Sometimes 47 horses are just too many
Normand Latourelle, co-founder of Cirque Du Soleil, the Canadian-based acrobatics troupe of much critical acclaim branches out into non-human venues with Cavalia, his newest show. Cavalia, a display of synergy between man and horse is at times awe-inspiring, but it also has stretches of insipid boredom for non-horse lovers.
The show, currently playing in an immense white tent near the Pentagon City metro station, is an impressive display of love between horses and their trainers. The show features 47 horses, including 22 stallions, which are apparently more difficult to train.
The fantastic costumes of the horse trainers and acrobats range from peasant garb to cowboy costumes to flowing outfits that are reminiscent think of the elves' garb from "Lord of the Rings". All fit well with the scene and are well-made.
The music emanates from a space behind the stage where a live band is playing. This space sometimes lights up to allow the audience a view of the musicians. The music is resounding and generally succeeds in getting the audience into the correct mood of playfulness or somber introspection depending on the scene. However, it in a few spots where it just seems too serious for the scene and it made me entirely miss the fact that a bit with horses standing up and sitting down when the trainer was instructing them not to was, in fact, a joke.
The set is truly amazing. It features movable curtains that transform it from a straight rectangle of sand to a oblong track with a raised stage in the middle. Water is used in a disappearing and reappearing pool in the middle as well as a screen upon which images are projected while it falls from the ceiling into the sand below.
The short periods of acrobatics interspersed with the horse-play are truly fantastic, and it's easy to see the influence of Cirque Du Soleil, known for its acrobatic feats, on this show. However, for someone who doesn't know much about horses, the parts just featuring the animals and trainers were simply too long. While parts of the audience were cheering wildly at what I presume must have been difficult moves, my untrained eyes only saw horses walking diagonally.
For horse-lovers, this show truly offers an amazing and visceral experience. For those who don't know much about horses, the show has moments of beauty, but many times, it simply fails to be interesting.
Alexander Gold. Alex Gold is a CAP Senior. He vastly prefers being at a NFTY event, at Sheridan, or at a workout with Tompkins Karate Association to being at school. While he's there, SCO seems to be an excellent place to devote his energies. Alex someday aspires … More »
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