La Nouba- A Locals Review of Cirque du Soleil at Disney Springs

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s true than an evening at Cirque du Soleil La Nouba speaks volumes.

“Enter the attic of make-believe, where the mundane meets the marvellous. Dreams and nightmares intertwine. La Nouba which calls on both individual and collective memory is an unforgettable journey into a world at once threatening and exhilarating, frightening and familiar. La Nouba beckons to us, challenges us to uncover passions we thought we had lost long ago; to frolic in our childhood dreams and enter a place where the extraordinary transforms and overcomes the ordinary.”

“The show’s name La Nouba comes from the French phrase “faire la nouba,” which literally means “to live it up.” And do these performers ever know how to celebrate! Acrobats, aerialists, break dancers, singers, trapeze artists, jugglers and clowns—more than 65 artists representing 15 countries—entertain and mystify with daring acts of grace. A stream of color washes over every scene with the imaginative costumes, out-of-this-world makeup and dynamic sets”

Located on the West Side of Disney Springs,  you’ll find an enormous ivory circus tent constructed especially for Cirque du Soleil. Inside Le Théâtre you’ll find an elaborate mechanical stage including movable glass cages, platforms and inventive sets with world-class sound provided by live musicians and a lighting system that creates a dreamlike metamorphosis each and every performance.

The show begins with the clowns, as they guide us along our journey through La Nouba. They were definitely two of my favorite characters bringing their special type comic camaraderie to the show.

During the show, you’ll see trapeze artists, jugglers, dancers and acrobats as they weave the tale of La Nouba.

“La Nouba is the meeting of two worlds poles apart: the fantastic world of the circus artists – the Cirques (circus people), sporting bright, fluorescent colours–and that of the Urbains (urbanites), who wear dark, monochromatic outfits. When these two worlds first make contact, the magic and amazing feats of the one set fire to the pale mundanity of the other”

Watch as the ballerina dances through her tale of a story filled with desire, fear and a longing for more.

In a stunning display of strength and grace, the artist becomes one with the ribbon of red fabric that cradles him as he performs for us. I’m sure you can see why this was one of my wife’s favorite parts of the show.

The Circus Strongman and the Green Bird assist this amazing feat of juggling and balance. The strongman became my favorite character in the show with his haunting movements. Lonely, noble and somehow sad. Yet still very human with a kindness buried deeply as this solitary figured marched on through the evening.

Prepare to be dazzled as this group of acrobats takes the stage. Their trampoline work will leave you spellbound.

During their amazing aerial display, you will witness 394 Flips and 62 Twists all in a mere seven minutes time span.

In a flurry of movements and dance the characters from La Nouba, share one final moment on stage together, signaling the end of their performance.

At the end of the show, all of the characters come out to say their goodbyes and receive the audiences gratitude for entertaining them. For a job well done.

All of the music during the show is live and provided by six musicians who play 22 instruments over the course of the performance. One of the highlights of the show was when the singer took the stage and performed during the finale.

But all good things come to an end.

The show was better than expected and I would recommend it to everyone. I felt as though I was transported to another place and time with this mystical band of circus performers. The show had a very European early 20th century feel to it, lending to a simpler time, when we could find joy in the performance of circus folk. Where we can be children again, if only for a little while.

Buy your tickets online or call (407) 939-7600 for more information. Performances occur most Tuesdays through Saturdays at 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM at Disney Springs.