FEATURE Sports Complex Show Time: The Spectacle and Controversy of Opening Ceremonies Jim Provenzano | January 09, 2006 Matthew Cusick performs with AntiGravity at a 2004 Broadway Bares AIDS benefit in New York City – Photo by John Giddings What would a huge gathering of LGBT people be without pageantry and controversy? Every four years since 1982, the Gay Games' opening and closing ceremonies have seen a bit of both. Now Montreal's OutGames has its own controversy, by booking the performing company that fired Matthew Cusick, a gay gymnast, for being HIV-positive. In an ironic twist, Gay Games in Chicago will feature the acrobatic performing group that subsequently hired Cusick. Cirque du Soleil, internationally known for its creative trapeze shows, will headline OutGames' opening ceremonies, to be held July 29 at Montreal's Olympic arena. The New York City-based AntiGravity gymnastics and dance performance company will perform at Chicago's opening event, to be held July 15 at Wrigley Field. "We hired Matthew because he's a great athlete and a great team member," says Christopher Harrison, artistic director of AntiGravity. "I think Cirque lost by not having him on their team." In 2003, after training Cusick for eight months in Montreal, Cirque representatives denied, but then admitted, that they had fired him solely for being HIV-positive. A subsequent Equal Employment Opportunity Commission decision confirmed that Cirque had discriminated against Cusick by dismissing him. When Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund took on Cusick as a client, Cirque paid him a settlement of more than $600,000. Jean-Yves Duthel, spokesman for OutGames, bristled at questions about Cirque's inclusion at OutGames. "The U.S. government discriminates against anyone living with HIV who wishes to enter their country," Duthel says. "Numerous states are passing or have passed legislation allowing them to violate the rights of gays and lesbians. At least Cirque du Soleil recognized its mistake, compensated the injured party, and changed its policies." Hayley Gorenberg, the Lambda Legal attorney representing Cusick, says, "It's important that people understand the history of what happened. One of the things we're looking for here is progress. If Cirque is performing [at OutGames], then they're aware of that progress." Gorenberg says that Cusick's case serves "to make sure that the past doesn't repeat itself." AntiGravity's Harrison says that a gymnast's HIV status "has nothing to do with one's ability to be a great performer. I think Cirque learned a big lesson. It was a bad judgment error." Harrison added that several ensemble members from AntiGravity and Cirque have worked with both companies. AntiGravity performed at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, and tours internationally, but is smaller than Cirque, which has several companies performing around the world. Previous opening ceremonies have endured different controversies. At the first Gay Games, held in San Francisco in 1982, Tina Turner performed, but that wasn't the controversy. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the famous San Francisco group of men who wear nuns' habits, had helped raise funds for the first Games at basketball events. But when they asked to lead the parade of athletes, Games founder Dr. Tom Waddell refused, saying that he wanted the media to focus on athletes. Paul Mart, then a board member for Gay Games I, says that the Sisters insisted on marching anyway. "We had to lock some of them up in a bathroom at the stadium until after it was over," says Mart. Subsequent Games saw larger ceremonies and larger budgets. Held in New York City's Shea Stadium, the closing ceremonies of 1994's Gay Games IV included performances, speeches, and dance numbers. Cindi Lauper and Patti LaBelle sang. But the event's costs contributed to the eventual bankruptcy of the host organization. Amsterdam's Gay Games V ceremonies, held in 1998, included hundreds of stripping male dancers, The Weather Girls, and an array of performances that lasted hours. Amsterdam's Games suffered a large-scale financial crisis, only later alleviated by locally funded bailouts. Sydney's Gay Games VI opening ceremonies, held in 2002, were partially blamed for the eventual bankruptcy of the Australian organization that produced the Games. Part of the 2002 contract rift between the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) and Montreal organizers of what became OutGames was the issue of financial accountability. FGG board members didn't want previous budget problems to occur again, but Montreal representatives refused to permit any supervision from FGG. For both the opening and closing ceremonies in Chicago next summer, Kile Ozier, who produced Gay Games IV's ceremonies, will bring together performing artists to participate in a spectacle aimed at coming in under budget. Chicago Games Inc. (CGI) is also in negotiations to sign a few well-known singers to the event. Sir Elton John has been named as an ambassador for the Games, but not as a performer. Q Television will broadcast daily coverage of the Chicago Games and ceremonies, and Radio-Canada will do the same for the OutGames. Somewhere in the midst of the spectacle, AntiGravity's Cusick will be tumbling and dancing for Chicago audiences. When not performing, Cusick appears at speaking engagements and benefits to raise awareness for HIV discrimination. If Cirque du Soleil had not had to undergo what its representatives called a "learning process," Cusick may well have been performing in Montreal instead. Cirque's loss is Chicago's gain. Jim Provenzano is the author of the novels PINS and Monkey Suits. Read more sports articles at www.sportscomplex.org Related stories Diving Out: Scuba Groups Go Deep [19/12/2005] For more info on Gay Sport in South Africa contact Gay Sport SA