My husband and I believe it’s important to expose our children to a wide variety of experiences in life and fortunately for them and for us in their short little lives of five and seven years, we have had the pleasure of exposing them to many different cities, cultures and groups of people. We believe it’s important to have our kids spend their weekends and vacations in places that expose them to more than just water parks and movies. Don’t get me wrong, movies and water parks are a ton of fun, but we also feel strongly that they should balance that out with opportunities to experience the arts – but that can be tricky due to their age.
So, when I was asked to take my kids to see IRIS from Cirque Du Soleil I was very excited, and yet a little hesitant, because anyone who has seen a Cirque show knows there are some that are borderline in appropriateness when it comes to children.
What if they hate it?
What if they don’t understand it?
What if they are too young and can’t appreciate it?
Or worse, they’re bored to tears!
We told the kids we were going to see a type of “Circus” but a different kind of circus. This was not one with elephants and lions under a big tent. This was similar to going to a play or theatre to see a live show with real people, actors and acrobats. They seemed cool with it and were excited to go to a “Circus” whatever the Circus was.
I knew my daughter (7) was going to like it and maybe even love it. I was a little nervous for my son, he can get scared easily, he’s 5 1/2 and well he’s a boy, so he can be a little squirrlly.
The show started in a big way, that even surprised me. The flying trapeze man certainly made an unforgetable entrance! I won’t go into details because I don’t want to spoil it.
The show instantly captivated my kids and I relaxed into my seat because within the first 10 minutes I knew that this show was great for a younger audience. There was a moment in the show that my 5 yr old son didn’t really understand what was happening and he said in all honesty, “Well, this is weird” but overall he thought the show was “pretty cool”. My daughter loved it and one of her favorite parts was all the small gymnasts that made themselves into human towers, flipped, and soared through the air.
Everything they did was beyond impressive.
It was great exposing our children to such a creative art form. We also took a few moments to explain to them that performance art is a profession. That the people in the show are actors, musicians, artists, and gymnasts who are doing something they love and make a living doing it. Something as creative people ourselves, we think it is important to teach this to our children.
It was a perfect family night out. I would highly recommend getting out of the family movie night rut and shaking things up a bit by taking the kids to see IRIS. As the show came to an end paper confetti came shooting out all over the audience – which my kids immediately shot up and started grabbing . The paper confetti even made it all the way home with us.
For a limited time only, purchase a 4-pack of category 2 tickets for as low as $199!
More about the Show:
Featuring 72 performers, 200 costumes, 20 video projectors, a live orchestral score from Oscar-nominated composer Danny Elfman (best known for scoring famous movies and TV shows), and stunning choreography by Philippe Decouflé, IRIS presents an imaginary journey through the evolution of cinema through optical effects and film genres. It conjures up a place between motion and picture, light and sound, that shifts constantly between reality and make-believe, to explore the limitless possibilities of cinema and its extraordinary power to deceive the eye.
IRIS is the first resident Cirque du Soleil show in California, going back to its 1987 roots when Cirque successfully came to Los Angeles for a truly “make or break” performance. Now, taking its place in the famous Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center – also home to the Academy Awards – guests are treated to a journey through movie magic in a theatre designed to be as majestic as the stars and guests that share its stage.
Would you take your kids to see this or another Cirque du Soleil Show?
Comments
so cute! now i kind of want to go… and it’s right down the street!
I have taken my daughter twice to see Cirque, the first performance being Ovo which is FANTASTIC for kids. It’s the story of an egg that shows up in the ecosystem of a variety of insects and I honestly don’t know who enjoyed it more. It was incredibly whimsical and innocent with incredible costumes and acrobatics (think spiders in luscious costumes on webs doing the type of contortion that doesn’t seem possible or grasshoppers bouncing and doing flips on a giant trampoline). I would definitely go again!