Cavalia's Odysseo

The best I can say is it is one of the most professionally presented shows I have ever seen.  I have been trying to come up with the right words to explain this show, other than 'phenomenal', because I am sure that is how most everyone describes it.

Bill and I attended a mid-week performance last week as an anniversary gift to ourselves, justifying the amount of money spent - but it was more than justified!  I went expecting to see a great 'horse performance', but it is soooo much more.  Everything about the show exuded excellence in performers, from the equines and riders/trainers to the musicians, acrobats, aerialists, dancers ... and on and on.  Pictures weren't allowed, and rightly so.  You needed to just sit and watch, and take it all in.

It did indeed have wonderful horse sessions, some with horses performing at liberty (without any gear), doing their trainers desires at the mere motion of a finger.  Other sets had riders performing jumps and precision teamwork.

The big surprise for me was the sessions of music, dancers, acrobats and gymnasts that performed among the horses.  The landscaping inside the big tent lent itself to a desert dune scene, which was changed constantly with the help of finely engineered sets and a super projection system.  At different times you were in a rain forest, or on the desert, or in a winter snow storm, or a summer thunderstorm.

This show had 61 horses performing at one time or another: 21 stallions and 40 geldings.  That alone amazes!  They were all in excellent condition, as were the performers - but you could certainly see why as you watched the tricks that they did.  The African music performed on authentic 'jungle drums' with the dances made you feel like you were peeking through the trees at a ceremony.

The carousal that dropped down from the center of the tent, complete with horses, poles and pole dancers,  started turning and horses on the ground performed around it.   I have a new found respect for 'pole dancers', along with the hoop dancers and the ones scaling the long pieces of fabric dropped from the ceiling.

The finale was a super exhibition of dressage by a single performer, while the other horses were doing precision 'military' work around them.  I can't imagine the concentration on the rider's and horse's minds.  True partnership.

If you ever get a chance to enjoy one of these shows, know that you will be amazed!
Bionic Cowgirl

I took a picture of our mugs.  Juanita thinks the 2 white ones look like her horses.  I've seen them move like that when there was food was involved...