Cirque du Soleil Acrobat Lawsuit, Aerial Hoop Performer Sues Over 15-Foot Fall That Broke 11 Bones — Konfektova v. Cirque du Soleil, No. 26CV44244
An aerial hoop performer is suing Cirque du Soleil for $16.75 million after a 15-foot fall during a live show left her with 11 broken bones. Mariia Konfektova filed the lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court on August 20, 2026, claiming the company put her on stage without a safety net, mat, or harness — and knew about a long history of similar falls. Here’s what the case actually says.
Konfektova v. Cirque du Soleil — Key Facts
| Lawsuit Filed | August 20, 2026 |
| Plaintiff | Mariia Konfektova, aerial hoop performer |
| Defendants | Cirque du Soleil Canada Inc., CDS Canadian Holdings Inc., Spectacle BidCo Holdings Inc., Cirque du Soleil Inc., Cirque du Soleil Nevada Newco Inc. |
| Alleged Harm | Fell 15 feet from an aerial hoop with no fall protection, fracturing her skull, jaw, wrist, back, and face |
| Law Alleged | Negligence, Oregon Employers’ Liability Law (ORS 654.305–654.336), negligence per se under the Oregon Safe Employment Act |
| Court & Case Number | Multnomah County Circuit Court, Oregon — No. 26CV44244 |
| Amount Sought | $16,750,000 |
| Current Stage | Complaint filed; not yet answered by Cirque du Soleil |
| Settlement Status | No settlement. This is not a class action — there is no claim form and nothing for other readers to file |
| Last Updated | August 25, 2026 |
Who Is Cirque du Soleil and Why Is a Performer Suing the Company?
Cirque du Soleil is a Montreal-based live entertainment company that runs touring and resident circus-style shows worldwide, with roughly 3,300 employees. Konfektova was hired in March 2024 to perform an aerial hoop act in “KOOZA,” one of Cirque’s touring productions, and was working at the Portland Expo Center when she fell. Because she was performing as an employee under an artist agreement, her legal options run through Oregon employment and negligence law — not a personal-injury claims fund or class settlement.
What Happened During the August 2024 Portland Show?
According to the complaint, Konfektova was 15 feet above the stage on August 24, 2024, transitioning between hoop movements when her right foot slipped. She had one foot wrapped around the rope above the hoop and her hands touching — not gripping — the apparatus for stability. There was no net, mat, or personal fall-arrest system beneath her. She fell face-first onto the stage and was hospitalized for surgery on multiple facial and wrist fractures.
The lawsuit says Cirque told Oregon OSHA that its internal policy only required fall protection above 20 feet — five feet higher than where Konfektova was performing. It also claims the company’s own June 2024 risk-management checklist had flagged “Implementation of safety system to attenuate force of landing” for her act, then marked the item “not possible/relevant for show/act design.”
That’s the detail that separates this from an ordinary workplace-accident story: the complaint alleges Cirque considered adding fall protection for this exact act and decided against it months before Konfektova fell.
Cirque’s Own Safety Record, According to the Complaint
The lawsuit lists 15 separate fall incidents involving Cirque du Soleil performers dating back to 2006, including three fatalities — a 2009 Russian Swing training death in Montreal, a 2013 trapeze fatality in Las Vegas when a supporting wire was cut, and a 2018 fatality in Tampa after a performer slipped from aerial straps. It also cites an April 2022 OSHA letter that had already urged Cirque to add fall-protection measures like mats around performance areas.
The complaint also notes Cirque used nets or mats for other elevated KOOZA acts — including the High Wire and Wheel of Death routines — while leaving the Aerial Hoop act without equivalent protection.
If a company knows about a pattern like that and still skips protection for one specific act, a jury gets to decide whether that crossed the line from an accident into negligence.
What Is Konfektova Asking the Court to Award?
The complaint breaks her $16.75 million demand into three pieces: up to $15,000,000 in noneconomic damages for pain and permanent injury, roughly $350,000 in past and future medical costs, and about $1,400,000 in lost wages and diminished earning capacity. She’s also seeking 9% annual interest on her economic losses and a jury trial.
There’s no fund, no claims administrator, and no payout for anyone else. This number is what one plaintiff’s attorneys calculated for one plaintiff’s injuries and lost career — it isn’t a template other readers can plug their own numbers into.
What Happened After the Fall
The complaint also describes what happened during Konfektova’s recovery: she says rope-quality problems continued to cause her neck pain after she returned to performing, and that Cirque raised concerns about her mental health and required medical clearance before letting her resume aerial work. She was terminated in January 2026, which the company attributed to unmet “reintegration objectives” and an unrelated redesign of the show. The complaint alleges the aerialist position continued afterward, filled by the performer Konfektova had originally replaced.
What Should Other Performers or Circus Workers Do If They’ve Been Hurt on the Job?
This case doesn’t create rights for anyone besides Konfektova, but the pattern it documents is relevant if you’ve been injured performing, rigging, or working technical roles for a touring production.
- Report the injury and get medical treatment on the record immediately — Konfektova’s medical documentation is central to her case.
- Save every safety-related communication — emails, texts, or messages where you raised a concern before an injury occurred.
- Request your employer’s risk-assessment or safety-checklist documents for your specific act or role, if any exist.
- Know that OSHA correspondence is public record — a prior citation or warning letter to an employer can matter later.
- Talk to an employment or personal injury attorney before signing anything from the company, especially around medical clearance or return-to-work terms.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Cirque du Soleil Acrobat Lawsuit
Is this a class action lawsuit against Cirque du Soleil?
No. This is an individual lawsuit filed by one performer, Mariia Konfektova, in Multnomah County Circuit Court. There’s no class, no claim form, and no group of plaintiffs to join.
Can other injured Cirque du Soleil performers get money from this case?
No. Any recovery in this lawsuit belongs only to Konfektova. A performer with their own injury would need to file a separate claim.
What is Cirque du Soleil accused of doing wrong?
The complaint alleges the company failed to provide fall protection — nets, mats, or a harness — for a performer working 15 feet above the stage, despite a documented history of similar falls and an OSHA letter urging added safety measures.
Has Cirque du Soleil responded to the lawsuit?
As of this writing, Cirque du Soleil had not filed a public response to the complaint.
Was Cirque du Soleil cited by OSHA over this specific fall?
Yes. Oregon OSHA fined Cirque du Soleil $8,070 after investigating the incident, for lacking adequate safety systems, according to reporting on the case.
What laws is Konfektova relying on in her lawsuit?
The complaint brings claims under general negligence, Oregon’s Employers’ Liability Law (ORS 654.305–654.336), and negligence per se based on alleged violations of federal OSHA fall-protection rules and Oregon workplace-safety codes.
Sources Used in This Cirque du Soleil Lawsuit Article
- Complaint, Konfektova v. Cirque du Soleil Canada Inc. et al., Multnomah County Circuit Court, No. 26CV44244, filed August 20, 2026: https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/konfektova-cirque-du-soleil-oregon-lawsuit.pdf
- KOIN 6 News — “A world-renowned entertainment company was negligent in a Russian acrobat’s 15-foot fall,” August 21, 2026: https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/acrobat-fell-15-feet-portland-show-sue-cirque-du-soleil/
Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. Facts verified against the filed court complaint and contemporaneous news reporting on August 25, 2026. Last Updated: August 25, 2026.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.
About the Author
Israr Ahmad is a legal content researcher with 4+ years of experience covering class action settlements and consumer rights cases. He has researched and published coverage of 2,500+ settlements using verified court records, settlement administrator filings, and government sources. Learn more about Israr.