SAKA Review - Review of SAKA Horse Circus / Cirque à Cheval by Gilles Ste. Croix

Like most little girls, I loved horses, secretly wishing for my very own pony, be it a shiny shetland or horse like Black Beauty. It didn't matter, I wasn't picky. But I couldn't afford a horse. Or lessons. Or random outdoor gallops on the weekend. So the idea of riding became one of those dreams you store in the back of your mind and forget, until given a reminder they're still around, waiting.

The Beginning of 'SAKA'

Enter SAKA, a vivid reminder of those fantasies, brought down to earth in a small 13-metre ring. And enter the show's creator, Cirque du Soleil co-founder Gilles Ste. Croix, on a stunning white horse welcoming a near full house to 90 minutes of equestrian feats by the likes of 16 artists and 26 horses of different breeds including Andalusian, Belgian, Lusitano, Hungarian and Arabian.

The show's start was signaled with a mesh curtain descending around the ring as sounds like the Ney filled the Big Top. Then a beautiful barefoot woman atop an imposing off-white Belgian flowed into the ring, drawing the crowd into their world with dramatic aerobatics as the lady's locks flew free like a horse's mane. For someone who has never seen tricks like this up close, I was awestruck by her jumps and the self-determined glare in her eyes, the look of a maiden unshackled.

Of Women, Men and Horses

The women were lovely and long-locked, from the regal brunette in riding gear demonstrating precision and control of her horse's every trot to barefoot sirens in simple flower dresses, falling just above the knees. My male companion in attendance mentioned he found the women even more attractive than if they were wearing typical circus wear (think unitards) because their costumes actually left something to the imagination. The men were brash, proud, charismatic, appealing, first bursting into the ring with a little dance, waiting for their ringleader to emerge, robed in red riding a beautiful hoofed specimen. And with every "yahhh!!!" he whipped out, the boys exclaimed in turn, revving up the crowd. It was oddly compelling.

So ... How Was It?

Overall? It was a great show! It's hard enough to juggle/flip/jump through fire on solid ground. To see these artists do all that and more on a live moving surface without breaking their necks -- the horses were running up to 50 km/hr during the show's finale -- is madness. And to witness a trainer control six unrestrained chocolate Andalusians with choreographed precision in such a tiny ring?! The horses seemed almost timed to the music, they were rotating on themselves as if they were trying to catch their own tails, changing directions synchronously within a hair of each other. It was stunning!

Then there were the antics of Bohémio, an adorable brown Andalusian who wouldn't let SAKA's chief clown mount him. It's hard to describe, suffice it to say it was a clever act. Another honorable mention is SAKA's two aerial acts performed by the same artist. One involves hanging on for dear life by the tips of her toes and in another, she flew with the help of aerial straps above a group of free horses prancing around without a care in the world.

A couple of pre-opening night jitters were probably the reason behind some minor mishaps. A dropped juggling pin here, a missed jump there, but honestly, they didn't take anything away from the show. It made the performers more human. Mind you, I would have liked to have seen a stronger choreography for two horseless dancing sequences that served as transitions between acts but, that's a minor detail.

Sounds and Stares

Then there's the music. It's roughly a mix of Ney flute meets Arabian drums meet Delerium meets Paco de Lucia rolled into one seamless score. It was wonderful.

One final thought. Gilles Ste. Croix says a horse's stare leaves no one indifferent. And perhaps the greatest gift he's giving guests is the opportunity to experience what he means. To get to and from the stage ring, you have to go through the stables and meet the horses.

Heading for the horses post-show, I can't say the stable experience was exactly magical with most of the equine stars' butts in plain view more than anything else. Maybe they were tired? Then there was Pompom, a Belgian horse. He -- I think he's a he -- was my favorite and I kept coming back to see him. By my third visit, I saw three numbers scarred on his neck for the first time, wincing, thinking how much that must have hurt. And that's the moment Pompom turned around. He locked eyes with me. Who knows why, I'm not even sure how long we were there, staring at each other. But all the longings this little girl had for a horse flooded back as if they had never been hidden away.

Next: SAKA Versus Cavalia and What to Wear

In line with About.com's and the New York Times Company's full disclosure policy, readers should be aware that the writer was provided with complimentary tickets for the purpose of reviewing SAKA, a common procedure in the entertainment industry. The latter gratuity has not influenced this review. For more information on full disclosure at About.com, please consult our ethics policy.