AMALUNA | FEMININITY CELEBRATED

Cirque du Soleil never ceases to amaze me. I am in awe of the skill, strength, and talent that the performers demonstrate on the Cirque stage. With a magical enchanted island set and beautiful costumes, Amaluna, a fusion of the words ama, which refers to “mother”, and luna, which means “moon”, showcases eleven acts, including aerial straps, juggling, teeterboard, uneven bars, unicycle, dance, acrobatics, and one of my favourites of the show, tight rope; where the artists not only danced the tango on the tight wire, but also wore high heels and ‘en pointe’ ballet shoes. Another memorable performance is the act named ‘Manipulation’, where we witness the ‘Balance Goddess’ create an impressive mobile made of thirteen palm leaf ribs. This was a performance that was breathtaking and I’m pretty sure everyone under the Cirque du Soleil tent was holding their breath in anticipation of the creation of this mobile structure. Amaluna also brings the element of water into the mix where a challenging hand-balancing routine is performed with graceful moments of diving into a water bowl presented on stage.

Amaluna, for the first time at Cirque du Soleil, presents a cast of 70% female, including an all-female band. “Amaluna is a tribute to the work and voice of women,” explains Director of Creation, Fernand Rainville. “The show is a reflection on balance from a woman’s perspective”. Show Director, Diane Paulus adds, “Amaluna is less about feminism and more about reconnecting to our world in a different way.”

 

THE AMALUNA STORY

Amaluna invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by Goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon. Their queen, Prospera, directs her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony in a rite that honours femininity, renewal, rebirth and balance which marks the passing of these insights and values from one generation to the next.

In the wake of a storm caused by Prospera, a group of young men lands on the island, triggering an epic, emotional story of love between Prospera’s daughter, Miranda, and a brave young suitor named Romeo. But theirs is a love that will be put to the test. The couple must face numerous demanding trials and overcome daunting setbacks, including Cali, a half-lizard, half-human, who is in love with Miranda, and is determined to prevent Romeo from winning her.

 

Amaluna premiered to the world with its first show in Montreal April 2012. The show is currently in Vancouver until January 13, 2013. For full details on dates and more about the show, visit here.

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