Cirque du Soleil has expanded the Los Angeles engagement of its delightfully-imaginative and visually-stunning production LUZIA through February 11under the white-and-gold Big Top at Dodger Stadium. In a series of grand visual surprises and breathtaking acrobatic performances, LUZIA takes audiences on a surrealistic journey like in a waking dream, where light (“luz” in Spanish) quenches the spirit and rain (“lluvia”) soothes the soul.

Inspired by the richness of Mexican culture, audiences will escape to an imaginary Mexico through set design, costumes, acrobatic performance and music.LUZIA cleverly brings to the stage multiple places, faces and sounds of Mexico taken from both tradition and modernity. Rich in awe-inspiring moments, LUZIA enchants by incorporating rain into acrobatic and artistic scenes – a first for a Cirque du Soleil touring production.

With mesmerizing and refreshing acrobatic performances, LUZIA brings traditional and contemporary circus disciplines to a whole new level. A Cyr Wheel artist performs the unprecedented feat of rolling and spinning under the rain, while an aerialist suspended from a Trapeze flies and twirls through pouring showers. Hoop Diving is taken onto gigantic treadmills, expanding exponentially the speed and amount of daring leaps executed. Jaw-dropping highlights include a male contortionist skillfully twisting his body in the world’s most unimaginable positions, a powerful Aerial Straps specialist defying the laws of gravity at the center of a cenote (natural sinkhole), and two football (soccer) freestylers deftly mixing street dance with mind-blowing ball manipulation.

LUZIA is Cirque du Soleil’s 38th original production since 1984, and its 17th show presented under the Big Top. If you miss the Los Angeles run, you’ll have another chance to catch LUZIA in Costa Mesa, CA from February 21 – March 19, 2018 for its run at the OC Fair & Event Center.

By Kinya Claiborne, STYLE & SOCIETY

Photo Credit: Matt Beard