#Cirque du soleil volta

[drjohnwatson]

FINALLY made a (full) costume again! This time Ela from Cirque du soleil's Volta. This is just a quick testrun before wearing it next week.

Next up homelander (and some smaller projects). B)

[aquilacalvitium]

A bunch of thoughts that are incomprehensible to people who aren't Cirque Du Soleil fans

Target and Nico have the same energy and would almost definitely be friends

Someone please introduce Aviator from Quidam and Aviator from Kurios to each other, they'd be besties

Klara moves like a clockwork doll and it's mesmerising to watch

You can see Time Master's effects on the flow of time by watching Klara and Microcosmos in the background

This meme I made

I think Gongli (chair balancer from Koozã) would be Carlos' (chair balancer from Kurios) plus one at Klara's dinner parties

Volta's ending is a tad abrupt methinks

Ela is just awesome, everything about her is awesome, I want to be friends with her

Is that other person with blue feathers in Volta another character? Or is he still Waz? It's a bit ambiguous and I'm not good at subtext

Quidam (the character) somehow manages to be somewhat intimidating while also having very strong "safe person" energy

The Seeker suddenly gains two assistants in Creature De Siam that have not existed at all up to this point

They always turn even the singers into characters in the shows and I love that so much

They always manage to do something with the stage itself, from traps doors to a revolving platform to prop tracks and sometimes more than one of the above

I tried learning French so I can understand the characters but it is an evil language and putting myself through that would count as self-torture /j

The wiki refers to the train at the beginning of Kurios as Mister Microcosmos' outfit but he is standing elsewhere on stage when the train comes in so I actually have no idea who that is

Time Master doesn't get enough appreciation, I get that he isn't as merchandise-able as Klara and Nico and Mister Microcosmos but his act, aside from Chaos Troupe 1900, is definitely my favourite

Also the track for his act is not on the ost and that is a crime

Neither is the track that plays between 11h11 and Bella Donna Twist or the track that pays right before Hypnotique

And for some reason Departure is half of the track for Hand Theatre and then suddenly goes into the track before Dangerous Flight? I'm a bit confused there

I've started assigning names to character who don't have names or who's names I can't find anywhere

I refer to them by their actor's names like Carlos and Gongli

If they're a group or I can't find the actor's names I make something up I.e. I refer to the banquine performers in Kurios as The Beachgoers because I mean look at them it's a fitting name

WHY DID THEY RETIRE MICHAEL FROM KOOZÄ HE'S MY FAVOURITE CLOWN IN THE SHOW I WILL FOREVER BE UPSET ABOUT THIS

Also I can't find a single good quality picture of Michael in his grotesque-whiteface-esque costume that he wears for the whole show apart from during his pickpocket routine which is weird

I kinda can't stop staring at Klara or Nico any time they're on stage because their individual styles of body language are just fascinating

How does Quidam (the show) have such specific energy? I can't think of a better word than ethereal. Like it's unsettling but also feels safe and familiar somehow? Idk but I love it

WHY isn't Bella Donna present for the finale? That woman carried so much of Bella Donna Twist and then dips??? Give that woman the standing ovation she deserves!!!

The Quid Pro Quo/Mr Wow Show scene has probably more dialogue than the entirety of most of Cirque Du Soleil shows I've seen

Waz's outfit on Quid Pro Quo is. Something. I really want to know how that was made and what materials were used - this is coming from a guy with ZERO interest in textiles

Actually all of the outfits in Volta are crazy, even the Grays have interesting stuff going on, major props to the costume department

The fourth wall may or may not exist at any given point in time and it's fun to look for it

Especially when there are characters who thrive of off breaking the fourth wall (all clowns) vs characters who never once break the fourth wall (I.e. The Innocent or Ela or the Curios)

I DID NOT MEAN TO HIT POST THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT

I guess if I have any more thoughts I'll just come back and edit this post

[sweepseven]

So I was looking through your blog and notice your personal favorite final act is Quidam's Banquine. Are there any ones you love beside it? Mine is Luzia's Swing to Swing or La Nouba's Powertrack/Trampoline

YES, oh I have so many beloved finale acts. Here are some more:

Luzia Russian Swing - You are so real for loving this one. I remember being distinctly skeptical when this was announced as the finale act for a Mexican show but it is so effective in its simplicity. The bare stage with the sun disk glowing in the background, the communal feel, the steady build of the music and energy, and the costumes!! I wanna own one of those dresses BAD. Wonderful act.

Totem's finale dance - No one talks about Totem and this isn't really an act, but I think it's just adorable. It's such a fun goodbye and thank you to the cast at the end of the show. Totem was always kind of a weird ride but by the end of it you want to hop onstage and join them.

Volta BMX - RIP to unique Cirque acts because Volta seems to have taken all of 'em to its grave. It's incredibly well designed. Sight lines were taken into very obvious consideration (Echo consider taking fucking note), you get to see the stage put through her paces, energy is fantastic, and it's an excellent physical match for the emotional climax of the show.

O cerceaux - Perfect song, perfect set, perfect showcase of the cast, perfect character work - and because it's O it's all exceptionally grand. When the brides come out on their own hoops, god help me. Would could I be the zebra Le Vieux pecks on the cheek. This is absolutely everything a finale act should be... as long as Cirque lets it. Lately some of the complexity has been dialed back, and I don't yet understand why.

Zed flying trapeze - I really struggled to limit myself to just one flying act, but this is kinda like picking Mystere too because Fiesta got its second life once Zed closed. 🥹 This song gets me fucking going. The rig and net deployment are works of rigging art. I'm psyched up just thinking about it. I could run a marathon rn. I love this act so fucking much. Actually changed my life.

La Nouba powertrack - The only one on this list that can truly touch Quidam banquine. It's not just a great finale act, it's one of the greatest acts of all time. Cirque is packed with thrills no matter what you're seeing, but only a tiny handful of moments make you feel in awe of life itself. This is one of them. La Nouba sometimes feels so strange that it almost seems a wonder the audience can relate to it at all, but this show has a soul, and it is on full and shining display in this finale. The simple set does so much for it - this feels like a real city, filled with real people with real lives. The 90s nostalgia factor feels artistic and honest, not dated or cheesy or pointless. The music is exceptional in every way. Without fail I get goosebumps at the transition into Prince as they come walking out at the very end. On a list of "most important Cirque moments in company history," the bow at 1:23:05 is in the top five.

Now I'm gonna have to think about the Titan for the next 72 hours straight.

[wuwmmdraws]

Redrawtober Day 18: "Harpy's Nest"

Man I miss Volta now....

[scarletwitchie2]

February 29, 2020

IG paola_fraschini Ok.. I’ve never thought I could meet Angelina Jolie! She came to see the show...What a beautiful soul.. #volta #cirquedusoleil #losangeles

[env0]

shuffle your favorite playlist and post the first five songs that come up. then copy/paste this ask to your favorite mutuals <3

Ohio is for Lovers - Hawthorne Heights

Dancing Ants - Cirque du Soleil "Volta"

Quixotic - 서자영 Seo Jayeong "Lies of P Soundtrack"

World's End With Me, Live 2004 - Phantasy Star Online

I've Been So Lost for So Long - American Football

[canterai]

Ho appena scoperto che quando ero in toscana ho stretto la mano sudaticcia del fondatore del cirque du soleil che è miliardario, ha due aerei privati e quattro Ferrari, un'isola privata su cui coltiva cannabis, è stato turista spaziale, nel giardino di casa sua ha costruito una pista d'atterraggio di 20 metri per velivoli extraterrestri, è un giocatore accanito di poker, è un filantropo e un ecologista, è uno dei sei uomini al mondo a possedere una barca a vela Zodiac con postazione di atterraggio per elicotteri sulla quale una volta è stato attaccato dai pirati e rapinato da 300000 dollari.

[scenariopubblico]

Intervista a Joy Alpuerto Ritter

ENGLISH BELOW

Ex danzatrice della Compagnia di Akram Khan oggi Joy è assistente alle coreografie e ripetiteur nonché coreografa freelance. Nata a Los Angeles e cresciuta a Friburgo in Germania, oggi vive a Berlino. Alcuni giorni fa si è collegata da Londra per incontrarci su Skype. Di mattina, prima di iniziare la giornata di prove, ci ha raccontato della sua storia ripercorrendo il lavoro con Khan arrivando poi alla sua attività di oggi.

Photo by Jean-Louis Fernandez

Ricordi il primo incontro con Akram Khan? Che percezioni hai avuto e come sono cambiate nel tempo?

Penso che il mio primo incontro con Khan non sia stato granché speciale perché, impegnata con una produzione del Cirque du Soleil, non ho potuto partecipare all’audizione ufficiale. La compagnia è stata molto generosa però a offrirmi l’opportunità di fare un’audizione privata con il direttore delle prove Jose Agudo che ha poi mostrato il video a Khan. Quindi, attraverso il video, Khan mi ha scelta e invitata per un suo nuovo progetto nel 2013. È stato strano perché io non lo avevo mai incontrato e la prima volta è successo in Francia per una cena con tutta la compagnia. Lì abbiamo parlato per la prima volta, ricordo in particolare dello spettacolo su Michael Jackson che avevo appena fatto con il Cinque du Soleil.

Nel primissimo periodo ricordo di essermi sentita molto nervosa, ero l’unica nuova nella compagnia quindi Khan conosceva già tutti e mi sentivo sotto esame. Ho imparato tantissimo: il lavoro era molto giocoso con tantissime improvvisazioni, ma anche con tanto materiale coreografico. Khan usava due strade per conoscere al meglio i nostri punti forti ma soprattutto la nostra personalità, un aspetto importante per quel lavoro caratterizzato da diversi personaggi.

Ricordi il nome del progetto?

Era iTMOi (nella mente di Igor). Ciò che mi ha messo alla prova è stata la fisicità del lavoro, le rotazioni, i miei piedi bruciavano al pavimento. Khan chiedeva tantissima energia ed era anche molto sfidante in termini di ritmo. Io non desideravo altro, ero in quella fase in cui stavo imparando e volevo farlo il più possibile. Khan è una persona davvero rispettosa e sa come essere esigente con i suoi danzatori spingendoli sempre al di fuori della loro comfort zone.

Durante i suoi processi creativi collabora con i danzatori?

Dipende dal progetto, per esempio ricordo che abbiamo collaborato per Kaasha e iTMOi e abbiamo anche danzato insieme con lui in Until the lions. Danzare con lui è stupendo. C’era tantissima potenza che riuscivo a cogliere e dare ai suoi pezzi; lui non si aspetta altro che il massimo. Bisogna essere sempre focalizzati sul lavoro senza mai marcare.

Qual è il training quotidiano della compagnia?

Dipende anche qui dal progetto. Solitamente il direttore delle prove si occupava della lezione di riscaldamento e rafforzamento con una lezione di danza contemporanea. Poi danzavamo anche il Kathak – che è la base del lavoro di Khan insieme a un mix di danza tradizionale indiana, danza contemporanea e altri stili di danze folkloriche. Di base si trattava di danza contemporanea o di un altro tipo di training fisico (come lo yoga), poi il Kathak e poi le prove. Il riscaldamento durava più o meno due o tre ore. Il suo è un lavoro davvero corposo e in quel contesto non importava mai quanto si riuscisse a fare in termini di quantità. Ciò che contava era sempre di avere una buona preparazione fisica ed essere pronti per le prove. Alla fine della giornata spesso facevamo anche degli esercizi per migliorare le nostre capacità ritmiche, con pattern ritmici che cantavamo e seguivamo con i passi, spesso molto difficili!

Cosa vuoi trasmette del lavoro della compagnia, soprattutto per coloro che non hanno mai fatto esperienza del lavoro di Khan?

Credo che si debba avere innanzitutto la volontà che ti permette di impegnarti al massimo. Invito tutti coloro che parteciperanno a fidarsi del viaggio che faremo e di permettere a loro stessi di andare a fondo della ricerca e mettendola anche in discussione.

Ciò che importa è la qualità, non conta la quantità di cose che si è in grado di fare. Non importa quanto posso fare ma come posso farlo. Questo vale pe tutto dal movimento più virtuosistico fino al semplice stare in piedi fermi. Il focus è sull’estremità e non su quale movimento mi rende un grande interprete; spingerò molto in questa direzione, perché essere un bravissimo danzatore non significa essere un grande performer e viceversa. Tutto sta nel come si trasmette al pubblico, di certo bisogna avere la tecnica ma non solo. La combinazione dei diversi aspetti è la soluzione! Per questo è importante capire il miglior approccio mentale per danzare, che include sacrificio e impegno. Bisogna anche credere e fidarsi nel percorso che si fa e permettere di andare sempre più a fondo.

Ora che sei anche coreografa, quali esperienze del passato pensi ti abbiano segnato di più?

Il mio background da danzatrice è stato sempre versatile: ho iniziato con la danza classica, poi con la danza folklorica filippina, mia madre mi ha insegnato la danza tradizionale asiatica poi ho studiato danza contemporanea, jazz e hip hop.

Sono sempre stata curiosa, volevo ispirarmi a più stili e ambiti di danza: quello professionale rimanendo legata anche al senso di comunità che ha la danza popolare.

Ciò che porto con me è un mix di stili e penso anche al Kathak di Akram. Da coreografa sto provando a connettere tutto ciò che ho provato nel mio corpo per raggiungere una libertà di espressione personale. Questa modalità mi proviene da Khan che dice sempre: «Trova il tuo modo». Mi ci è voluto un po’ per capirlo.

Un’ultima cosa importante è il lavoro di Khan con diversi personaggi, in Untile the Lions e iTMOi ad esempio. Lui usa storie ma invita ogni volta ogni danzatore a creare la propria.

Photo by Jean-Louis Fernandez

Do you remember your first meeting with Akram Khan? What kind of sensations did you live and how these emotions changed during the time?

I think my encounter was first time quiet not special, because I auditioned a second time. I came from Cirque du Soleil, I couldn’t enjoy the official audition, so the company was generous to make a private audition with the rehearsal director Jose Agudo. I was auditioned with him, and he showed the video of my dance to Akram. Then, through the video, Akram invited me to the first research of a project in 2013. It’s weird because I had never met him in my life, the first time we were in France with all the dancers in a restaurant. We had a private conversation, especially about Michael Jackson Circle du Soleil show. At the beginning with the company, I was nervous because he knew the other dancers already and I was new, it looked like a test. At the beginning dancing was very playful with lots of improvisation, but he also gives a lot of choreographic material, so as both to know our special skills and getting to know our personality especially for that project where there were a different kind of characters. I learned so much!

Do you remember the name of the project?

Yes, iTMOi (In the mind of Igor). What I really was memorized and challenge by was also really grounding physicality and spins; my feet were burning on the floor. This was a special technique that really push you and challenge you also in terms of rhythm. I really wanted that challenge because I was in the phase of learning as much as possible as dancer. He is very respectful, but he really knows how to push people out of their comfort zone.

During his creative process does he collaborate with dancers?

It depends on the project. For example, in the beginning yes for Kaash, iTMOi and we also danced together in Until the lions. Dancing with him was amazing. There was a lot of power that I was able to discover in his pieces, he expects you to really go for it. No marking, you go for it very focused. I really like the balance between be respectful and very challenge.

What is the physical training did you do with him daily?

It depends on the project. At the beginning we had the rehearsal director giving us a warmup, strengthening out the body, in contemporary dance. Than we also dance kathak – which is the base of his work mixed with Indian classical dance, contemporary dance and also other folk dances style. Basically, the training was contemporary dance or different training (as yoga), kathak than we went to rehearsals. It’s around two or three hours. It is a very consistency training, it does not matter how much you tour, the quantity; It is important to have a good base of physical fitness. At the end of the rehearsal, we used to improve our learning and rhythm with different and challenging patterns.

For those who don’t know your work, what is the physical focus that you want to transmit to the dancers?

I think there is some feeling allow to commit. I invite them to trust in the journey and allow yourself to go deep search also questioning. It is important the quality, not even the tricks or to impress but the quality. It is not important the quantity, not what I can do but how I do it. From very virtuous physical movement versus just standing still. The focus is extremities not which movement makes me a great performer. Of course I will push in this direction, because great dancer does not mean great performer and vice versa. It is about how to transmit to the audience and space and of course we have the technique so that combination is the answer. It is important to understand the best mental approach to dance, which involves sacrifice and commitment, you also need to have trust in the journey, and allow yourself to go deep. It’s important the quality, how I do something, either a physical movement or just standing still.

Now as a choreographer what aspects of his work and your past experiences made a sign in your today’s work?

My dancing background has been versatile: I started with ballet, Philippine folk dance, my mum taught me Asian folk dance, then contemporary dance, jazz, and hip hop, I also did hip hop battles! I was always curious, I wanted to be inspired by different styles and fields. Professional of course but also remaining close to the sense of community of the popular dance. As a choreographer I’m trying to connect different styles that I have tried in my body, and I try to achieve the freedom to express through these different styles. It is from Akram: “Find your way”.  You get inspired by different techniques and styles and then make it your own, it took me a while to that. Lastly, another thing is that I like working with characters. I worked with Akram on Until the Lions and iTMOi. He uses stories but he invites every time to make it to your own.

Photo by David Scheinmann

[water7-ebooks]

shuffle your favorite playlist and post the first five songs that come up. then copy/paste this ask to your favorite mutuals <3

thank u love <3 sorry if the selection is batshit

You Can't Kill a Witch - Vertigoaway

DINNER! - femtanyl

The Bee and the Wind - Cirque Du Soleil VOLTA OST

NTR Ending (Cardiac Arrest Due to Overdose) - sewerslvt

Koi Boy - Jack Stauber

[imperium-wealth-management]

60-MINUTE SPECIAL #8 | Cirque du Soleil | CORTEO, VOLTA, TOTEM

90 minutes of excitement and focusing on next sequences of acts.

Music video conversion from past with IMAX and Cirque de Soleil sequences of kpop and background dancers and stage engineering performance and sound expertise.

[delectablywaywardbeard-blog]

Weekend a teatro tra Lino Guanciale e il Cirque du soleil

Dalla prima volta in Italia di “Lazarus” al ritorno di Beppe Grillo, passando per le meraviglie del Cirque du soleil e il XX secolo secondo Lino Guanciale. Sono alcuni degli appuntamenti teatrali in scena nel prossimo weekend.    MILANO – Non solo le indagini televisive del Commissario Ricciardi. Lino Guanciale è in teatro, al Grassi del Piccolo, con “Europeana – Breve storia del XX secolo” di…

[hilaerials]

Went to see Volta today and ahhhhhhh it was so good!! A few people gave me less than stellar reviews, but I honestly don’t see it. The movement quality of this show was downright captivating. I normally don’t take as much notice of the movement choreography on the ground, but I was very impressed and in awe of the performers. Also the lantern act and hair suspension act were even more entrancing than I could have imagined. Everything about the way they stage those two acts, the lighting, the music, the musicality, is just stunning. Those two and the unicycle hand to hand get added to my list of favorite acts (it’s so hard to pick favorites too because everything is so good).

My yearly dose of Cirque is always the best kick in the ass. I have so much to train for and I can’t wait to get right back at it. I’m inspired again to put in the hard work of training diligently so that one day I can create again 😊

[sweepseven]

Cirque du Soleil: Echo review

Another glorious visit to Montreal, this time marked by my ideal lineup of events: Odesza one night and Cirque the next. This was also my first time seeing a Cirque show in its infancy, and though the act quality was incredible and the show was packed with rare acts any GC audience is lucky to see, I regret to report that Echo has a very long way to go before it can be considered anything close to an effective show.

Evidence of its troubled development abounds. There is no unifying theme - despite what marketing materials would have you believe - and the show's utter lack of direction is made worse by deliberately muted costuming. Recognizing any but the main characters is not just impossible but an actively, maybe even deliberately pointless effort. The three main characters (though only two of them could really be called "main") are given so little room to grow and breathe that they could be eliminated altogether with no impact on the show whatsoever.

In its current state, Echo bears the combined flaws of Kurios and Volta. Like Kurios, it is a collection of unrelated acts taking place simply because they look cool. But Kurios' greatest strength is the clarity of its setting and aesthetic: it makes sense that there is no larger story there because it exists purely to have fun in a fun world, and it succeeds wildly in its effort. Kurios knows exactly what it is. Echo does not. And like Volta, it is trying and failing to tell a human story. But where Volta was strengthened by exceptionally emotional acts and memorable characters, Echo chooses to obscure emotion at every turn by dressing dozens of artists identically and covering their faces for the majority of the show.

So not only does Echo lack identity, it lacks any emotional depth. Fatal combo. BUT there are still plenty of interesting details to share, such as how this is the most racially diverse Cirque show I've ever seen (possibly to an uncomfortable degree...read on), the remarkable quality of the acts, clowns brought to you by Jeff Bezos, and a few ideas for what this show might become if it develops the way I hope it can. I want a Kooza glow up for it, not an Amaluna tornado of confusion. I fear we'll get the latter, but again, it's only two months old.

Act by act beneath the cut, juxtaposed with the official descriptions of each because the reality is so detached from the stated vision of the show.

Animation: Two identically dressed clowns get the crowd clapping. That's it, that's what ya get. Closer to the start of the show, the Cartographer walks onto the stage and looks around as though taking stock of his surroundings. At this early point I'm thinking he might be some sort of architect or guide-like character - his costume suggests something like schematics, and he moves like a very thoughtful, mature, deliberate character. I would soon be proven very wrong. Apart from this - clapping clowns and a wandering Cartographer - there is no other lead-up to the show.

Opening: Future plays fetch with her dog, Ewai, with what appears to be a doll version of the Cartographer (??? zero reason given for this). While playing they stumble upon the cube à la 2001: A Space Odyssey and it comes to life at Future's touch, rippling and reverberating thanks to some frankly stunning projections. Throughout the show the projections would prove themselves to be remarkable, however somewhat hampered by the uneven surface of the cube itself. Overall the opening is reminiscent of Kooza's, though abbreviated and utterly lacking in characterization apart from "this girl is friends with her man-dog."

Cube suspension: Official description: Animals hang in a vertical position on the CUBE, performing an acro-dance routine where we see them meeting each other as animals who share this world, discovering life, and living in harmony.

Actual experience: projections take the lead while animal-masked artists swing on cables in a performance anyone in the audience could achieve themselves given the right tools. Think Ka's Battle scene, but slower and with way worse choreography. The projections and music make it feel pretty epic and cool, but linger too long on what's actually happening and this act reveals itself to be a rather weak opening, and probably the weakest act in the whole show.

Bungee aerial straps: Official description: As the CARTOGRAPHER flies into the story, light projections track his every movement, leaving behind marks that influence the world. The animals move away from him, not knowing his intentions, but his energy and presence demand the respect of the stage.

Actual experience: a pretty standard aerial straps act until the end, when they lean more into the bungee element and it becomes cooler. It made me miss Alegria's flying man, and then Luzia's straps. It was just blank in terms of setting or emotion. The Cartographer himself carries what looks like a giant protractor or some other tool with him, so as soon as he arrives you're like wow, he's probably going to map out Future's journey to come or something! No. He leaves after this act and does not come back until the finale. He has ALL the markers of a strong guide character, and if not that, at least a recurring theme or motif. Despite having one of three unique character designs in the entire show, Echo does nothing with him. Utter waste of what could have been a cool character bearing important narrative weight.

Icarian games: Official description: Two dizzying performers come to the stage in an act of flipping and rotation that spins the story forward. Their motion acts as a machine to help DOUBLE TROUBLE extract boxes from The CUBE, moving faster and faster to speed up the process of extraction.

Actual experience: who knows or cares what the clowns are up to because these two are on absolute fire. This act blows Varekai and certainly Ka straight out of the water. The crowd was wild for it and the artists' enthusiasm and fun was infectious. ZERO notes on their performance - it was vibrant, electric perfection. I would have put this act second to amp up the energy before proceeding with the rest of the first half. The official description betrays a classic failure of this show: why is the cube a machine now? Ten seconds ago it was a geometric map, and before that it was Animal Planet. What are we "extracting"? Are we commenting on industrialization now? There are two little set pieces that lend themselves to some sort of reference to an assembly line, but they're out of place and ultimately pointless.

Double hair suspension: Official description: When some troubling questions arise, the lights reveal two FIREFLIES, beautiful artists who soar through the air suspended by their hair. Their grace and power inspire FUTURE and the DOG, giving them hope that the world can be rebuilt.

Actual experience: Wait, is the world in trouble?? Suddenly it needs to be rebuilt?? Future and Ewai seemed to be doing a-okay this entire time, and at no point was any degree of peril implied. Whatever, this act is heavenly. And I mean that literally because these artists invoked galaxies more than fireflies, in my opinion. I'd never seen a duo like this before and the audience was floored. Really really incredible. My favorite part - and the most magical part of the entire show imo - was that drone fireflies flutter out over the crowd before this act begins! It was SO enchanting!! It was a touch of the innovation and modernity I expected of Echo, and utilized to exactly the right extent. Also one conked out and fell into the audience lol.

Banquine/Korean cradle: Official description: The COLOR PAPER PEOPLE come together in a thrilling mix of banquine and human cradle acts. With the help of the CUBE and the encouragement of FUTURE, they learn to collaborate and realize the importance of having fun in a dizzying array of stunts.

Actual experience: I don't think these people needed any help or encouragement having fun, because they were up there with Icarian games for most incandescently happy artists onstage. Energy: infectious. Skill level: pinnacle. Crowd: losing it.

However. And this is weird. But I felt some kind of way about the particular brand of smiling in this act. I mentioned before that this was the most racially diverse show I've ever seen from Cirque, which I love. This was an all-Black banquine team, which I also love. But thus far the show had been very emotionally hollow, and though this was a fun, high energy act, something about the utter lack of emotional depth made their smiles look exceptionally fake, sometimes to the point of desperate. And every artist wasn't smiling: most of them were, but then you'd catch one or two that were utterly stony-faced. It makes the audience too aware of what has to be a directorial choice, one that some artists deliberately chose to ignore. The music for this act is kind of early to mid 20th century-ish, as is the choreography for the dance breaks, so in a very strange and particular way I could not get the idea of minstrelsy out of my head. I don't know. It's very very difficult to explain without seeing it in person, but my friend and I both felt an instinctual little prickle of "uhh" at some of this act's choices. I wondered how many of those choices actually belonged to the performers themselves. I would love to hear other people's opinions on this, because I know describing it here feels like a stretch.

Transition to intermission: CUE MEAT MAN. That massive ugly red puppet bursts from the cube and towers over the stage in a display that seems like it wants to be inspiring, and failing that, maybe even frightening. Instead it is neither, because the only reaction one can possibly have to seeing this is "what the fuck." The puppet itself is stunningly operated, though he is weirdly disproportionate. Why is he here? Why was he in the cube? Is it bad that he was in the cube? Has he destroyed the cube to get out? What are his intentions? Why is he business formal? These are questions whose answers will forever be unknowable to mankind. Future (remember her? she's in this show! ha!!) seems okay with him though, and hops onto his hand and up to his shoulder. And it's pretty! She does it delicately! Are we about to say something?? But by this point any attempt at theme is lonnng gone, and I became resigned to a fully meaningless show. If we knew even one single, solitary thing about Future as a character we might have an idea why any of this is happening or matters. But we don't. We had a whole 45 minutes and we didn't get there. Boom, end of first half.

Transition from intermission: Really really cool cello solo. More on the band later. I just want to remember that this part existed because it was fucking great.

Slackwire: Official description: Smoke billows from the floor, flames break out within the CUBE, and a tense double slackline act ensues, as two animals stand on a line between life and death. They will give everything they can to survive as long as they both have each other.

Actual experience: are we in survival mode? Is it Meat Man's fault???? I don't know and I don't care to find out because this was my favorite act of the night. Finally we are using the cube as something other than a projection screen, finally we have an act with any sense of gravity or depth. Animals parade behind the cube as it takes center stage, some of them carrying other seemingly dead animals on their shoulders. The artists' masks look like skulls as they slowly discard them. They walk in constant balance with one another, almost intersection, almost disrupting one another, but they never do. There's tension and stakes and, had Echo accomplished anything in its first half, potentially some meaning. This act should be the framework for rebuilding this show from the ground up. I was so impressed. No flames tonight - not sure if they were just out or if they've been cut, but I didn't feel like the act was missing anything in their absence.

Flying poles: Official description: This flying poles act features a first-of-its-kind pole apparatus named Chrysalid that is semi-attached to the stage floor. This groundbreaking performance requires exceptional strength, and signals the rebuilding of The CUBE.

Actual experience: first of its kind? Groundbreaking? Bitch this was in Volta, it was just shaped a little different. And it accomplished the same task too: showing unity between apparently disparate groups. Insects fly at the top while propelled by animals and business people in red Meat Man bowler hats. Evolution, supporting one another, coming together for a common goal, okay, we get it. I still don't know why this matters because we are an hour in and no meaning has been conveyed. More weird forced smiling that at this point I cannot keep from distracting me.

Diabolo (in for juggling): Official description: In an act of love and gratitude, the DOG breaks into a fascinating diabolo manipulation act that catches the eye of an unseen character. The FOSSORIAL appears above ground, approaching the DOG with caution and curiosity, and pushing him to be more and more creative with his flicks and tricks.

Actual experience: is juggling actually in this show? I feel like I only ever see diabolo. Either way this was pretty true to its description and it's a fun act with an incredible showcase of skill. The diabolos light up! And we get to see Ewai's face!! For a whole five minutes! And then the mask comes down again and he's gone. Whoops, close call, we almost connected with him for a second there. Wouldn't want that to happen.

Contortion/dislocation: Official description: The FOSSORIAL puts his flexibility and adaptability on full display in a contortionist act that will leave audiences stunned when the artist dislocates his limbs to maintain his loving embrace with FUTURE and Ewai The Dog.

Actual experience: apparently the Fossorial is supposed to live under the stage and always be reacting to the actions above it because "what happens on earth impacts his home below." Like, okay, fine, he does poke his head out a couple of times throughout to mess with Ewai, but much like every other character in the entire show he never seems impacted by that or anything else. I didn't spot much loving embrace either. What I DID see was a really cool act that should have made the audience deeply uncomfortable and instead takes you on such a whiplash journey you don't have much time to feel anything but amazed. This artist is remarkable in every way. Right up to the line without crossing into body horror territory. Very very cool and unique - a real standout.

Washington trapeze: Official description: When FUTURE looks up to see the final missing box flying in the air, she realizes it’s up to her to place the missing piece back into the CUBE. The Washington trapeze descends towards her in a poetic moment, as the animals return to stage to orchestrate her flight.

Actual experience: literally did not know we were rebuilding the cube until she put the final piece back in. Didn't even know it needed rebuilding. Kinda thought it just changed and adapted to fit whatever needed to happen onstage. Also very unclear on why the animals are at all invested in Future's flight, but regardless the choreography is very beautiful and it's just a treat to see this act at all. Future's artist is a fantastic aerialist and though there wasn't much swinging back and forth like we see in O, the diversity of the tricks is much wider and she uses the apparatus in ways I'd never seen before. Very strong act.

Teeterboards: Official description: In a high-flying performance, the paper animals celebrate connection and coexistence through an exhilarating triple teeterboard act. As the playful birds take flight from their teeterboards, they inject a palpable energy into the air, overjoyed by the feeling of togetherness.

Actual experience: cool that there's three, but otherwise there isn't really anything unique about this teeterboard act. A pretty bland finale act. I think the artists were having a bit of a rough night - there were some timing issues and redos, but that's circus baby, that never bothers me.

Finale: The cube takes center stage again and the animals parade around it, and slowly it revolves to reveal a kind of tableau of all the artists and animals together inside of it like a frame, which is a very cool visual. Music swells, we're all happy, and then it's over. Unfortunately this is the only Montreal Cirque performance I've seen where the cast didn't get a standing ovation from the entire audience.

Clowns: weird. Like they were fine, they got some laughs, but they neither reflected on the show nor seemed to meaningfully exist inside or outside of it. Like everyone else in the show, they were identical to one another. Both of their acts had to do with stacking boxes - which like, we get it, cube, boxes, okay, fine - but what got me was the very deliberate line of white packing tape across every box they used. In a show ostensibly about humanity's future, all I could think was Amazon Amazon Amazon. Had the show conveyed any sort of meaning, this might have been an interesting contrast to an environmentalist message. Maybe an actual commentary! Instead it just felt tacky and wasteful. Like we just watched all these animals we're supposed to care about, and now we're hefting around a dozen delivery boxes filled with nothing. I don't think this is wholly the artists' fault. Had they been given more substance to work with, they might have had a really interesting impact on the show.

Band: Beautifully featured! Gorgeously, androgynously costumed! Four vocalists! Four!! And some of the least memorable music I have ever heard from Cirque ever. Not a single song stood out, not a single one lingered in my head after it ended. They were so ancillary to the story, which might have been fine but they kept coming out onstage as though strictly to remind us that they existed in the first place. A shameful waste of immense talent.

Odds, ends, and final thoughts:

It may seem unfair to hold every act against its official description since so many successful Cirque shows and acts differ hugely from their marketing materials. But I do so here to highlight how Echo tries desperately cling to a message and theme, then abandons it at every turn. I don't even know if I would say the bones of a good show are there because I'm not convinced they are. Every element feels like it was salvaged from Under the Same Sky's scrap heap and retrofitted with just enough time to make Echo's premiere date. You couldn't make a show this disjointed. It's actually impossible. You would have to ignore every reasonable edit. But that's exactly what happened: they didn't make a new show. They just recycled an old one.

Great example: Ewai's name. "Ewai" is the first word in the only song we ever heard from UTSS, interestingly titled "Future." It's also the apparent first word of Echo's opening song, which has the same general melody as "Future" and is now called "Echo." So what, they just took a word from an existing and decided to name the dog after it? The alternative - that Ewai's name is the actual first sung word in the entire show - doesn't make sense, because Ewai has no connection to any sort of theme or journey. The only conclusion that makes sense is that he's just there, like every other detail, cherrypicked.

For real, what is the cube. It is utterly baffling to me. Is it good? Is it bad? Neutral? Did it break? Does it just transform? If it did break, are we meant to conclude that Meat Man is responsible and is a bad actor intent on destroying nature with his overtly capitalistic ways? If yes, why does Future seem to like him? If we see Future slide in the last piece, when did the cube's rebuild begin? Why have we centered a show apparently about unity and growth around such a static, angular structure? We should call the cube what it is: an UTSS holdover cum excuse not to build an actual set.

The costumes fail in exactly the way I feared during the show's development. There is no connecting with the artists because we almost never see them. Those that we see are dressed identically. Those that stand out are not given personalities or impact on the story.

Recommendations for fixes: redefine the Cartographer as a guide or architect. Position Future as a more powerful character, an instrument or inspiration for change rather than yet another stranger in a strange land. Ditch the fucking meat man, my god. Give artists unique costumes. Show artists' faces. Give us a moment to breathe and understand and enjoy.

I'm sorry for the negative review. Despite my tone it really doesn't give me much pleasure. I love Cirque and want their shows to succeed, but Echo is the kind of perfect storm I go nuts on: a wellspring of missed opportunity and untapped potential. I want to take the creation team by the shoulders and shake them until I understand how they thought this was a finished show, how they could claim to be proud of it. I'm honestly not convinced they are.

I was considering going down to DC to catch this again if I liked it, but I think I'm gonna hold off until it turns a year old or so. We saw radical transformations for Kooza, Volta, and Amaluna, all to varying degrees of success. I'd like to see elements of all those shows' developmental journeys in Echo one day, and I hope the artistic team takes the time to make the investment.

[hinakurachan]

Cirque du Soleil: Volta is a treasure and I love it so much. 😭💖

[scarletwitchie2]

February 29, 2020.

AngelinaJolie with Zahara, Vivi and the cast of the show "Volta" by Cirque du Soleil. Los Angeles, United States.

[wuwmmdraws]

Waz triptych - Super Elite / Free / Grey

an homage to both narratives of Volta and Waz’s stages of his life

(Sept. 2020)