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Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Day 300- International Festival of First- Cirque Eloize:Hotel -All Just Passing Through






Cirque Eloize:Hotel  made its world premier in Pittsburgh and kicked off the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts. Since 1993, the Canadian company, Cirque Eloizehas preformed  a modern circus  that merges  live music, acrobatics and dance. I have never been a big fan of traditional circuses but   Cirque Eloise: Hotel is a contemporary circus and a theatrical creation using these art forms to tell a story of lives passing through this grand 1920’s  hotel. (see preview here)


Reflection
Immersive Art-Beyond till Oct 26th in Pgh

Every four years since 2004, The Pittsburgh Festival of Firsts  (Festival) has bought  inventive and unique international never before seen art forms to the city. From September 21 through November 11, 2018 this festival will  energize the city with a multitude  of performances and art from 30 international companies and artists that represent 20 different countries. Throughout the city you can experience immersive art (Beyond), visual art (Nonotak), (Machine Culture) and more. The world premier, Cirque Eloize: Hotel   jump started the Festival’s performances with this story telling chic circus.


This circus was  not under the big top but in a 1920’s Art Deco designed hotel. The dim lit set and costumes with hues of purples, grays and blues could have fit in a good Alfred Hitchcock Film or the Hotel Cortez from the episode Checking Inn  of the television show, American Horror Story. 

 
Instead of a three ring circus - three triangular back drop
Instead of  a three ring circus, the hotel  had three  triangular back drop compartments  with  continual movement of travelers, acrobatic climbers, musicians, or singers. The dancing and the “circus acts” occurred at stage center. Your eyes jumped around  the set watching all the mysterious activity.


The show opened with  a traveler entering the hotel and meeting his friend in an embrace. The acrobats stayed connected as they entwined, twisted and flipped. The show’s music was jazzy and at times sultry with a twist of an indie vibe when Sabrina Halde’s added her vocals. This was not what I expected but it was hypnotic as I absorbed it all. 

The performers did it all-danced, acrobatics and even played instruments. 
The strength  of the performers was impressive as they were acrobats, dancers and even played instruments. The bellhop who was encompassed  in large circle, wobbled circular patterns across the stage. There was a tightrope walker and juggling with hoops and balls into buckets. My favorite was a women rope climber that maneuvered  along the vertical rope with the smoothness of a slithering snake as a saxophone played behind her. 

The show injected dance numbers and  like all circuses, comic relief between the acts. We laughed at the cleaver love story between  two pieces of luggage that was told with pantomime! 

Tuedon Ariri with her long legs and flexibility glided with grace in aerial straps. The show had some breath taking moments as it ended with a variety of continual pole climbing and some fast falling that hauled the performer's head  inches from the stage.


I enjoyed this modern circus with its theatrical thread. Watching Cirque Eloize Hotel  I thought about  all the people who have woven in and out of my own life and all the relationships that I have made along  life's  journey- we are all just passing through. 

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust by bringing these never before seen shows gives us all an opportunity to see things like a child does  because it is so new. No matter how long you have been on this earth, don’t miss the opportunity to see something new for the first time by trying a show or art installation during the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts!

(Cirque Eloise Hotel at the Benedum runs September 25-30,2018. For the Cirque Eloize:Hotel tour schedule go here. For more information about the Pittsburgh International Festival of First go to Trustarts.org)
  
Spiritual Source

The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 127:8)

Other Sources
Festival https://trustarts.org/pct_home/events/groups/pittsburgh-international-festival-of-firsts
Cirque Eloise https://www.cirque-eloize.com/en/