If you have traveled along Hwy 101 near the San Jose Airport, you can’t miss the White Big Top which is currently home to Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse. Cavalia is an innovative multi-media and multi-disciplinary production created by Normand Latourelle, one of the co-founders of Cirque du Soleil. It truly is an amazing show!
Opening night was Wednesday, July 18, 2012 and the show will run in San Jose, CA through August 12, 2012. My three daughters and I were lucky enough to be among the sold out crowd on opening night. The big top tent is amazing to see! At 110 ft. high, it is equivalent to the height of a ten-story building, and the stage is the width of an NFL football field. Be prepared for a walk up a few flights of stairs if your seats are not at ground level. Seating is tight as the audience is on one side of the tent and the rest of the arena is used for the magical performance. My daughters were worried they wouldn’t be able to see past the taller individuals in front of them, but this all passed as they were mesmerized by the horses, dancers, acrobats and riders and didn’t notice the obstruction with so much taking place throughout the show.
Cavalia explores humankind’s longstanding relationship with the horse. The story line evolves with no spoken words. A singer guides you through transitions in time along with some incredible scenery changes projected around the big top that left me wondering how they did it! The 49 horses in Cavalia were beautiful. It was amazing to watch them with their riders and see how they all responded to each other. The precision in which the horses, riders, acrobats, and dancers interact leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat.
I loved watching my girls clap after every stunt or act was performed. And they each had a different favorite part of the show. One loved the acrobats, one the Roman Riding, and the last the Grande Liberte. There was something magical for everyone. The show wasn’t perfectly performed with a few minor falls and a horse getting too close to the ring, but this brought the reality of how difficult the tasks the performers and the horses were executing and helped the audience appreciate this a bit more.
I was a bit disappointed in the concessions for this event. While I liked getting cotton candy and popcorn as if we were at the circus (and my girls LOVED this), I thought that $4 for a bottled water was a bit pricey. There was also wine and beer available for purchase. The show was 3 hours long with a 30 minute intermission, which made for a late night for my girls. If you are planning to take young ones, I would recommend one of the matinees, as the second act is not to be missed. Also, allow yourself plenty of time before the show, as it’s not an easy arrival at 7:25 to get to your seat by 7:30 venue. We gave ourselves an hour which was plenty of time to get our snacks and check things out before going to sit.
Prior to the show there is a short presentation about the burrowing owl population in the Santa Clara Valley. Cavalia has teamed with the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and is donating $1 of each ticket sold to support preserving the burrowing owls. After the show, we stayed to hear a question and answer session that was meant for those waiting to go on the stable tours as part of their Cavalia experience. We really enjoyed this and learned a lot from the rider about the show and the riders relationships with their horses in the show. We also learned that two of the horses in the show were rescued and Cavalia will find them new homes soon and then take on two more horses as rescues.
Tickets are available online at www.cavalia.net or by calling 1-866-999-8111. Tickets range in price from $44.50-$139.50 + applicable fees, with an additional extended experience from $169.50-$239.50 that include items such as stable tours and a cocktail/dinner reception. *Note:photography not allowed, press photos were given.
About Julie: I’m a 41 year old (and yes that seems old) SAHM, independent demonstrator with Uppercase Living, a self-taught artist/crafter (whichever term you want to put with what I create), and former social worker. My life revolves around myself, husband, son (12), daughter (9), and twin daughters (7). That makes 6 to keep up with! We have an active family who loves the outdoors, scouting, swimming, and volunteering. You can find me at http://juliecorrigan.
Tickets to the show were provided, but the experience and opinions are my own.
