Once again, Cirque du Soleil has descended upon Atlanta with yet another spectacular show. This time they are performing Dralion, a magical blend of Eastern and Western culture that celebrates the harmonious balance between nature and man.
The stunts are spectacular, the music enthralling and the costume design beautiful. Fans of Cirque du Soleil will not be disappointed.
Unlike previous performances in Atlanta, this time around Cirque opted to present their magical show indoors at Philips Arena and Gwinnett Center.
The show was still amazing despite its indoor location and because the set-up time was shorter without the signature blue and yellow Grand Chapiteau, Cirque was able to perform at two locations in a shorter period of time, making their show available to a wider audience.
As suggested by its name, Dralion, which is a mystical creature composed of half a dragon and half a lion, is all about blending Eastern and Western culture.
As a result, the four elements of nature, air, earth, water and fire, are all represented by actors clothed in the style of various different cultures from all around the world.
Unlike last year’s Ovo, Dralion did not seem to have an overarching story unifying the various acts. It was a celebration of the blending of cultures, punctuated by brief comedic interludes in the form of four hilarious clowns.
This structure worked well, allowing for a faster paced show, although a little more unification would have been nice.
As can be expected from a Cirque show, the stunts were nothing short of breathtaking.
There were aerial acrobatics including an intense aerial hoop ballet sequence performed by the Air character.
The audience watched with bated breath as she seamlessly glided about her hoop in various positions, all while twirling perilously in midair.
There was also a romantic aerial Pas de Deux in which two star-crossed lovers performed impressive acrobatic feats while simultaneously intertwining themselves through long ribbons suspended in the air.
Along with the aerial acrobatics there were also equally as impressive ground acts.
One performer exhibited amazing strength and balance as she slowly executed various poses all while balancing on one hand.
There was an amazing juggling act as well as a trampoline sequence which brought back the signature trampoline backdrop straight from Ovo.
While these acts were all breathtaking, they were also previously featured in Ovo. Thankfully, Cirque du Soleil included a few new ones, including a bamboo pole act in which six men carefully balanced long decorative poles while performing complicated choreography sequences.
The six pairs of performers also brought six of dralions to life by perilously balancing on large moving wooden balls.
The various costumes worn by the performers were all beautifully made and drew inspiration from China, India and Africa with strong vibrant colors and elaborate shapes.
The set was also impressive, although not nearly as remarkable as last year’s Ovo.
Overall this show was well designed and beautifully executed.
While there were one or two small mishaps during the stunts, the professional way in which the performers were able to recover and continue as if nothing had happened was commendable.
A cohesive story line would have been nice, but clearly this show was meant to be a celebration of culture and the quest for balance between nature and man, something which they definitely achieved.