After years working as a professional gymnast in Russia, Cirque du Soleil coach Alex Pikhienko came home to the circus.

Several decades later, he is the head coach of the new show "Ovo," with his 30-year-old daughter as one of the circus' lead performers and his wife Elena working in the wardrobe department.

And -- as part of a travelling show that works together, eats together, and in many cases, lives at the same hotels - the Pikhienkos are part of a much larger family as well.

"Being in this company is your full life," says Pikhienko, 55, smiling but serious as he watched acrobats fly through the air during practice. "We eat our meals here, there is school for kids... We are really living as one family."

The company's performers, who their coach calls the best in their disciplines, hail from all over the world. The language used for training is English, but performers who aren't fluent are provided translators until they are ready to go it alone, he says.

Making it easy for the performers to focus on their work is a key tenet of the organization, says Cirque spokesman Maxime Charbonneau.

In addition to accommodations and transportation, the circus also employs several chefs and a full team of healthcare professionals to keep the performers in tip-top shape.

After years of training sometimes starting before their teens, the bodies of professional athletes often succumb to wear and tear as early as their twenties or thirties. But at "Ovo," several performers are older than age 50.

At one point during his CP24.com interview, Pikhienko summoned over a muscular male performer, asking him in Russian to show off his fit body.

As Yuri turned from side to side and flexed his bulky muscles, it was revealed that at 51, he has been a flying act performer for more than 30 years.

It's a testament to how well athletes in such a production must take care of their bodies, says Charbonneau.

"If you can maintain your body, you can do a lot," he says. "And these performers use their bodies in a way most of us never do."

Charbonneau says studies have found circus performers receive fewer injuries than athletes as a whole due to their expertise at knowing exactly how far they can push their training.

Including performances, time with coaches and personal workouts, most of Ovo's performers spend at least eight hours a day preparing for the show - often more.

Pikhienko, who was part of the Moscow Circus before joining Cirque du Soleil 15 years ago, says a common love for adrenaline helps the performers stay on task.

When asked if he'd like to see his young grandson to take up the family dynasty, the daring devotee didn't take long to come up with his answer.

"My daughter started here when she was 15," Pikhienko said, nodding knowingly. "Her son will be in the Cirque eventually."

Cirque du Soleil's "Ovo" continues in its big-top in Toronto's Portlands until Nov. 8.