A CIRCUS FOR CHRISTMAS

F. J. Hartland

Until last night, I was not familiar with Cirque Dreams and their current production Holidaze.

Today if I had to describe it, I would say it’s one part music, one part dance and several parts circus (without the animals acts).

Set in a world of giant nutcrackers, wrapped holiday packages and bows and holiday ornaments, Holidaze is an international three-ring circus filling the stage of Heinz Hall with color and movement.  There are spinning plates, gymnastics and high flying aerials acts, all performed to holiday tunes.

While all the acts are entertaining, some go on too long.

Others, however, are stand-outs.

 The muscular American Rocco Lapaire performs gravity defying acts of strength with a giant candy cane in “Movin’ Up.” 

From China Qiang Xie and Jian Zhang appear in “A Chill in the Air,” and their acts of power and balance will give you goose bumps.

Latvian Victor Dodonov shows great control as he balances on a variety of cylinders in “Penguins Slide.”

A very funny segment is when audience members are persuaded in assisting with musical effects in “A Symphony of Bells,” under the comic conducting of Brazilian Ptereson Jardim.

A final highlight is “Angels in Flight: as Ukranians Dmytro Deyneko and Svitlana Gurancky are high flying angels, suspended in mid-air with flowing fabric.

The singing is quite good, but at times the sound system is overpowering and drowns out the lyrics by Jill Winters and David Scott.

Director Neil Goldberg fills the stage with many visuals—sometimes bordering on overload.  I am sure I was missing part of the gymnastics as Christmas trees danced across the stage or missed some juggling when someone on a bicycle raced across the stage.

If you like the circus, in particular specialty acts, then Holidaze is the show for you.

Holidaze continues through December 26.