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Stafford was eventually brought before the assistant director and the auditions became more specific.

“She put us through a lot of different situations: What environment we were in, what emotions we were feeling with our motion,” Stafford says. “We were using prop weapons. It was just to see how we could improvise. It was interesting because with Cirque du Soleil, their auditions are similar. After we got through all the technique and dancing portions, they want to see if you can improvise and make a character with whatever you are given.”

There were two more callbacks and a test shoot that finally brought her to set, which is when she first met Cameron.

“He’s there every day,” says Stafford. “He’s the hardest working person. I got to meet him for the first time on my test-shoot day when they were trying me out on the set. He noticed I was there and was like ‘Oh, I don’t recognize you.’ He’s awesome, because he’s Canadian as well so we bonded on that.”

A year later, Stafford is still going to work for him every day. If she could speak to her 18-year-old self sitting in that Calgary movie theatre, what would she say?

“Have patience with your career, with yourself, because things will happen and will come,” she says. “Stay present in each moment. When I was young, I thought I knew exactly what I was going to do and what I wanted. I now realize that those were good ideas, but they weren’t really my ideas. They were just what I thought someone from Canada, a Calgary dancer, should do.

“Have patience, work hard, take all your classes and training but be open to the many opportunities that come your way. Honestly, all the weirdest, strange opportunities that came my way were the best experiences.”