East meets West in Dralion, as Cirque du Soleil performers fuse traditional Chinese acrobatics like the balancing of massive bamboo poles and hoop diving, where acrobats leap, flip and spring through tiny wooden hoops, with their own multidisciplinary approach.
The Dralion is itself a fusion, with both the show and the creature derived from two emblematic beasts — the dragon, symbolizing the East, and the lion, symbolizing the West — and draws its inspiration from Eastern philosophy and its never-ending quest for harmony between humans and nature.
In Dralion, the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form. Thus embodied, each element is represented by its own evocative colour: air is blue; water is green; fire is red; earth is ochre. In the world of Dralion, cultures blend, Man and Nature are one, and balance is achieved.
The Dralion itself makes an appearance with a reimagination of traditional lion and dragon dancing, energetic tumbling and incredible balancing acts on top of huge wooden balls.
This intense, colourful show promises to be a feast for the eyes as well as the ears with incredible costumes and an original score performed by live musicians.
Dralion opens on June 29 for a run for eight shows through July 3 at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Tickets on sale now at the SOEC Box Office, the Wine Country Visitor Centre, online at www.cirquedusoleil.com/dralion and www.valleyfirsttix.com or by phone at 1-877-763-2849.
