Travelsmartplanet

Odysseo, the horse centric show, is awesome family entertainment which will WOW every member. If you can imagine taking Cirque du Soleil up a notch by marrying it with a team of gifted equestrians, this would be their offspring.

The show has acrobats, blade-running acrobats and horse acrobats – each team outdoing the other in their antics. There are raucous horses racing through jumps and quiet ballet-like riderless horses dancing to the whims of their female horse whisperer, Sylvia Zerbini.

Then why not throw in some African drumming, singing and dancing – for peace. When you combine 70 horses with 50 performers and all the high technology, multimedia and special effects, you create magic on stage.

The carousel pole acrobatics is  a charming setting for the melange of horse and rider/acrobats, but the white fabric/rope acrobatic act is the perfect “10” for each of the costume designer, set designer, lighting, artistic director and the acrobats themselves.

It’s hard to imagine it fitting into a tent setting, but horses appear on mountaintops, in an ice-scape, the woods, walking down hills, in rain storms, galloping as fast as the wind and even and splashing in a waterfront finale.

This time we attended with a youngster who had enjoyed horse camp this summer. She loved figuring out the equine trivia questions before the show started. In her child-like mind she imagined “horses dancing like people at a party”. We glanced occasionally at her face as she sat in awe, riveted to the stage watching instead a seamless ballet of people and horses.  And she was really hoping to get splashed by the playful horses.

Don’t wait – book tickets now as the run has been extended to Oct 21 and the price reduced to $60.  If you can afford it, the Rendez-vous VIP package, including dinner (roast beef and shrimp options) with an open bar, popcorn and drinks to take in to the show, a dessert buffet at intermission

(so Quebec-like with cheese there too), a stable visit, and a souvenir, really makes the evening special. This is a great idea for a do-ahead holiday gift for anyone – take the family, join co-workers or have fun with friends.

Location: Odysseo White Big Top at the corner of the boul. Rene-Levesque and De Lorimier
Tel: 866-999-8111
Dates: til Oct 21
www.cavalia.com
www.facebook.com/cavalia

Odysseo, the horse centric show, is awesome family entertainment which will WOW every member. If you can imagine taking Cirque du Soleil up a notch by marrying it with a team of gifted equestrians, this would be their offspring.

The show has acrobats, blade-running acrobats and horse acrobats – each team outdoing the other in their antics. However, at the same time, all the way through you will see members giving each other the high five in appreciation of each other’s work. Sweet.

There are raucous horses racing through jumps and quiet ballet-like riderless horses dancing to the whims of their female horse whisperer, Elise Verdoncq.

The carousel pole acrobatics is  a charming setting for the melange of horse and rider/acrobat but the white fabric/rope acrobatic act is the perfect “10” for each of the costume designer, set designer, lighting, and the acrobats themselves.

It’s hard to imagine it fitting into a tent setting, but horses appear on mountaintops, in ice caves, the woods, walking down hills, galloping as fast as the wind and even and splashing in a waterfront finale.

Don’t wait, book tickets now.  Great idea for Dad for Father’s Day.

Location: Odysseo White Big Top at the corner of the Metropolitan & Decarie Boulevards
1425 Dion Street, Montreal (QC), H4N 2C3
Tel: 866-999-8111
Dates: June 17-July 19
www.cavalia.net
www.facebook.com/cavalia

This summer is your moment to finally get to see Cirque du Soleil AND enjoy a beach vacation at the same time. The show KOOZA  will be performing under their iconic blue and yellow tent from July 17 to August 16. If Patrick John Ross is playing Trickster, say hello from us.

However, Virginia Beach is way more than a beach and a circus full of fun:

– Zip through the trees at The Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium
– Fly in a vintage airplane at the Virginia Military Aviation Museum
– Share the water with dolphins on an ocean kayaking excursion
– Eat a fresh oyster dinner, on a table in the middle of the water where you just caught them
–  Have a paragliding adventure
– Learn to hang ten – go surfing
– Take a selfie in the sky in the Cape Henry Lighthouse
– Pick fresh crab and then eat it fresh – on newspaper with the tide rolling in

www.visitvirginiabeach.com

If you keep driving North on I-95, cut off onto the  NY Thruway and then straight up I-87 you will arrive right in Montreal. Only 6 1/2 hours from NYC, you will find the Festival City.

The summer starts on the edge with the Fringe Festival (www.montrealfringe.ca), then lights up with the Fireworks Festival (www.internationaldesfeuxloto-quebec.com/en/), jives to the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal  (www.montrealjazzfest.com) , and then giggles into the Comedy Festival (www.hahaha.com), and mov(i)es in to the World Film Festival (www.ffm-montreal.org/en_info_fest.html).

The newest kids on the street are the International Startup Festival (www.startupfestival.com/en/) and Circus Festival (www.montrealcompletementcirque.com/)l .

The International  Startup Festival  (www.startupfestival.com/en/) is a two-day conference (July 14 & 15) on the business of internet startups. It brings together industry veterans and fresh faces, thought leaders and technology giants from around the world, The festival brings a global audience together to cover the entire startup lifecycle: early-stage innovation; scaling the business; and achieving a successful exit.  Here you can mix some learning with the fun city’s other festivals.

In the home of Cirque du Soleil, it is logical that the city would hold a circus festival to highlight about 2 dozen circuses from around the world. From July 7th to August 24th, the entire city becomes a big top showcasing every different kind of circus possible.

Whoa. Who said stopping for the night on I-95 is boring? Next week, if you sleep over in Florence SC, you can catch a fantabulous  Cirque du Soleil performance; Alegria is a baroque ode to the energy, grace and power of youth.

Alegria is a classic Cirque du Soleil production that has received international acclaim and wowed over 10 million people worldwide since it premiered in 1994 in Montreal. After 15 years performing under the big top, Alegria embarked on a new journey in May 2009 and is now presented in arenas throughout the United States and Canada.

Alegria is more than a show, much more than a circus . . . it is an exciting and unique experience that will captivate all ages.

Dates: July 13-17
Showtimes: Wed, Thurs & Fri 7:30 pm, Sat 3:30 pm & 7:30 pm, Sun 2:00 pm
Tickets: available at the Civic Center Box Office, Ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000