Cirque de Soleil touring show now dazzling Denver
My name is Claire, and I'm a Cirque-a-holic.
Fortunately, Cirque de Soleil sends a touring show to Denver practically every year, sets up it yellow and gold "Grand Chapiteau" tent in a Pepsi Center parking lot and dazzles Denver audiences. "Kooza" premiered last night for its month-long run, and my husband and I were there. (In the spirit of full disclosure, we have seen every Cirque show that has come to Denver, including "the horse one," and when we were at a convention in Las Vegas a few years ago, seeing three resident Cirque shows was one of the redeeming features about being there).
"Kooza," like other Cirque shows, has a story line -- usually a bewildered wanderer led into a magical world -- but this is a thin thread really links incredible acrobats, trapeze artists, tightrope walkers, jugglers, dancers and comedians and allows audiences to relax and breathe between the show's heart-stopping acts. See the trailer by clicking here.
Show after show, act upon act, these are universally performers. Hint: Go to "Kooza," if only for the two amazing men whose act involves a pair of giant "hamster wheels." Take a look at the YouTube video that just hints at the power of this act. Every ride at neighboring Elitch's pales beside the apparatus on which the perform.
Cirque is celebrating its silver anniversary this year. It traces its origins to Baie-Saint-Paul, a small town northeast of Quebec City, where Gilles Ste.-Croix founded a street theater that he called Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul (the Baie-Saint-Paul Stiltwalkers). These gifted street performers played to local and tourist crowds, striding on stilts, juggling, dancing, breathing fire and playing music. One of the locals who was enchanted by the troupe was Guy Laliberté, who with Ste.-Croix and others founded Cirque du Soleil. Their dream was to take a Quebec-based company around the world.
Fast-forward to 2009, and the dream has come true -- and way more. Twenty resident and touring troupes are electrifying audiences in North and South America, Europe and Asia. Cast and crew are astonishingly international, representing 40 countries. Unsurprisingly, many are from Eastern Europe and China, where circus arts and acrobatics are widely taught and the talent pool is deep.
Show after show, act upon act, these are universally performers. Hint: Go to "Kooza," if only for the two amazing men whose act involves a pair of giant "hamster wheels." Take a look at the YouTube video that just hints at the power of this act. Every ride at neighboring Elitch's pales beside the apparatus on which the perform.
Cirque is celebrating its silver anniversary this year. It traces its origins to Baie-Saint-Paul, a small town northeast of Quebec City, where Gilles Ste.-Croix founded a street theater that he called Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul (the Baie-Saint-Paul Stiltwalkers). These gifted street performers played to local and tourist crowds, striding on stilts, juggling, dancing, breathing fire and playing music. One of the locals who was enchanted by the troupe was Guy Laliberté, who with Ste.-Croix and others founded Cirque du Soleil. Their dream was to take a Quebec-based company around the world.
Fast-forward to 2009, and the dream has come true -- and way more. Twenty resident and touring troupes are electrifying audiences in North and South America, Europe and Asia. Cast and crew are astonishingly international, representing 40 countries. Unsurprisingly, many are from Eastern Europe and China, where circus arts and acrobatics are widely taught and the talent pool is deep.
"Kooza" will be in Denver through September 20. Tuesday through Friday ticket prices are $60-$130 for adults, $38.50-$87.50 for children to age 12 (slightly higher on weekends). Westword is promoting a 25th-anniversary special at 25 percent off,; I think you have to register to obtain tickets at this discount. The apaper is also running a contest for free "Kooza" tickets. Otherwise, buy on-line or call 800-678-5440.
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder