Monday, March 27, 2017

We are spending a few days in Orlando for a business meeting.  Today, we segwayed through Celebration, Disney’s planned community developed in the 1990’s. It really is a lovely area, and the weather was perfect for such an activity. I managed to get through most of the ride without mishap, I collided with a cement bench just a block or two from the end. Cement benches do not give way to segways Oh well, just a few scrapes and bruises, not to mention my damaged pride.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

With some time to kill, we headed to Disney Springs, Disney World’s downtown, is full of shopping and dining opportunities. You can find any Disney branded item you need, or don’t need, at Disney Springs. Mark and I managed to resist most of these. We didn’t realize that Disney owns Marvel Entertainment and Lucasfilm. We enjoyed walking through the area on this gorgeous day.

When we neared the Cirque du Soleil theater, we were approached by one of their employees offering us the opportunity to watch a rehearsal later in the afternoon. We are major Cirque fans, so jumped at the opportunity. Mark and I did kill some time at The Boathouse restaurant, quenching our thirst with a lemon drop martini and blueberry lemonade respectively.

The rehearsal for La Nouba was about 30 minutes long. La Nouba is French for “let’s party,” and the show was created to appeal to children. The theater here was designed and built for Cirque du Soleil, and La Nouba has been playing there since December, 1998. It is scheduled to close in December this year.

It was fascinating to see the performers without costumes, and performing on surfaces that weren’t lit or covered for the performance. The stage has four retractable power track floors, each with the capability of moving up to 2 feet per second. The trampoline bed uses a second generation of springs, which allows the performers to jump higher and faster down the track.

We watched the performers tumble, turn aerial somersaults, and “run” up the sides of a building on stage. I apologize for the quality of the photos, but the performers just wouldn’t hold still! It looks like an amazing show. We were disappointed that we wouldn’t be in town long enough to take in a performance. Maybe we can come back before December.

At the end of the rehearsal, two performers and another Cirque member answered questions. Many of the performers are former Olympians, all trained for decades before becoming qualified to work for Cirque du Soleil. They range in age from mid-20’s to upper 50’s. Young children are also used for some roles in the performance. It’s a career that keeps a person in shape.