Huge prime time: Cirque du Soleil returns with its signature circus present, Kooza

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After a 13-year absence, Kooza, Cirque du Soleil’s travelling clown and acrobat extravaganza, returns to Stampede Park from Aug. 25 to Oct. 8.

In these 13 years, Kooza has visited greater than 20 international locations world wide and performed to greater than eight million spectators, making it one in all Cirque du Soleil’s hottest and beloved exhibits.

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What makes Kooza distinctive among the many firm’s greater than 20 exhibits is that it’s the most traditional. It’s primarily a clown present with dazzling acrobatic acts.

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Gracie Valdez, the present’s present inventive producer, says Kooza takes the standard elements of a clown and acrobatic present and elevates them with astounding twists.

“The excessive wire act is a mainstay of circus exhibits however, in Kooza, it’s twice as breathtaking as a result of there are two wires used concurrently, making it twice as spectacular. The Quiros Brothers is a household circus act that originated in Spain. Two of the performers have been with Kooza because it was created in 2007. These brothers have added two of their cousins from Columbia. They complicate their routines by including bicycles and chairs, and even by becoming a member of one another on a single wire,” explains Valdez.

Kooza additionally options an act known as The Wheel of Dying, once more a staple of many circus exhibits however, on this case, it’s a a lot bigger equipment which makes it far tougher for its two performers to control, leading to what seems to be death-defying routines. Valdez says they’ve 4 performers who alternate as a result of “the wheel is in as many as 10 exhibits every week. It’s such a strenuous routine that we’ve to have protection, and we have to permit the performers time to get better.”

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Contortionists have at all times been a preferred circus act and they’re included on this present. The three ladies in Kooza are from Mongolia and have been honing their expertise since they had been youngsters. Valdez says she has positioned this trio as the primary act after the massive opening quantity to “deliver individuals into the restrictions of the human physique. That is an incredible, very intricate talent. It’s an astonishing mixture of energy and suppleness and one which by no means ceases to amaze.”

Valdez says even an act as primary as two individuals on a unicycle could be awe-inspiring whether it is choreographed like a ballet, as it’s in Kooza. It’s talent plus presentation.

The ultimate act in Kooza is the teeterboard that includes a group of 19 performers from Russia, Moldova, Brazil, Mongolia and Belgium.

“The teeterboard routine that has been created for Kooza is one thing that’s historically reserved for giant galas or competitions however we carry out it as many as thrice a day, and that requires such stamina from the acrobats. It’s what makes individuals gasp and cheer all through the entire routine.”

David Shiner, who created Kooza, was a clown specialist so he created a vaudeville-style storyline to hyperlink all the person acts. A clown known as The Harmless is feeling very down on himself and life basically, which is when he meets The Trickster who takes him on a journey to reclaim his misplaced pleasure, discover extra self-confidence, and acknowledge the sweetness on the planet round him.

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Valdez says, “The Harmless discovers pleasure and wonderment via the magical world The Trickster exhibits him. It’s the identical journey the viewers takes, and the identical world the viewers sees, so the hope is it is going to elevate their spirits because it does The Harmless’s.”

Valdez says Kooza has modified a fantastic deal since its final go to.

“We’ve modified a number of the artists and a number of the acts, and we’ve undoubtedly enhanced the know-how. The brand new know-how has given the entire present a extra lovely environment. The tone and richness of the complete setting inside The Huge High has modified. Should you’ve seen Kooza earlier than, it’s going to appear and feel very completely different, a lot extra awe-inspiring.”

Tickets for Kooza can be found at cirquedusoliel.com/kooza

Cirque du Soleil started life as Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paula. It was a troupe of stiltwalkers in a small city in Quebec. After years of honing their crafts, this band of jugglers, dancers, firebreathers, musicians and stiltwalkers, took their present on the street in 1984. A member of the group, Man Laliberté, renamed the travelling present Cirque du Soleil as a result of he stated, “The solar symbolizes youth, power, and energy.”

Since then, Cirque’s quite a few exhibits equivalent to O, Alegria, and Luzia have performed to 160 million spectators in over 400 cities, in 60 international locations, on six continents. As well as, Cirque’s residency in Las Vegas is celebrating 30 years in 2023 and it has 4 resident exhibits there: O, Ka, The Beatles Love, and Michael Jackson’s One.

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