Cirque Du Soleil returns to Seattle with LUZIA: A Waking Dream of Mexico

Last night was my introduction to Cirque Du Soleil. After years of watching the Big Top rise and fall in Redmond, I finally made it to a show. And, it was simply amazing.

If you’re in Seattle, you may have heard all the commercials for LUZIA: A WAKING DREAM OF MEXICO, but if you haven’t, here is what you need to know:

LUZIA opened last night and runs through May 21, 2017. Just like other Cirque Du Soleil shows, LUZIA is an acrobatic show that combines music, dancing, amazing costumes, and some of the most mind blowing stunts and acts you’ve ever seen. This newest production takes you on a tour through Mexico, showing you glimpses into the country’s vibrant culture, and stage design inspired by the beauty and diversity of its landscapes. LUZIA is a combination of “luz” {light in Spanish} and “lluvia” {rain}, two core elements of the show that carry you from opening act to final bows.

One of the things I loved most is that unlike plays where the scene-to-scene design is done mostly behind the curtains, Cirque Du Soleil employs a delicate dance of set design that allows you to watch as the stage literally comes to life right in front of you. In mere seconds, the scenes are taken down, cleared, and then rebuilt from nothing, all in one fluid motion. By using the rotating stage and what can only be described as set ninjas, the stage transforms over and over again throughout the performance. And, while these transformations are occurring, new acts are still entertaining you and keeping the energy level high throughout the entire show. If hearing this makes you imagine they employ a minimalist approach to set design, you would be as shocked as I was to see that they set up large, yet beautiful, acrobatic and design structures, many of which move and change amidst the most elaborate landscapes. We’re talking forests that rise out of nowhere, fields of golden flowers, and under-and-above water worlds. Oh, and did I mention the actual REAL water features that allowed it to rain on stage and create waterfalls from the ceiling? It’s true. Real water was pumped up above the action and then rained down over the artists into a pool beneath the stage, which was utilized for numerous acts and provided a source of inspiration throughout the entire show. This is the first time Cirque Du Soleil has added a water fixture to their show, and the results are beyond anything I had imagined.  I can hear you saying, “hey, isn’t water the last thing you want on stage while artists are performing elaborate acts that have them leaping, spinning, and flying across stage? How on Earth can they maintain their grip under those water-logged conditions?” I seriously wish I knew, because it makes absolutely no sense how they make it work – but they do, and the result is beyond cool. My absolute favorite part of the show was the Cyr Wheel performance through the water. Watching the artists perform in the pouring rain looked impossibly hard, and I had to look up how they made that magic happen. It turns out that in order to solve the adhesion issue, a bicycle tire was mounted on the wheel rim. As a viewer, this solution was undetectable, but it made for some really awesomely arranged performances. Fun LUZIA facts:

• With its two revolving rings and central platter, the stage floor has 94,657 holes through which the water drains into a 3,500-litre basin hidden underneath.
• LUZIA explores the combination of hoop diving and two giant treadmills to generate speed, either in the same direction or in opposite directions. Sometimes artists use the treadmill as a launching pad to perform daring leaps through the hoops; and when placed on the rolling treadmills the hoops suddenly become moving targets for the divers.
• A bridge suspended 14 meters {46 feet} above the stage supports the water reserve and the set of 174 nozzles. The nozzles can be individually controlled to create two-dimensional images using water droplets and blank spaces. The images and patterns that appear in the rainfall are generated electronically and they interact with the artists and support the story and mood of the show.

If you are in the Seattle area {or within a day or so drive}, you should definitely get your tickets to LUZIA before it’s gone. The whole time we were watching the show we were commenting on how our oldest would lose her mind at a Cirque Du Soleil performance and we definitely needed to get her there before the run ends. 

Check out www.cirquedusoleil.com/luzia and buy your tickets now. Be prepared to be transported to Mexico for a few hours, and I guarantee you will be talking about your journey for weeks.