Cirque du Soleil: Quidam

I like plays and modern dance and even the occasional opera. However, I also like the Olympics and the Utah Jazz and the awe of the human physical body they inspire. Bringing the best of these worlds together is Cirque du Soleil, combining the raw athleticism of sports with the delicate humanity of the performing arts. Everybody wins.

Quidam, like all of Cirque’s shows, has a loose plot. This one revolves around a young girl who escapes into a dream world, and is taught to be herself and let her child spirit be free (or something). These life lessons come in the form of acrobatics and juggling and aerial contortion and—one of my favorite circus acts—the German Wheel. Never heard of it? Well, that’s what YouTube is for.

Don’t think you’re too cool for Cirque du Soleil. If nothing else, you can tell your friends you just went for the hard bodies in unitards.

(Rob Tennant)