The Brat Reviews Cavalia Singapore

I’m a huge Cirque du Soleil fan. What has this got to do with Cavalia? Well, Cavalia was conceived by Normand Latourelle, one of the co-founders of Cirque du Soleil. So when I found out they were coming to Singapore I was impatient to see it. If you’re still undecided whether to go or not, here’s a taste of what the show has to offer:

Fascinating! Well to me at least. Horse lovers and Cirque du Soleil lovers will definitely put Cavalia on their watch list. It’s been awhile since Singapore brought in a circus that featured animals. This is because since 2002, travelling circuses are not allowed to bring wild animals such as tigers, lions, and elephants into Singapore as part of their show. The ban was issued in 2000, but took effect in 2002.

Singapore is not the only country that has banned the use of wild animals in circus acts. Denmark, Finland, Sweden, India, Israel, and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) of Australia also have this ban in place. The reasons are for the safety of the audience, and because there have been regular reports of the ill treatment of animals by circuses. So how is it Cavalia can bring their show into Singapore? Because the ban does not apply to domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, horses, sheep, goat, pigs and birds because they aren’t as dangerous to the public and do not need to be confined the way wild animals are, they are also treated well by their owners and handlers.

So what’s this fascination with a circus involving horses? Sure, people go and enjoy the theatrics of the show. Some people might think “what’s so fascinating about horses racing around an arena?” I might not understand it as well if not for National Science Challenge 2013.

Last year, for the finale we brought the students from Raffles Institution to the National Equestrian Centre for their profile shoot. Before they could even get on the horses, they needed to do an ice breaker and get to know more about how to deal with horses. The group of 6 were tasked to get a horse to jump over a bar in an enclosed area without talking at all. Watching from the sidelines, I realised how difficult it was to get a horse to make the jump over a bar. It was this experience that made me understand how extraordinary those seemingly simple tasks like jumping over a bar or racing around the arena actually are.

There’s a long history when looking at the relationship between horse and man. And it’s amazing how these horses trust and respond to their human counterpart.

I love behind the scenes tidbits. They give me an opportunity to understand how things are done and helps me appreciate the show even more. Here are few videos that will give you a peek into the secrets of Cavalia.

I really enjoyed the show. I especially liked it when one of the horses refused to do as he’s supposed to and got nudged by the leading horse to behave and fall in line. It made the show seem even more endearing because anything can happen. It’s a live show, the horses each have a personality of their own, and every day they do a show, something might be different. The acrobats were also really awesome!

Okay so you’ve decided to go. Which seat should I choose? Well, I was on a budget so I got the cheapest ticket. So I was right at the top at Row U up stairs 10! That’s at the side but I still managed to get a good view of the performance area. In fact, it allowed me to see the appreciate the aerial performances better methinks. Or maybe I’m just consoling myself.

But truth be told if I had the money to go see it again, I’d go the seats further front. You see I’m not a fan of heights. And the stairs are scary! I was too anxious to get off those stairs to take photos but I begged a friend who too was not a fan of heights to take them for me. And she sat in the same area and row as me too. Thanks Cheryl!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Okay. I was not thrilled to be climbing up and down steps like these. It gives me the chills. So if you too aren’t a fan of heights, pay more, get the front seats and avoid the height. You also get a closer view of the stage and get to actually experience the falling “snow”.

I wouldn’t mind going back again because quite a number of inconsiderate people were taking photos DURING THE SHOW! So their cameras were bright, right in our face, and blocking our view! One lady further in at our row even used flash! And when the usher told her not to take photos and that the flash scare the horses, the lady went “Yeah, yeah” but her hands were still high up holding the camera to take photos. We were seated at the aisle of the row where the usher stood to tell her to put away the camera so it was really annoying and disruptive. Because the usher kept telling people seated in our area that photography was not allowed, I felt so hassled even though I wasn’t the one taking the photos. Don’t get me wrong, I totally do not blame the usher, she was just doing her job. So if you are going to watch Cavalia soon, please be considerate.

If I had an unlimited spending budget, I’d get the RENDEZ-VOUS VIP Experience and see the horses. There is also a Horse Lover Package where you’d get front row seats and get to go to the stables too. I really want to get my hands on the soundtrack for Cavalia! I was anxious to get away from the crowds and didn’t stay to look at the merchandise. I’d so buy the soundtrack. Anyone heading to Cavalia soon?

Cavalia is expected to run until 28 September, there’s still time so do get your tickets.

Tuesday to Friday the show starts at 7.30pm
Saturday there are two shows. One at 2pm & the last show at 7.30pm
Sunday there are also two shows. At 12pm & 5.30pm
Mondays are their rest days and there are no performance on 19, and 23 Sept 2014
The show runs for 2hrs and 30 minutes with a 20 minute interval.

What do you think?

Are you a fan of circus acts like Cavalia and Cirque du Soleil? If you’ve already seen Cavalia, share your thoughts with us about the show. Did you sit in the front row? What was the experience like? Is the VIP Experience worth the price? Did you encounter inconsiderate individuals who also took photographs during the show?