Cirque du Soleil TOTEM in Miami

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Chris and I went to see Cirque du Soleil TOTEM in Miami on Sunday evening. Talk about an unbelievable date night!

I have always wanted to see a Cirque du Soleil show, but we have just never managed to be in the right place at the right time! After taking a wrong turn on the Turnpike and having to double back, we ended up walking in just as the show began. I was terrified that they wouldn’t let us into the show because we arrived late, but the ushers allowed us to come in and stand on the stairs while we waited for an opportunity to be shown to our seats.

Tip: If the maps app on your iPhone tells you to pass the exit that is clearly the exit you’re supposed to get off on? Ignore the maps and pay attention to the signs.

Written and directed by Robert Lepage, TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly.

When the show begins, you’ll find the characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations. The acrobatics begin right away, with flipping, turning, tossing and interpretive dance.

I had to watch this portion of the show from the stairs as we waited to be seated, and the anticipation was killing me! The first five minutes are so beautiful, so awe-inspiring, that you can’t wait to see what the rest of the show holds in store!

Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species.
Somewhere between science and legend TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential.

Cirque du Soleil TOTEM takes you on journey that includes both incredible feats of acrobatic strength, humor and beauty.

We laughed as bathing beauties took the stage; two men who seemed to be wooing a beautiful woman. Come to find out, she was even more talented on the rings than they were!

Next we watched as a fisherman rowed onto stage and began fishing…be prepared to laugh, because he was hilarious!

Whether he’s grilling a mosquito, juggling an egg on his pots and pans, or enjoying the catch of the day – it’s not what you think! – you will be sorry when he leaves the stage!

I loved the way Cirque du Soleil TOTEM interwove a bit of comedy into the show, I really wasn’t expecting it and it was all that much funnier because it caught me off guard!

Throughout the show, you will find beautiful characters that light up the stage with their craft.

Whether it be two lovely ladies spinning carpets on their feet as they support each other with one foot, balancing acts on the high beam or a display on Russian Bars, you will find yourself spellbound by the performance.

It seems that each act of TOTEM is more elaborate and surprising than the last! With a Native American hoops dancer, roller skating acrobats, or a group of five unicycle-riding women juggling bowls, every act in Cirque du Soleil TOTEM in Miami is a masterpiece in itself.

Without a doubt, my favorite part of the show was the Unicycles and Bowls. Five beautiful women appear on stage with incredibly detailed costumes, each with a stack of bowls on their heads. The fact that they can ride a unicycle and balance the bowls on their heads is impressive enough, but they take it one step farther. And farther still! Not only do they juggle the bowls, but they take turns kicking the bowls up onto their heads, onto each other’s heads – even backwards!

Through their act, each character wears a beautiful smile. It was so nice to see how much they enjoy their work! The audience completely fell in love with these gals. During one trick, one of the uni cyclists dropped a bowl, yet the crowd cheered anyway. After that slight mishap, four of the girls went on to circle around the main uni cyclist, and she kicked bowls onto their heads BACKWARDS.

It was truly amazing! It was my favorite part of the show, and quite honestly, I could watch an entire show that consisted only of them!

You still have time to see Cirque du Soleil TOTEM in Miami before they move on to their next tour stop in New York City!

On February 24, 2013, Cirque du Soleil TOTEM will perform their last show in Miami, and there will be several shows almost daily through that date.