Paraguayan costume designer Luján Riquelme has joined the creative team for Cirque du Soleil’s touring production of Alegría. With a career spanning 15 years in film, television, theatre, and circus arts, Riquelme is now travelling across South America with the world-renowned entertainment company. She combines her artistic expertise with a profound pride in her Paraguayan roots while on the road with her family.
The Cirque du Soleil show Alegría is currently on a world tour, with confirmed upcoming dates in São Paulo, Curitiba, and Santiago de Chile. Despite living and working abroad, Riquelme maintains a strong connection to her homeland. She describes herself as a Paraguayan proud of her folklore and culture, using every opportunity to share her heritage with colleagues and audiences.
“I come from the world of art; I am a dancer and for many years was part of the Mimbipa Ballet of Professor Sussy Sacco,” she stated to state media, recalling her dance training before dedicating herself to costume design.
A career built with discipline
Born and educated in Paraguay, Luján Riquelme established herself as a professional costume designer for screen and stage. Her career began 15 years ago in the local arts scene, where she contributed to numerous fiction projects, advertising campaigns, and live performances.
Her relationship with Cirque du Soleil began in 2015 when she was selected as a local staff member in Asunción for the show Amaluna following a series of interviews. Two years later, in 2017, she worked with the company again on another production in the capital, Séptimo Día. Between these experiences, Riquelme continued to develop her skills in costume design for films, music videos, and other shows. In 2022, she decided to pursue specialised studies in Barcelona.
Paraguayan roots on a global stage
In international artistic circles, revealing her nationality often sparks curiosity. “When I tell people I am from that small, landlocked island, they look at me strangely but with curiosity. They do not know much, but in the circle we move in, the most beautiful thing is to meet people from different places, and Paraguay has a beautiful and exotic history that I am always telling with a puffed-out chest.”
For Riquelme, the most valuable aspect of her work is the ability to explore different places while doing what she loves. At the same time, she is able to offer her daughter a childhood immersed in art and travel.
“What I like most about this job is that I can get to know different places doing what I love. Sharing my culture and my Paraguayan roots with other people inside and outside the circus. Being able to give this opportunity to my daughter fills me with pride. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that today I am fulfilling this teenage dream. It was not easy, but the satisfaction is immense.”
Her life on tour is shared with her partner, who also works for the circus, and their daughter.
Luján Riquelme: From Spain to the world stage
It was during her time in Spain that she reconnected with Cirque du Soleil, first applying for the show Crystal. A year later, she was invited to join Alegría, the company’s revival of its iconic production. Riquelme became part of the costume team, completing the Spanish leg of the tour before continuing with the company for its European and current South American engagements.
Alegría is one of Cirque du Soleil’s most emblematic productions, now revisited as Alegría – In a New Light. This bold reinterpretation of the classic show, which has been seen by millions in over 255 cities worldwide, explores themes of power, transformation, and joy. The updated version features new acrobatic performances, an award-winning soundtrack, and a grand stage structure housed under the Big Top.
The ‘Alegría’ tour across South America
In 2026, the tour will visit Brazil and Chile. Performances in São Paulo are scheduled from August to November at Parque Villa-Lobos. Subsequently, the company will move to Curitiba, performing at Expotrade from November to December. A return to Santiago is planned for January 2027 at Espacio Riesco.
In this high-demand production environment, Riquelme works closely with the costume team, ensuring every garment remains impeccable for each performance as the troupe moves between cities and countries.
A message for aspiring artists
As a woman working far from her home country, Luján Riquelme has a clear message for young people pursuing their dreams.
“Every job comes with its reward but also involves sacrifices and renunciations. Dreams are worked for, at whatever pace you can manage, but with firmness and determination. Do not give up; it is not easy, but it is not impossible either. And dreaming is the only free and inexhaustible source of creativity that inspires us to keep building the life we want.”
Although she has already fulfilled a major adolescent dream, Riquelme continues to plan for the future. “I have many dreams, but I think now they are less crazy than before, more than anything it is like a checklist,” she joked.
Her goals include returning to design for projects in Paraguay, visiting Asia, and, above all, “keeping the flame of the magic I am living today lit for as long as possible. May this push me to keep moving upwards without stopping.”
Want to read more about Paraguayans abroad? This was The Asunción Times’ Top 5 Paraguayans abroad stories of 2025
