A Paris-born performer in Cirque du Soleil's "Ka" died after a fall during a show in Las Vegas.

Sarah Guyard-Guillot was pronounced dead late Saturday night at a hospital after falling about 50 feet from the show's stage.

Witnesses told the Las Vegas Sun (http://bit.ly/14H3Te0) that the accident occurred near the end of the production Saturday night at the MGM Grand.

Visitor Dan Mosqueda of Colorado Springs, Colo., says the 31-year-old acrobatic performer was being hoisted up the side of the stage when she slipped free of her safety wire and plummeted to an open pit below the performers.

He says the audience initially thought it was part of the show, but realized it was an accident when they heard the artist cry from the stage.

Cirque officials issued a statement saying they were "deeply saddened" by the death and that performances of "Ka" have been canceled until further notice.