Things are looking up for Salvador "Sal" Salangsang — literally. The former breakdancer for the San Antonio Spurs is now starring in Cirque du Soleil's high-flying new show, 'Auana, which opened in Waikiki, Hawaii, on December 17 of last year.

"I started performing on the Vegas Strip right around the time Cirque shows like O were launching," says Salangsang in an email interview. "Watching those productions, I remember thinking, 'This is the pinnacle of live performance. What would it take for me to be part of something like that?'"

Salangsang originally dreamed of becoming an architect until he saw the Jackson 5 perform in Hawaii as a child. From there, he was hooked on the performance bug. His family would move to San Antonio, where he would attend Marshall High School. Eventually, he became a breakdancer with the San Antonio Spurs as well as a performer at SeaWorld San Antonio. However, his love of the Cirque-style shows never abated. He moved to Las Vegas to perform with EFX at the MGM Grand.

He auditioned for a Cirque du Soleil show, and though he didn't get the role, he caught the eye of director Neil Dorward. Dorward was producing another show with Simon Painter called Le Noir: The Dark Side of Cirque, and wanted Salangsang along. From there, Droward would be tapped to develop Auana, leading to Salangsang finally making it to Cirque du Soleil.

"That show marked the beginning of our creative partnership," says Salangsang. "I've been Neil's clown ever since, and when he started working on 'Auana, he called me up and asked if I wanted to be part of this next chapter, and I'm grateful to be a part of this journey."

Salangsang plays Trickster in 'Auana, a soaring tribute to Hawaiian culture and the first homegrown Cirque show for the islands. It has shows scheduled through the end of 2026 in a custom-built theater in Waikiki. The story of 'Auana draws from both Polynesian myth and the modern tourist culture.

Despite traveling the world as a performer, Salangsang still draws on the lessons in stagecraft he learned in San Antonio.

"Working with the San Antonio Spurs helped me get used to performing in front of really big crowds," he says. "Being in that kind of high-energy environment taught me how to stay grounded and focused, even with thousands of people watching. At SeaWorld, the director gave me the freedom to start writing my own material. That creative trust inspired me to find my voice as a performer. Both experiences helped me to shape me into the performer I am now."