To watch a Cirque du Soleil show is to gaze in wonder. It turns us back into children, mouths agape and eyes wide.
The newest traveling show, Kooza, is no exception.
Punctuated by interludes with a clown king, a funny performer in a dog costume, and a light background story about a young innocent being shown a world of magic, it’s the acrobatics that make Cirque so special. I found myself shaking my head in amazement first at the contortionists, two lithe performers who could bend their bodies as if they were made of rubber. The strength they displayed was truly outstanding to watch.
Out came a bare-chested, jacketed man on a unicycle, holding a petite woman gently in his arms, lifting her above his head and twirling her around his body. All while balancing on the unicycle. He was impressive with his calm, relaxed muscle and she with her total trust in him, holding her high above the ground.
Next, the high-wire team of four men in a well-choreographed segment from setup to teardown. In one wisp of a breath, one appears to make a miscalculation and slips off the wire while leapfrogging over one of his teammates, catching himself at the last second. It was so smooth and the expressions of the rest of the team so well coordinated, I can’t be sure if it was truly a mistake or a perfectly executed stunt.
The acrobatics went on, too many to list in their entirety. Behind it all, beautiful live music and a haunting vocalist provide the perfect backdrop for the visual feast.
The show is also family friendly as long as your child doesn’t mind sitting through a two-hour show, plus a 30-minute intermission. A friend of mine brought her 6-year-old daughter to the show, which starts at 8 PM, and planned to leave at intermission. However, they were both enthralled and decided to stay to the end, past 10 PM, and the little girl loved every minute of it.
“She was mesmerized. There were a lot of ‘oh my gosh’ and hand-on-the-mouth moments for her,” my friend told me.
Most seats in the house are excellent, and the highest row is only 20 seats from the stage, so you can’t go wrong inside the iconic blue and yellow traveling Cirque tent for your money.
Opening night in Austin was September 2, and the show runs through October 8, 2015 at the Circuit of the Americas. Regular, VIP, and Premium packages available.
For tickets, click here: https:
