Everything about the evening was magical. The show was amazing. The skill of the acrobats and their generous performances were tremendous.
Each movement of the performers was so intricate that they could not afford not to be present. One mis-step and they would injure not only themselves but their fellow performers as well. Being in the moment for them is not optional, but rather a requirement in order to operate at the level of mastery which they need to accomplish their acrobatic feats. In the beginning of the show, for example, a robber steals a package and runs away. He is chased and caught by a policeman on a bicycle. The cop & robber perform an intricate dance in which the cop goes on one tire & jumps around the torso of the robber who is on his back on the floor. At one point, the cop on the bike jumps around the thief's torso and hops on his front tire from one side of his head to the other, over his face!
It was quite engaging to be in the presence of so many gifted people totally vibrant & completely in the moment. They gave so much of themselves, and I was moved by their artistry and spirit.
Miche & I found the audience amusing. A typical jaded NY audience sat while onstage, performers jumped backwards & forwards, juggled 7 pins, leapt into the air. The smaller children were enraptured, but many of the older children and adults seemed unfazed by the magic going on in front of them. At one point, Miche asked me "What do they have to do to get real applause from this NY audience?"
At the end of the show, paper snowflakes floated down over the entire theater, covering performers and audience members alike. Just then I felt about six years old, and I'm not too proud to admit I had tears rolling down my cheeks.
I am so grateful to my friend, Micheline, for inviting me. Truth be told, she had to ask me twice. At first, I believed the story that I was afraid of the circus, but then I chose to put that aside and boy am I glad I did!
No comments:
Post a Comment