Show review: Cirque du Soleil swings into Atlantic City
High-flying 'Alegria' is jam-packed with show-stopping tricks
Alegria,’ the new traveling circus show by Cirque du Soleil, kicked off the first of eight performances Thursday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. By REGINA SCHAFFER, For The Press pressofAtlanticCity.com
Sat Apr 9, 2011.
ATLANTIC CITY - There is something uniquely captivating about a Cirque du Soleil show. Take, say, the baton twirler clad in all white, who takes center stage with a series of head-turning acrobatic turns and twists, the baton's ribbon making wide circles behind her. A silver hula hoop is added to the mix - first spinning around her arm, and then her leg, which is extended (somehow) over her head. A second hoop is added. The baton is tossed back and traded for a third hoop. And then a fourth hoop. And then, a fifth. The woman stands on stage, all five hoops perfectly balanced on different limbs of the body, all spinning with precision. It's bizarre. It's magical. And it's all part of Cirque's allure.
For the first time in five years, Cirque du Soleil has returned to the resort, this time with the critically-acclaimed "Alegria," which kicked off the first of eight performances Thursday night and runs through Sunday at Boardwalk Hall. "Alegria" features all of the stunning acrobatics Cirque shows are famous for, including synchronized trampoline choreography criss-crossing from four sides, and some gravity-defying balancing acts, with one-handed upside-down poses held precariously atop thin metal poles. The "is that guy really doing that?" factor is pretty high when an acrobat not only appears to bend in half, but does it 5 feet off the ground with one hand on a square just a few inches wide for balance. This particular Cirque show started out light on the trapeze tricks - something seen in many of the other Cirque installments - but in its place were some unique twists. "Alegria's" fire dancers, in particular, were amazing to watch as they tossed burning sticks like they were Nerf balls, all before lighting the floor on fire and dancing above the flames (while still twirling said sticks). 
All Cirque shows typically include some element of circus clowning, and "Alegria" is a bit heavier on it than most. But surprisingly, the simple, goofy bits - mostly featuring two clowns with props like paper airplanes and bicycle handles - went over as well with the adults as the children in the crowd (who could be heard giggling throughout the hall). Clowns run the risk of becoming annoying rather quickly, but with these guys, one couldn't help but smile, which proves clowning really can be an art. But the truly show-stopping tricks of "Alegria" were the final marquee stunts, as a half dozen acrobats climbed ladders to the rafters of Boardwalk Hall to swing, twirl and flip - using only each other as handles. At one point, four of the acrobats formed a human trapeze of sorts, flying back and forth and leaping back onto the rafters. Perfect execution for these movements is not only necessary, it's the difference between a neat trick and a stunt gone horribly wrong. At a Cirque show, that is part of what keeps the audience as amazed as they are nervous. Whether people come for the nail-biting factor or just an entertaining acrobatic show, "Alegria" does not disappoint. 
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