Cirque du Soleil
Crowds of people are gathered in front of a big, spacious, two-colored big top tent on the week of these exciting tour dates. The beeps and boops of tickets being scanned in the front entrance while the sound of people’s laughter and chatter echoes throughout the big top arena, hear them as they wonder what magic they’ll be experiencing in just minutes. Some don’t even know what this Cirque du Soleil show will bring.
Standing in the middle of all this excitement, one could see the colorful Cirque du Soleil merchandise this troupe of wonder sells. There are bright, joyful colors and patterns displayed on clothing and toys, the employees themselves are also wearing colors in uniform. Colorful backdrops and props set up for the one of many selfies and group pictures for these smiley people to take. While in line for some snacks and refreshments, crowds gather to the smell of the buttery and gooey popcorn being sold. Out of the blue, French voices boom loudly throughout the arena’s speaker system: “Bienvenue au Cirque du Soleil,” then in English, “We welcome you to Cirque du Soleil, the show is about to begin. Please take your seats. Merci, and enjoy the show.”
The audience walks into the dark wings to the ring of these amazing performers, stage lit with just a single wide and bright stage light. They seat themselves in stiff plastic bleachers, one could see different colors of lights from all angles starting to shine across the audience. The room goes quiet as one of the playful clowns walks out to get the crowd’s attention. Their brightly colored chunky clothes shine on the spot lit stage, and the sound of their feet stomping on the metal floor echoes across the arena. More clowns pile onto the stage. Only grunts come out of their mouths; they don’t speak, but they walk all across the arena shouting gibberish at each other. Finally their little playful act ends and the show begins.
The sound of uprising music fills the air as the performers walk out onto the shiny stage, you can see the music artists move closer as well. The musicians are also in costume, bright, colorful, shiny, and bold. Jumping, tossing, turning, laughing, screaming, stomping, spinning, and flying is being presented onto the big stage as the performers enter as their first group “intro.”
The first act, Act One, is contortion. The lady bends herself into small tight positions, one could see the bright red costume from a mile away, the artist’s back arches all the way around so her head touches the other end. The crowd gasps at this bendy bold human doing such unhuman-like things.
Next is Act Two, swinging trapeze. More gasps echo from the bleachers when these high flying artists emerge from the depths of the big top. They grab onto the high metal bars and start to swing. Feel the gushes of air from the swinging of the trapeze. The trapeze artists flip and spin, at the same time as the trapeze is swinging. Such a sight to see.
Act Three is acro and hand balancing. These artists flip off the ground and into the air, flying onto each other’s shoulders like it’s nothing. The hand balancing artists hold a one-handed handstand with power and grace, like they’re floating in the air.
Many more acts happen in the span of this two and a half hour Cirque du Soleil performance. Overall the acts you experienced are like no other, and it leaves you breathless. Some could feel the sense of happiness, and others could wonder: what would it be or feel like to be on the stage performing such magic and wonder just as these circus artists had just presented to us?
