Prepare to be amazed as we delve into the most breathtaking and intricate performances by Cirque du Soleil. These extraordinary shows have pushed the boundaries of creativity and athleticism, leaving audiences spellbound. From mesmerizing water-based spectacles to dazzling tributes to iconic musicians, each performance is a testament to Cirque's unmatched artistry. Which of these awe-inspiring acts would you love to witness live? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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00:00If you thought that zipline was thrilling,
00:02just wait till you see what they let me do with Cirque du Soleil.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most stunning,
00:09intricate performances put on by the iconic Cirque du Soleil.
00:13In 1993 when the show opened, the world had never seen anything like this before.
00:20Number 10.
00:21Saltimbanco.
00:22A show's concept doesn't have to be larger than life to make an impact.
00:26Deriving from various languages as words for street acrobat,
00:30Saltimbanco is essentially a love letter to life and performing itself.
00:46Like many of their creations, this one included a range of classic and modern acts,
00:51highlighting the wonders each era had to offer their audiences.
00:55From entertainers dropping from the ceiling via bungee cord,
00:58to truly jaw-dropping hand-balancing,
01:01this tour had a little something that everybody could enjoy.
01:16The distinctive colors found in the costumes and its composition
01:20only added positively to the spectacle.
01:22It's no wonder this ended up helping put them on the map as a legitimate production,
01:26and became their longest-running tour before its closure in 2012.
01:40Number 9.
01:41Kidam.
01:53The best art can provide a means of escapism for those negatively affected by their own circumstances.
01:59Kidam, a show centered around a young girl using her imagination to distract herself from her neglectful parents and boring life,
02:06tapped into that perfectly.
02:08["Kidam"]
02:19While the set was more minimal than Cirque's usual spectacles,
02:22that served to make the stunts seem even more otherworldly.
02:26Much like the lead, all the audience could do was sit and watch in awe,
02:30as the acrobats performed everything from seemingly impossible balancing acts,
02:35to using only their body weight to propel a massive German wheel.
02:39Between the all-too-relatable plot and dreamlike quality of the tricks,
02:43it's no wonder why it's become one of their most acclaimed presentations to date.
03:01Number 8.
03:02Draleon.
03:05["Draleon"]
03:16Being able to fuse two cultures together for one piece is part of what makes art and entertainment so special.
03:22Combining aspects of contemporary Western acts with traditional Eastern ones,
03:27Draleon was a perfect melting pot of acrobatic techniques.
03:35["Draleon"]
03:45Audiences were treated to a variety of classic stunts,
03:48mixed with ones they'd never seen before,
03:51including one where a woman opened and used a parasol with just her feet.
03:55There was even a number where a group of ballerinas performed on light bulbs
04:00without breaking a single one.
04:02It was a perfect way of showing how the art form has evolved across generations and locations.
04:07And even though it ended in 2015, its impact still remains today.
04:12["Draleon"]
04:26Number 7.
04:27Mad Apple.
04:28Even though it only joined the roster in 2022,
04:31it's already proven to be one of their most daring displays yet.
04:35["Mad Apple"]
04:49Mad Apple shows how well the company can adjust to modern times,
04:52with the fast-paced production being centered around a night out in New York City.
04:57Besides their normal acrobatic stylings,
04:59the creators had the performers delve into a new art form, stand-up comedy.
05:04You have me, who's more traditional stand-up.
05:06Then you have Harrison Greenbaum, who does magic along with comedy.
05:11He does a trick that blows your mind every time you see it.
05:14And then you have Chris Turner.
05:15He's a comedian who is also a freestyle rapper.
05:18While it was a risky move given their usual repertoire
05:22and the subjective nature of the genre,
05:24they ended up sticking the landing and creating another hit.
05:27It was quite different from everything they had done before,
05:30proving to their fans and casual viewers alike
05:33that they could adapt to the times with ease.
05:35What can you expect is a show,
05:37sort of a Cirque du Soleil show for the ADD crowd.
05:40Circus sort of revolutionized entertainment yet again.
05:43Number 6.
05:44AlegrÃa.
05:45["AlegrÃa"]
05:53While some shows build off a broader theme,
05:56others are much more specific.
05:58Focusing on the differences and ideals between two generations,
06:01AlegrÃa was proof that Cirque could pull off a deeper narrative.
06:05["AlegrÃa"]
06:19The complicated lead's constant desire for power
06:22made for the perfect foundation for the plot.
06:25While the stunts supported the themes of celebrating youthful energy,
06:28there are even moments of self-awareness,
06:30such as having a group of clowns attempt a dangerous dance
06:33that another group had just performed.
06:35No matter what acts are in rotation,
06:37AlegrÃa always manages to have a perfect amount of humor
06:41and death-defying tricks,
06:42making it easy to entertain anybody watching,
06:45even if it wouldn't normally be their cup of tea.
06:48["AlegrÃa"]
07:00Number 5.
07:02Michael Jackson 1.
07:03["It's me. It's Michael. Let's make history"]
07:12It may come as a surprise that there are two Cirque du Soleil shows
07:16dedicated to the king of pop.
07:17The first was certainly beloved,
07:19but Michael Jackson 1 was even more memorable.
07:22["Who's there? Who's there? Who's there? Who's there?"]
07:26It embodies everything that made the pop star so special,
07:30from his eclectic personality to his immense talent.
07:33Each song is performed with a level of reverence,
07:36from the fluorescent rendition of Billie Jean
07:38to the simple beauty of Stranger in Moscow.
07:41The inclusion of several unique acts,
07:43like glove manipulation and shadow puppets,
07:46elevate it from a standard dance exhibition to one of pure artistry.
07:50It's clear how much they respect him and his work,
07:53making it the perfect event for his fans.
07:55["You've been hit by, you've been hit by, a smooth criminal"]
08:00Number 4.
08:01Ka.
08:01When a production is referred to as the most opulent in Western theater,
08:06you know you're in for a treat.
08:07Ka was their first attempt at a linear plot,
08:10telling a coming-of-age tale about a young couple.
08:12["You've been hit by, you've been hit by, a smooth criminal"]
08:21While the plot is sometimes overshadowed by the tricks accompanying them,
08:25it doesn't take away anything from the show as a whole.
08:28It draws from different cultures across the world,
08:31displaying Brazilian capoeira one minute and Chinese opera the next.
08:35["You've been hit by, you've been hit by, a smooth criminal"]
08:49The constantly shifting stage helped transform the set in real time,
08:54preventing viewers from looking away for even a single second.
08:57While their subsequent attempts at creating a narrative have been better received,
09:01this was a bold step in a new direction that paid off tenfold.
09:04["You've been hit by, you've been hit by, a smooth criminal"]
09:17Number 3.
09:18The Beatles' Love.
09:19Michael Jackson isn't the only icon to be honored by Cirque.
09:23["You say you're on a revolution, well you know"]
09:29The idea for this Beatles-based show originated with George Harrison in 2000,
09:34and while he unfortunately didn't survive to see it come to fruition,
09:38it was everything he could have dreamed of and more.
09:41Performing songs from the band's catalog,
09:43the production completely reimagines their discography in a different light.
09:47["You get back, you get back, get back to where you once belonged"]
09:55Between help being revamped as a whimsical rollerblading routine,
09:59to the rousing, firework rendition of Get Back,
10:02they presented the group in a brand new way.
10:04Unfortunately, it officially left the lineup in 2024,
10:08with the finale fittingly taking place on Ringo Starr's 84th birthday.
10:13["I'd like to be, under the sea, in an octopus's gut, in the shade"]
10:21Number 2.
10:22Mystère.
10:23A show reimagining part of the lineup for over 30 years is incredible enough.
10:28The fact that anyone has yet to be bored of it is all the more impressive.
10:32["We change the show nightly, small changes on a daily basis,
10:37and larger changes as the years roll by.
10:41New acts, new artists, new costumes, new choreography"]
10:45Mystère is the current longest-running production in the company's history,
10:49and it's clear to see why.
10:51It hit the scene at a time when Vegas was still used to acts of the past,
10:55creating a never-before-seen experience.
10:58["We change the show nightly, small changes on a daily basis, and larger changes as the years roll by"]
11:11From the constantly expanding onstage snail to the classic stunts fans have come to love,
11:17it helped serve as a transitory point between two eras of performance.
11:21Tourists can still travel to the custom-built theater at Treasure Island to see it,
11:26and many leave understanding just how important it is to the company's legacy.
11:30["I think when people come and see Mystère,
11:33they have a unique experience that they relate to,
11:36and it's marked up as one of the best things they've ever seen"]
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11:531. O
11:57Although it's entirely based around liquid,
11:59this can't be described as anything other than earth-shattering.
12:02Carried out over a pool containing over a million gallons of water,
12:06it's a display of athleticism at its finest, even featuring previous Olympic athletes.
12:11Besides the performances themselves, Cirque also pulled off multiple seamless costume changes,
12:17constantly maintaining the illusion that they were completely dry.
12:21["So each artist do have a minimum of 30 to 40 costumes,
12:27because they do different cues"]
12:28["Each artist has 30 to 40 costumes?"
12:31["Yes"]
12:31The sheer commitment on every level of the production,
12:34from the staging to the costumes, has been unwavering since its premiere in 1998.
12:40It's the embodiment of everything you could hope for in a Cirque du Soleil show,
12:44and with it having already made well over a billion dollars,
12:47it's clear it won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
12:51["It really was designed to touch on people's emotions,
12:55not to bring you through a story, but to bring you through an emotional journey"]
12:58Which of these show-stopping acts would you love to have the chance to see live?
13:03Let us know in the comments.
13:05["The show is its own world, and when the artists, musicians,
13:09all of the technical aspects of the show come together, it's bigger than what you can imagine"]
13:14Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo,
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