Varekai!

Saw Varekei last Thursday and it was uh-mazing! Where do I begin? The costumes were eye-popping. Yet, they were still superb technical clothing. The aesthetics did nothing to compromise the performer's range of movement. You could barely see the rippling. And I kept looking for the seams. Where were they?! Did the performers pour themselves inside their costumes? The leotard has truly gone a long way. 

Eiko Ishioka is the genius behind Varekei's costumes

My favorite act was the net contortion routine by the Icarus character. Egad! Who was this guy? A former Olympic gymnast? His moves were pure strength and grace. I'm pretty sure he knows where his bandhas are!

Icarus does aerial contortions in a net

The last act by the Betrothed was magic as well. She did a series of handstands and backbends on canes. I call her moves Eka Pada Tic Tac on Steroids. It was truly jaw-dropping. 

Is it a handstand? A split? A leg behind the head move?

I can only imagine the amount of training and dedication the performers of Cirque du Soleil have given to their craft. And here I am complaining about my skinned elbows. Shame on me! Kudos to the Varekei crew! You are an inspiration and a wonder.