Cirque du Soleil is widely recognized as one of the most innovative and creative companies in the world today. The person who developed and managed that creative fire for much of the company's history is Lyn Heward.

As the President of Creative Content for Cirque du Soleil, Lyn Heward was responsible for managing, guiding and channeling the incredible creative force of the company's designers, performers, artisans and technicians, into a product that is both breathtakingly original as well as commercially successful. Her range of experience in this regard touches on virtually all aspects of management. In addition to the specific areas of creativity and innovation, she can speak with authority on such issues as finding and developing talent and fostering an open and dynamic corporate culture. She draws on her Cirque du Soleil experience to provide valuable ideas and lessons for virtually any audience.

Lyn has distilled her experience at the company into a wonderful new book, entitled The Spark: Igniting the Creative Fire That Lives Within Us All. The book is an inspiring tale that draws on behind-the-scenes stories from the most creative people in entertainment, and is an unparalleled guide on how to make creativity a part of everything you do. It will be published in April, 2006.

Beginning as an acrobatic scouting coordinator and creation studio director, Lyn's responsibilities evolved as the company grew in scope. In 2000 she was named President and COO of Cirque du Soleil's Creative Content Division, a position she held until 2005. In that period Varekai (2002), Zumanity (2003) and KÀ (2004) were created under her guidance. Her understanding of the demands and the multiple facets of creating a show, as well as her managerial talents, brought her to this position. She has been the guiding force behind activities related to creation, production and artistic and technical follow-up for all Cirque du Soleil shows and other creative ventures. Her command of five languages - English, French, German, Russian and Spanish -- helped her open direct lines of communication with Cirque du Soleil's artists and partners all over the world.

She is presently working as Advisor to Mr. Daniel Lamarre, President & COO of Cirque du Soleil, and as Executive Producer for special projects. In this capacity, she recently produced and directed the creation of the Opening Ceremony for the XI FINA World Championships in Montreal.
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What does Lyn talk about?
The Spark: Igniting the Creative Fire That Lives Within Us All

In this talk Lyn Heward goes behind the scenes of the world famous Cirque du Soleil to explore the nature of creativity and innovation. She provides listeners with both practical suggestions, as well as the inspiration to find and develop the creative spark that lives within us all. Making brilliant use of images and video from Cirque du Soleil's groundbreaking shows, she leads her listeners through a succession of stories, anecdotes, and examples that are both instructional and motivational. Touching on a wide range of issues relevant to every organization - from risk-taking, to leadership, teamwork, and product development - this presentation is perfect for any group that faces the competitive pressure to be more creative and innovative. Whether your audience is one already immersed in the creative world, or one that is taking its first tentative steps along that path, Lyn is an outstanding choice to help them find the creative spark and zeal for innovation that can mean the difference between success or failure in today's business world.

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