Cirque de Ciel

Just been to see Cirque du Ciel's Shanghi.  AWESOME!

In fact awesome does not cover it.  If you have a liking for stunning acrobatics, mind boggling tricks and death defying stunts, then this group is well worth a watch.  As far as I could see there were no safety lines and they only used crash mats for the rope dance and the monkey poles.  I'm not sure about the evening performances but the matinees had children doing some of the stunts, including throwing themselves of the top of the monkey poles and trusting the adults to catch them.  The level of trust between every member of the team was awe inspiring.

What I particularly liked about it was that there was an equal division of the performances between men and women, with some men having their own acrobat come ballet routines and some of the women having a chance to play the drums in one of the big drumming numbers.

I have to admit that the hat juggling number was a favourite of mine.  How do you have a hat on your head and one in each hand and make them rotate positions without either speeding up the passes as you go or having a third arm?

Grant still have to say that the hoop routine and the monkey poles were the best of the show.

Definitely one to watch out for!