Cirque Du Soleil

For our birthday gift (both C and my birthdays are in May) C's parents got us tickets to Cirque Du Soleil in Philly for the show Kooza. I can't even describe how cool it was, except to say that I truly believe that seeing a Cirque Du Soleil show should be on everyone's life-list. It was amazing, breathtaking, beautiful and moving. I kept thinking how awesome it would be to take HAP to a show, but it's so expensive! We'll have to see, maybe as a graduation gift or something!!

Here is are some excerpts from a review of the show - I agree with everything this guy says!!

I'm holding my breath as acrobats fling themselves in and out of a 725-kilogram Wheel of Death. Picture two connected hamster wheels, spinning at such incredible speeds and heights it would make stunt-doubles cringe. The performers don't seem to worry about such things — they defy gravity and jump through the air, landing perfectly on the spinning wheels like their feet were born to land this stunt. I let out a gasp, relieved and excited at the same time. I look around and see similar reactions. This is Cirque du Soleil, where impressive human feats turbo-charges the blood of spectators. We might be witnessing a carefully rehearsed production, but the thrill is powerful nonetheless.

At KOOZA, extreme physical talent pours into every segment: a tightly-toned man balances on top of a 23-foot tower of chairs, even standing on one hand to the delighted applause of the packed tent; three contortionists bend their bodies at painful angles, and one performer even breakdances on her belly as her feet tap circles around her body; trapeze artists scurry across a high-wire, leaping over each other and riding a bike across the razor-thin line; and a juggler starts simply enough, bouncing balls off his chin while tossing eight other balls in the air, but he soon elicits swooning "ooohs!" when he starts juggling pins with his hands and feet.

Beyond the unique characteristics of touring and residents shows, there's a less obvious appeal never highlighted in press releases: the language of movement. Whether it's a high-wire act 25 feet in the air or a classic unicycle number, Cirque performers add an identifiable grace to how they move on stage. It's well-timed with the live music and never jarring; in fact, how the performers move on and off the stage can sometimes be as hypnotic as their actual act. There's a controlled symmetry to each performer's step, a trait that may not honed through rehearsals but instilled through mental preparation.

Lurking behind every Cirque shows are themes of child-like wonder and empowerment, but it's best to take this troupe at face value. After all, Cirque knows how to entertain and it rarely lags in momentum during a three-hour show. And when it does, the playful clowns and tricksters entertain the senses enough to allow us to catch our breath between death-defying feats. There's a mesmerizing flow to every Cirque act that hasn't faltered in its two decades of live performance.

Here are some picts. - Go see it!!!