Monday, September 26, 2011

Cavalia!!!!

What a great weekend!!! The weather was friggin' amazing!!! It was sunny and hovering around the 24C mark.  Saw my boy on Friday and Sunday.

Saturday I went to see Cavalia. Cavalia is a production put on the by same people that brought us Cirque du Soleil. Amazing, fantastic, unbelievable, beautiful, enchanting, gorgeous are just a few of the words I would use to describe this show.....those and O.M.G.

I went with Jean, her mother and CA. CA was the only one that had seen Cavalia before, but this show was the newer Cavalia 2, so none of use knew what to expect. Having seen Cirque du Soleil many years ago, I knew the music would be great and the sets visually beautiful and engaging.

The show is done in a tent set up . I am not sure how many people the theatre held, but it couldn't have been more than 3000 people??? The small group made it very intimate. There was no "nose bleed" section. :-) Our seats were in the 2nd row!!! Cameras were not allowed, so the pictures that you see below were taken from reviews of the first production of Cavalia that I found on the Internet.

The smaller tents in the back are actually the stables.

It's hard to describe the new stage layout. It was maybe 150 feet across, with quite a steep hill at the back of the stage and level at the front. It was covered in black large grain sand, sort of volcanic looking. Sheer curtains with scenes painted on them combined with lights were the backdrops for the different acts. Musicians and singers were located on either side of the stage, one level up.

Imagine my surprise when Arabians, Andalusians, Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas and a CANADIAN came galloping out at the beginning of the show. I guess I was expecting matching horses like the RCMP Musical Ride or the Lipizzaners. Their handlers had been waiting in the middle of the stage and the horses galloped around them in a large circle, eventually slowing down to find their specific handler. They then followed their handler in a synchronized sort of dance; no halter, not lead rope, no treats. It was beautiful. Jean started to get teary eyed. :-)


There was an Andalusian horse that just didn't want to participate in one act and kept trotting out of line and wondering about. No one stopped him. They simply worked around him and eventually convinced him through gentle persuasion to participate. There was some stallion attitude evident on more than one occasion. Ears pinned, the odd little kick. But these displays did not detract from the performance. In fact, in my mind they enhanced it. It showed that these horses are still able to be horses even if they are in a show.

 This video is of Cavalia I


The sets were stunning and an engineering and lighting marvel.  According to CA, this performance is much different from Cavalia I.   The sets changed from desert to jungle, through the different seasons and on to fantasy seamlessly. The horses and performers would enter the stage either from the sides or come up over the hill at the back of the stage, making the whole experience 3 dimensional. The music was also wonderful and really set the mood of each Act. The horses did not perform "tricks". Their involvement was more of an enhancement to the acrobatic moves performed by their handlers, while at the same time, the handlers were enhancing the beauty of the horses. The horses moved in a natural and free way.  When the horses were being ridden with a saddle, they were either bitless or had snaffle bits. The custom saddles used were a mix of Western and English; the seat and padding were like English, but the stirrups and a horn were Western.  I can't be 100% certain, but it looked like all were shod. 


I LOVED the show. What impressed me was that these horses were relaxed and having fun. It was gentle.  On more than one occasion, at the end of an act, they stood looking at the audience, ears up eyes bright.  In fact, I think some of their bouncy kick-up-my-heels behaviour while performing was a direct response to our happiness. :-) Here's a holy-crap-did-I-just-see-that? moment:  An acrobat, riding a horse, got out of his saddle, went underneath the horse and out the other side and back into the saddle....AT A GALLOP! I don't know how he didn't get clocked in the head!


During one act, there were 34 horses on stage. 34 horses!  Incredible. One scene that actually got me choked up a bit was when they filled the bottom of the stage with water and the horses galloped around free, up the hill, back down and through the water. Stunning.

We were pumped when we left the tent.   We were so excited we were talking over each other.  :-)    So, there are no if, ands, or buts about it.  You have to go!   You just have to!  It will inspire you and only enhance your relationship with your horse.  :-)  Boy, I want to have that connection with Gem!!  I want to be able to run beside him without a lead....OK, OK...maybe not run, but at least jog.  :-)





26 comments:

  1. yes! Cavalia! I saw it on New Years Eve last year- absolutely amazing! I loved the foals, and thought it was funny when they misbehaved. Did you go on the stable tour afterwards? We were fortunate to wander around the horse tents to see them afterwards- they keep the stable-tents perfectly temperature controlled! thanks for your review :)

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  2. I'm so jealous! I was going to go when they were here but we didn't end up having the time. Are Linus and Cricket still part of the show? Linus is a little paint colt and Cricket is a little roan colt. When Cavalia was in Alberta they adopted them from the same rescue that we adopted my sister's horse from, so I have a soft spot for them. I know when they were in Alberta, Linus and Cricket were at the beginning of the show.

    What I love about Cavalia is that they use all breeds in their show.

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  3. You decribed it so wonderfully! I sure hope they come to my little neck of the woods. I will do some searching and see if there is a schedule. I hope so! One word comes to mind for me, Sexy. Neat stuff.

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  4. Jealous!! No chance that they'll ever come to Ireland...sigh

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  5. Corrina - The babies were not little any longer! :-) No we didn't go into the stables. CA did when she went the first time. I think I might next time I go.

    Cjay - I can't tell you if Linus and Cricket are part of the show. This production is so new the programs were still at the printers! Cool that they were adopted in Alberta.

    Mary - Sexy....yep, that's a good desription too! Even if you have to drive a couple of hours to see it (road trip!!), it's worth it.

    twohorses - You will just have to come to Montreal then. :-)

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  6. Sounds like a wonderful evening and show. I'd love to see it sometime if they ever come around here. I think instead of jogging next to Gem you should try the around the horse dismount/remount at a gallop!

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  7. Wow! That would be amazing to see! I wonder if they will ever come to my area. . .
    So incredible!

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  8. How lovely that they allow horses to be horses! Great review-I would love to see it if it came anywhere near us here in MI.

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  9. I just checked their site, and the show travels all over North America! Check it out: http://www.cavalia.net/en/

    GHM - You crack me up. If you actually saw me mounting and dismounting, you would realize how really funny your suggestion is! :-)

    Allison - It was fabulous. Go see it!!

    Sarah - I think that's what really makes it such an awesome experience...the horses do things willingly and naturally.

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  10. I saw the show last time they toured the US -- a couple years ago and I still remember sooooo much of it. so wonderful! Have you read the book by the couple that train the horses? It's all gentle and fun - they are amazing people and it shows in how relaxed and happy the horses are. I'd love to see it again!

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  11. Annette - Check out their site. Apparently this new production is bigger than the last one and they will be touring with it next year. I am going to have to see if I can get my hands on that book! :-)

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  12. Thanks for the review. I trotted over here from Winter's blog when I saw you had seen Cavalia, as I've always wanted to go see it. The closest they've come to me is Denver, CO, though, and it's just not been feasible. Next time they come close enough to NM to travel there, I'm going, though. Your personal review has really motivated me even more.

    ~Lisa

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  13. Hello Lisa! Welcome! I really hope you get to see it. When you see the beauty of the horses moving and looking happy it takes your breath away.

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  14. Wow, that looks like it would have been fun! I wish they would come to Australia, I would love to see the show.

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  15. Hi Megan! Perhaps you need to visit Canada....??? :-) BTW, my sister lived in Perth for a year and I have relatives just outside Sydney.

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  16. I think it was fantastic you got to go! I would be one to tear up for the sheer beauty too! Thanks for this really great post...I'm so checking the schedule!!
    KK

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  17. allhorsestuff - There were times it took your breath away! Thanks for stopping by!!

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  18. Wow!! It sounds like ti was absolutely amazing :)

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  19. Ruffles - It was! You and Ritchie look great, btw!

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  20. horse care courses - You never know...the show might make it to the UK. :-) Thanks for stopping by!

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  21. Okay, now you are in trouble! I'm probably going to have to spend my cookie jar money on a trip to see this show! Thank you for writing it up, am headed over to see when they get in the general area...

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  22. Nice! I wonder if they'll be near me anytime soon...

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  23. Breathe, Shannon - you would LOVE the new show.

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  24. I am going to see Cavalia in Portland, Oregon in November. I have two Canadian Horses myself, hope I get to see theirs in the show!

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  25. Hi Ken - I am sure you will enjoy the show! Yay, Canadians! :-)

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