White horses with long, flowing manes dazzle your eyes as they waltz through a desert oasis that magically transforms into an emerald forest, as the stage “experiences” the four seasons: A rain-drenched springtime, a blindingly bright summer in the desert that mysteriously produces an oasis of water that suddenly vanishes, an autumnal shower of leaves that drifts lazily over the audience, and then a gentle sprinkling of winter snow that carpets the stage with a blanket of icy flakes.

All this is merely the backdrop of a two-hour performance that will stay in your memory like a lovely dream: “Cavalia.”

Under the world’s largest touring Big Top, rising 100 feet above the ground and covering more than 26,264 feet (that’s the regulation size of a NFL football field), Cavalia’s talented performers embody beauty, grace and strength on a 160-foot wide stage filled with 60 beautiful horses of 12 different breeds.

Performing On

Many Levels

Cavalia is not just a show for horse-lovers, nor is it only for Cirque du Soleil enthusiasts. It is a lavish blend of multimedia technology and equestrian and acrobatic performances designed to astound and entertain people of all ages and backgrounds. While the horses gallop and cavort (at times without halter or bridle), the show incorporates unbelievable physical acts, original live music, stunning special effects, and mesmerizing lighting to create a dream-like experience. Minutes into watching Cavalia, it is apparent why this magical show has become a global sensation.

Cavalia has all the spectacle, costumes, acrobatics, sound and drama of a Cirque du Soleil performance. Therefore, expect to be dazzled. A 210-foot wide project screen serves as a backdrop for gorgeous white stallions that seem to tower 50 feet.

The visuals displayed in the background take the audience on a journey through time: We experience pre-history while seeing cave drawings of horses, then move to early China, Roman times, and eventually arrive in the present.

There are scenes of unspoiled nature and classical art, while concealed behind a backdrop, composer Michel Cusson’s ethereal music is performed by talented musicians who play guitar, percussion, keyboard, bass, drums, recorder, and cello — often accompanied by a lovely, haunting female vocalist.

The result is a show that features precision timing and excellent horsemanship by both humans and animals.

Vision of Normand Latourelle

Cavalia is the latest imaginative triumph of Normand Latourelle, one of the founders of Cirque du Soleil, another Canadian troupe that has become a global sensation. Latourelle says that Cavalia is a tribute to all that horses have done for humankind.

“From the beginning of recorded history, whenever we see a man, we also see a horse behind him,” he says. “We owe so much to those animals; they have done everything for us for the past 3,000 years.”

Cavalia defines the mystical link between man and horse. The sight of horses sauntering freely into view, unattended and unscripted, lends this wild yet controlled atmosphere the free spirit Latourelle champions.

Each Performer

Is Gifted

Those who have worked with horses will appreciate the many dramatic moments in Cavalia. One favorite is when eight horses wander onto the stage unsupervised and wait for trainer Sylvia Zerbini to enter and quietly talk them through intricate dressage movements.

Some of the horses toss their heads and buck — frisky and feeling good about themselves — which makes it all the more impressive when they form a circle uniformly or arrange themselves in line with one head draped over the rump of another — a feat so incredible to behold that the entire audience spontaneously explodes into appreciative applause.

Zerbini is a horse whisperer. Her remarkable talent is best appreciated by equestrian aficionados, but even non-horse-lovers immediately recognize the extent to which Zerbini has gained the uncommon trust of these magnificent animals.

“Roman riding” — a strenuous feat involving one horseman standing astride a pair of galloping steeds — is another of Cavalia’s centerpiece performances: with four astonishingly agile riders and eight spirited galloping horses racing through the sand-covered arena like bullets.

In another astonishing segment of the show, riders rocket across the width of the stage at full gallop while riding sidesaddle, backwards, upside down, and while bounding over high jumps. One rider even performs a flying somersault on the back on his recklessly speeding horse, a feat too incredible to appreciate unless actually observed.

The human acrobatic performances in Cavalia are equally amazing. For those of you who regularly exercise, lift weights, or take dance classes, your ego will suffer a terrific blow when you see these talented contortionists, acrobats, and aerialists: one moment they will have you laughing, and in the next, you will be gasping in amazement.

In other segments of the show, performers dive from dizzying heights while beautiful female aerialists float above the stage in a heart-pounding, gravity-defying ballet. The airborne acrobats perform triple somersaults and gravity-defying moves while humorously interacting with horses and riders. In another equestrian segment, two elegantly gowned women ride beautiful white horses with sensual flowing manes. The women, costumes, and horses are identical. Together they perform a horseback ballet that perfectly “mirrors” each other’s movements.

Showcasing An International Cast

Cavalia features 12 different breeds of horses, including Arabian who, Cavalia trainers told reporters, are “renowned for their high intelligence, and are the oldest known breed of riding horses. Arabians compete in many equestrian disciplines, but they are the undisputed champions of endurance events.”

The 35 riders, acrobats, dancers, and musicians come from Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Russia and the United States.

The show’s acrobatic centerpiece is a nimble group of six performers that includes several talented Moroccans. Mohamed and Lahcan Ahchoune are two brothers from Awrir, a small beach town on the Mediterranean. Prior to joining Cavalia, they had never been on a plane and had never spoken a word of English. But, as with many in the Canadian troupe of Cavalia, they spoke French. A childhood friend, Faiçal Moulid and his older brother Mustapha (both Cavalia acrobats), inspired the brothers to join the team.

Faiçal Moulid, from Agadir, Morocco, grew up in a culture and family where his talents are known as a “taäa” or ‘contortionist’ in Berber, his native language. He and many in his area excel in Moroccan acrobatic traditions that have been an art form for generations. All of the Moroccans perform daunting maneuvers with bodies that bend like tempered steel. You think you’re strong? Watch these men and weep.

Cavalia’s horses, acrobats, aerialists, riders, musicians, and dancers offer the audiences an intense, fast-paced, magical 120-minute performance that lingers beautifully in your memory. It is a testament to the timeless bond between human and horse.