I was in high school when I saw my first Cirque du Soleil performance. I was hooked when the first clown came out to entertain the guests as we found our seats. I was in awe when the first act seemed to defy gravity, time, and space. Our family has made a tradition of going every time the show returns to the Bay Area. When my son was 3, he attended his first “Circus du Sole” show and fell in love like the rest of us.
Cirque has returned to Taylor Street Bridge in San Jose to perform their newest show, Totem. A journey into human evolution, the show features “animals” from frogs to monkeys to birds. Only these aren’t your typical animals. That’s because Cirque is not your typical circus. There aren’t any real elephants or tigers or animals of any kind. The animals portrayed in their show are human performers in gorgeous costumes.
While the performers may bend and contort in a way that seems cruel to the body, this show is what I would call Sport Art. These artists have the most beautifully shaped bodies in the world. There is no denying that they are athletes. There is also no denying that they are the ultimate artists as well.
Totem is a spectacular display of human strength, creativity, and artistic magic that is bound to enchant you. Totem is playing in San Jose until April 15th.
