MONTREAL - A Cirque du Soleil performer was rushed to hospital with serious head injuries Friday morning after falling off a trampoline.

The 24-year-old performer was doing exercises for the world-famous circus when the incident happened.

The man is an experienced acrobat from the Ukraine who was training for general Cirque shows, and not for any specific performance.

"I can't tell you details of the incident, but I can tell you we are talking about circus arts, and there is a high level of security," said Cirque du Soleil spokesperson Tania Ormejuste.

Emergency-services workers say the man was unconscious when they arrived on the scene, and they rushed him to hospital. He is in critical condition at Sacre Coeur hospital.

The incident happened at Cirque du Soleil's facility in St. Michel where the international troupe rehearses for shows.

Cirque du Soliel employs more that 1,000 acrobats, with 1,800 employees at the St. Michel headquarters.