A week ago my husband and I went to see the Cirque Du Soleil
Dralion show. It was a delayed
celebration of our June thirteenth wedding anniversary, and it was a wonderful
treat to have tickets in the front row.
The experience was truly magical, combining spectacular
acrobatics, dance, drama, live music, costumes, lighting effects, and set
design. The huge metallic set suggested a futuristic Chinese temple or a giant
plate of medieval armor, depending on the lighting and use. Time after time my
breath caught, feeling like I was flying with the crossed circle performer,
Kala, the graceful circle hoop dancer in the Hibana aerial act, or many others.
There are 21 different shows, but many are resident shows in
Las Vegas, and one remains in Disneyworld. Dralion
draws heavily upon Eastern philosophy and the quest for harmony between the
human world and nature. The show's name is derived from its two emblematic
creatures: the dragon, symbolizing the East, and the lion, symbolizing the
West.
In Dralion, the
four traditional Chinese elements (air, water, fire, earth) that govern the natural
order take on human forms. In the show, each element is represented by its own
evocative color: air is blue; water is green; fire is red; earth is ochre. In
the fantasy world of Dralion, diverse
cultures blend, Man and Nature become one, and balance is achieved.
I was swept up by this theme, which coincidentally forms the
framework of the magical systems in my current fantasy romance series, Enchanted Bookstore Legends. Many
fantasy fiction works are created against a backdrop of this Eastern philosophy
for good reason. The dream of unity among all elements of the physical and
spiritual worlds is a compelling goal in the battle between good and evil, a
requisite for any fantasy plot.
In Dralion, four
characters exist outside the representation of Chinese elements and guide the performers
of the four elements toward unity. The Little Buddha is the chosen child,
possessing special powers that allow him guide the others. Later, that child
will grow to join the L'Âme-Force . That force includes the two vocalists of Dralion, who sing an invented ethereal
language, modeling and guiding the harmony between the four elements. The
fourth guiding character is Kala, performing in the crossed wheel, symbolizes
time and the infinite cycle. His internal propulsion of the double wheel makes
time evolve. From moment one, I wanted to fly inside that wheel. The second
video below gives a sample of his spectacular skill and artistry.
If you get a chance to enjoy one of the Cirque shows, it is
a real treat to see fantasy come to life before your eyes.
2 comments:
I've been to three different Cirque shows. 1 in Australia and 2 here in Vancouver. They are truly breathtaking ...How wonderful that you got front row seats!!!
We got our tickets back in February when they just went on sale. We're hoping to see a few more. It was a real treat! Thanks for stopping by, Widdershins.
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