Cavalia Review

Cavalia was magical. It was held under a massive "big top" white tent in Scottsdale. I had no idea what kind of seats we had until we got to the front and went to a separate line. We were handed a program and then a "backstage pass" with a lanyard. Then we were led to our seats. Literally front row and center -- I had to remember to close my hanging jaw. Not only that, but the lanyard and pass gave us access after the show to meet the horses and riders in Cavalia. My fantastic husband must have had to pull some strings to get those incredible seats :)

We sat there waiting for the show to start -- the dirt stage stretched out in front of us, no more than six feet away. There were a bunch of toy horses littering the stage, some with spotlights on them, others looked like antique beloved rocking horses. The lights finally dimmed and the show began with two young horses trotting out and weaving their way around the toy horses. They stood around for a minute or so, and then trotted across the stage to the opposite exit. Then the human performers came out, each grabbing their favorite toy horse, and the music and show began.

Trying to describe the show is difficult. Imagine a Cirque du Soleil performance, with the whimsy, playfulness, grace, and acrobatics -- then add in horses mere feet in front of you galloping full-bore across the stage from one end to the other. The music was incredible -- there were live performers essentially built into the back part of the stage, invisible to the audience except when the sheer cloth covering that area was lit to reveal them as they played. The acts consisted of humans doing acrobatics, either balancing on a huge "swiss ball" or flying through the air as trapezists with silk cloths wrapped around their limbs.

Then the horse acts... they were wonderful. There were dressage numbers where gorgeous, thick-necked PRE's (Pura Raza Espanola) horses and riders performed dressage to music. The flowing costumes draped over the back of the horses and made the horses and riders look like a single unit. Then the Roman and trick riding where they galloped full speed while standing on the backs of two horses, one foot on each. Then acrobatic riding where a man on a stallion did dressage while his partner flew on silk clothes above him and straight out into the audience. The performances were spectacular and we watched with rapt attention. Tissue paper leaves fell from the sky and scattered through the stage and the audience. We were showered with snow bubbles that clung to our eyelashes before they melted away without leaving a trace. It was an absolutely brilliant show.