURIOS are available on Goldstar: www.goldstar.com/events/tysons-va/kurios-by-cirque-du-soleil-tickets.

Coffee With Goldstar is a live interactive video chat series designed to get the audience engaged with a wide-array of talent seen on stages across the country. Previous guests include: Star Trek's George Takei (star of Broadway's Allegiance), actor-pianist-playwright Hershey Felder, operatic pop quartet Il Divo, Scandal's 'First Lady' Bellamy Young, comedic magician Jeff Hobson and everyone's favorite Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter.

Coffee With Goldstar chats last 30 minutes. To join, go to Coffee With Goldstar on YouTube.

Goldstar makes live entertainment a part of everyday life for more than six million people nationwide. Whether on the site or in the app, it's fast and easy to discover local live events - from theater and sports to concerts, comedy and more - with tickets typically at half price or better.

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