Swinging in the Sun

Chantal Blanchard is happy to be here. As publicist for Cirque du Soleil’s visiting extravaganza Varekai, she travels with the circus, which typically means staying in miserably cold cities for weeks at a time. “I’m sitting on wonderful South Beach,” she laughs. “Miami is one of those cities where you...

By Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik

January 19, 2006

Audio By Carbonatix

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Chantal Blanchard is happy to be here. As publicist for Cirque du Soleil’s visiting extravaganza Varekai, she travels with the circus, which typically means staying in miserably cold cities for weeks at a time. “I’m sitting on wonderful South Beach,” she laughs. “Miami is one of those cities where you can actually relax. It’s so rare for us. Most of us are from Canada or Europe. So this really is ideal.”

Varekai is a re imagining of the Greek myth of Icarus. After the willful boy’s wax wings melt from flying too close to the sun, he tumbles into a mysterious forest where he encounters lizards, birds, and fanciful mythological creatures, and learns to appreciate life on two legs again. “This is a very hopeful and energetic show. The level of the acrobatics is very high, and the costumes are very colorful,” says Blanchard. “We’re all about the seemingly limitless things that the human body can do.” Cirque’s high flying antics will amaze local audiences beginning tonight at 8:00 at the show’s premiere. Varekai will run through February 19 under the Grand Chapiteau at Bicentennial Park.
Jan. 20-Feb. 26

Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik

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