Archive for Gymnastics
Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away Movie Review
Posted by: | CommentsAs long time Cirque du Soleil fans, my daughters and I have been anxiously waiting for the new Cirque movie, Worlds Away, to come to theaters. Today was the day and we opted to see it in 3D.
When we bought our tickets we were given our cool Cirque du Soleil 3D glasses complete with the “O” inspired overlays we could add to them.
Ready for the movie to begin!!
The basic premise of the movie is a young woman goes to a small town circus and becomes entranced by an Aerialist. She is encouraged by a silent clown to go watch the circus. The seemingly amateur show begins and the aerial act starring the object of the young woman’s fascination begins. As their eyes meet, he misses a catch and falls to the gound. As she runs to his side they fall down through the ground into a dreamlike world and become separated. As they try to find each other they travel through various tents of Cirque du Soleil where highlights from the main Cirque shows in Las Vegas are featured. The Cirque sampling is woven together through various Cirque clowns, characters and adventures.
You can watch the trailer here (or on YouTube):
Now for my thoughts on the movie.
Let’s start with what I LOVED:
- A $12 movie ticket is a lot less than the price of a ticket to a live Cirque show ($75+)
- Since the movie is basically a compilation of the various Vegas based Cirque shows, it is a quick way to decide which shows you might want to go see live (for example, I would love to see the Elvis and Beatles Cirque shows now and will most likely pass on KA)
- The camera work was outstanding! It was neat to see some of the acts and maneuvers done in slow motion – and from angles you would not see in the live performances.
- As always, the costumes, make up and sets for the performances were just phenomenal.
- The gymnastics aspect of the performance was technically flawless and gave me goosebumps on more than one occasion.
My favorite acts:
- The Chinese Contortionists
- The Trampoline act during the Elvis show segment
- The Flying Ship
- The Suspended Rope Ladders act
And now my not so favorite things about it:
- Unless you have a child who is Cirque crazy (like my girls) or who really gets into the gymnastics part of Cirque, I don’t recommend it for kids.
- The movie felt very long and dragged in places.
- The story line was definitely an afterthought and just a way to tie the various spotlights on the acts together.
- Parts of the movie were very dark and felt almost disjointed.
Overall, I enjoyed the movie as it was a relatively inexpensive way to get my Cirque du Soleil “fix” for the time being. I do not think that the average movie goer will “get it” or even like it, but those of us who can’t get enough of watching press handstands, breath taking releases, over arching backs and weight transfers will think it is worth it. If you do go see Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away, see it in 3D ! The 3D technology used today is just amazing and does not hurt your eyes – plus you get the cool 3-D glasses to keep.
If you have seen the movie, I’d love to hear what you thought of it. While I’d rather watch a cohesive story like Alegria or Mystere on the big screen, Worlds Away is not a bad substitute.
Preview of the 2012 Kelloggs Tour of Champions
Posted by: | CommentsThe Olympics are over but you can still catch the “Fierce Five” and other members of USA Gymnastics in action in the 2012 Kellogg’s Tour of Champions. The tour is appearing in 40 cities across the US and showcases these amazing athletes in a non-competitive, more theatrical setting. There are lots of dance numbers, performances by multiple athletes at once, costumes, music, comedy and crowd interaction.
Below is a neat behind the scenes piece that was put together by Universal Sports:
You can see more videos, meet the cast, find a show near you and more at the Kellogg’s Tour of Champions page. TicketNetwork.com has a large selection of tickets still available as well.
40 City Post Olympic Gymnastics Tour Scheduled
Posted by: | Comments2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin and members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team will kick-off the Kellogg’s®Tour of Gymnastics Champions on Sept. 9 in Ontario, Calif. The 40-city tour runs through Nov. 18 and will make stops in cities big and small across the United States, including Las Vegas, Dallas, Kansas City, Mo., Minneapolis, Louisville, Ky., Hartford, Conn., Washington, D.C., and Brooklyn, N.Y., to name a few.
“The Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions will be unlike any previously produced,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “We plan to celebrate the many wonderful things gymnastics means to young people, along with showcasing some of the biggest names in the sport. Our fans will truly enjoy connecting with the U.S. Olympic team following their accomplishments in London.”
“USA Gymnastics has produced countless memorable moments throughout the history of the Olympic Games,” said Kellogg U.S. Morning Foods President David Denholm. ”Kellogg’s is excited to help bring the incredible athletes who create these moments to fans, even after the Games have ended, as part of our official partnership.”
Led by Tour spokesperson Liukin, the cast of gymnastics champions will be joined by local gymnasts at each tour stop. The Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions starts Sept. 9 in the Los Angeles area and ends on Nov. 18 in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center.
For a full schedule: Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions or select from the city list below to go directly to TicketNetwork for ticket availability: