The DC Traveler

Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA opened last night under the yellow and blue Grand Chapiteau at National Harbor in Washington, DC.

The only word to describe KOOZA is… AMAZING!!!

I’ve seen several Cirque du Soleil productions and KOOZA was by far, the most physical, high-energy and awe inspiring show of all. 

The audience’s reaction to the gravity defying, body contorting, magical balancing, and fearless performances resulted in at not several, but many moments during the show, of audible group gasps, screams and shrieks. The story, led by a team of very funny clowns made for a slap-stick, party-like feel, intermingled with spectacular circus acts. 

The clowns kept the show funny and moving, allowing people to catch their breathes and slow their pulses between acts.  Be ready for some fun audience participation, but be warned…watch your wallet. 

The show’s opening artistic act, three contortionists, set the stage for the acts to come.  They seemed to made of rubber and virtually boneless as they intertwined and balanced themselves on top of each other.

Just a few of the performances during the 3-hour tightly produced show included a Zen-like performer who balanced himself on a stack of chairs a couple stories into the air while performing unbelievable feats of balance. As he reached the pinnacle of his performance, the audience became memorized into total spellbound silence. 

The double high wire act ended with cheers from the audience as a pyramid of bicycles crossed the tight rope without even a waver of mistake.  At one point, an aerialist leapt over another tight rope walker and just missed his landing, almost falling.  Was it part of the act to build additional tension or was the stunt so challenging that it took two tries to complete? Either way, the crowd applauded loudly when he landed his second attempt. 

The graceful solo trapeze aerialist made the crowd gasp numerous times as she seemed to freefall away from her trapeze, only to catch herself at the last instant.

Other acts included a fast-handed juggler, a game of acrobatic “blanket toss", a duo that tangoed gracefully on a unicycle, and several aerialists being launched high off of a teeter-taughter.  The highlight was watching stilt walkers catapulted skyward and landing on thick mats after completing seemingly impossible twists and flips.

READ MORE AND ABOUT MY PERSONAL FAVORITE ACT—>

For me, the highlight of the show was the Wheel of Death (see photo). Two artists, dressed as devils, ran inside and outside of the spinning stainless steel wheels, at times free falling ten or more feet as gravity took over. this act caused almost continual gasps and shrieks from the audience. It appeared they were just inches away from a misplaced footing or grasp and falling to a possibly death.

The set is a two-story bandstand, draped in richly colored canopies, created a dreamlike experience.  The athletic performers made multiple colorful and artistic costumes changes. throughout the show. The live music was an eclectic blend of new age, pop, jazz, and traditional middle-eastern/sub-continent sounds, led by two female vocalists who were spectacular.  The show’s length, at about 3 hours, seemed to fly by and included a ½-hour intermission.

KOOZA effectively combines slap-stick buffoonery, fast-paced and amazing performances and a live music score that delights. Sir Isaac Newton would have given up on his theory of gravity if he had seen KOOZA.

The show can only be considered the ticket of the season to get in Washington, DC.  I just hope you don’t get the magic seat.

In the next couple days, I’ll be posting on my preshow backstage tour, so stop back for more on KOOZA.

Cirque Du Soleil – KOOZA
Under the Grand Chapiteau at the Plateau
201 Harborview Avenue
National Harbor, MD 20745  (map it)

Dates and Times – October 30 – extended until December 14, 2008, daily, except Mondays. 

Tickets – Adults – $55.00 – $215.00, kids 2-12 – $38.50 – $150.50, Weekday Senior and student discounts available for some shows – $49.50 – $112.50. Tickets available online or by phone at 800-674-5440.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Branch Avenue – Green line, then a 20-minute bus ride (NH-1 Metrobus).

Parking – Event parking is $10.00.

Images – All courtesy of Cirque du Soleil, © Cirque du Soleil 2007 – photos by Olivier Samson Arcand & costumes by Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt.
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