“… Like a grand poem for the eYes and ears. Cavalia is meant to be a hYmn to the beautY of nature1.” —Normand Latourelle, president and artistic director of Cavalia
by Denise Hearst photos by Lynne Glazer
T
he dazzling show Cavalia, a sort of Cirque du Soleil with horses, has enchanted nearly two million spectators throughout North America and Europe since its inception in 2003. It is by turns thrilling and serene; lighthearted and poignant. But always, the horse at its center is celebrated for what he is, rather than for what he can be made to do. Here, the horse can do no wrong even if he decides that today, he would prefer not to bow, or to assume his usual spot in the lineup. The show’s savvy creators get that, knowing that for the audience there is as much to be learned (and enjoyed) from these small missteps and how they are handled by the gymnasts, aerialists, and riders as there is from a flawless passage or the thrill of a trick rider’s pony dashing across the stage like a bullet.
2 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b FEBRUARY 2011