KOOZA!

My sister HN came to visit this week. She flew in to Portland on Friday and we picked her up in the late morning. We went to Hoyt Arboretum and walked around – it was a windy but mostly sunny day. After tacos for lunch, we walked around a lot and then crashed in Starbucks until it was time to board the streetcar to go see Cirque Du Soleil!

KOOZA was a totally amazing show. They definitely take Circus to the level of art. Under the “Big Top” on a circular stage we saw beautiful and death-defying feats. I really liked the unicycle duo – carrying on a flirtation with more elaborate balancing tricks. At one point he got going really fast while swinging her around on his shoulders – sort of an in-motion fireman’s carry – wow!

Just before intermission were the tightrope walkers. It was so nerve-wracking I could barely enjoy it – So. Much. Tension! And one guy slipped and caught himself by grabbing the wire. It was a relief to stand up and walk around a bit.

After intermission we saw that they had installed a huge shiny structure that consisted of a gerbil-wheel see-saw contraption. This was during the “underworld” themed portion of the show and two burly guys with horns on their heads came out and started vigorously running inside the two wheels, causing the whole thing to spin. They went faster and faster, and each would jump at the point when his ring was highest, appearing to levitate within it. THEN, one of the men got onto the outside of the ring and started running on it like a treadmill. He would jump, right when he was at the highest point, and I couldn’t help screaming – he had no safety wire, there was no net, I was convinced I’d see him fall to his death. It was the most insane stunt I’ve ever seen in my life. (In person. I’ve seen YouTube footage of those squirrel-suit nutters who jump off of cliffs…)