With 19 different shows taking place around the world this year, Cirque du Soleil has launched a casting section on its Web site in an effort to gain access to a greater number of artists worldwide.

A wide variety of acrobats, artists and athletes populate the Cirque du Soleil stages in more than a dozen countries including actors, baton twirlers, clowns, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, musicians, rollerbladers, singers, swimmers and tumblers, among others.

The Cirque has brought its eclectic blend of circus and theater performances 10 times to Atlanta beginning in 1993 with its show, “Saltimbanco.” This year’s offering, “Kooza,” began in early January and is to run through March 1 under its big top tent near Atlantic Station.

As usual, “Kooza” provides a compelling mix of acrobatics, high jinx and music. The question that hovers in the air is “Where do all these talented people come from?”

The Cirque was launched in 1984 by a band of some 20 Montreal street performers. Now there are more than 4,000 employees including 1,000 artists from some 50 countries.

The demand for performers is so intense that the Cirque is reaching into every corner of the world through the casting section of its Web site that serves as a “virtual talent scout” under the theme of  “Let your talent shine.”

André Vallerand was on Canada’s gymnastic team when the gym where he practiced opened its doors to Cirque’s performers. In 1996, he joined the company as an acrobatics recruiter, one on a team of six.

Mr. Vallerand told GlobalAtlanta during a video interview that there now are 10 times more members of the casting team including 20 talent scouts.

He currently is serving as a head coach of the “Kooza” production. He said that many of today’s performers are from countries formerly part of the Soviet Union, which has a strong circus tradition as well as extensive sports training programs.

But the “Kooza” program is composed of a heterogeneous mix of performers from all corners of the world including the United States. David Shiner, the director of “Kooza,” recruited the outstanding juggler Anthony Gatto from Las Vegas, Nev., whom he has known since Mr. Gatto’s childhood.

Mr. Vallerand said that willing performers can be trained, but to be hired they have to have a “wow factor on stage, which comes from their insides.” Once they are part of the performance, they become members of “a big family,” he said.

According to its Web site, Cirque du Soleil has annual sales of more than $700 million and attracts some 10 million visitors a year.

Last year, the Dubai-based investment firm Istithmar World and the real estate developer Nakheel, acquired 20 percent of the Cirque. A permanent Cirque du Soleil is in the process of being built in Dubai and is expected to open in 2011.

Cirque also announced last year that it has partnered with George and Craig Cohon to create the Russian company Cirque du Soleil Rus that will develop big top and arena performances as well as touring shows in Russia with the final objective of having a permanent show there.

George Cohon founded McDonald’s in both Canada and Russia. His brother Craig was a key developer of the Coca-Cola Co.’s operations in Russia.