Dralion
Encyclopedia
Dralion is a touring production by the Canadian entertainment company Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...

. The show combines elements of traditional Chinese circus with Western contemporary circus
Contemporary circus
Contemporary circus, or nouveau cirque , is a genre of performing art developed in the later 20th century in which a story or a theme is conveyed through traditional circus skills. Animals are rarely used in this type of circus, and traditional circus skills are blended with a more character-driven...

, complementing the "East-meets-West" theme implied in the title — the name is a portmanteau of "dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...

" (representing the East) and "lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...

" (representing the West). It is Cirque du Soleil's 12th touring production and the first Cirque show since 1985 not to be directed by Franco Dragone
Franco Dragone
Franco Dragone is a Italian-Belgian theatre director. He is known for his work with Cirque du Soleil.-Early life:Dragone was born in Cairano, Italy, and moved to La Louvière, Belgium at age seven. In the 1970s, he studied theatre at the Belgian Royal Conservatory of Mons...

.

Set and technical information

The backdrop for Dralion is a metallic structure 60 feet (18.3 m) in width and 26 feet (7.9 m) in height. It is covered in perforated aluminum tiles, giving it the appearance of medieval armor or a futuristic Chinese temple. Sitting atop the structure are six giant claws which allow performers to climb the wall and suspend in mid-air. Above the stage itself are three large concentric aluminum rings. The first is utilized as a catwalk; the second is used to support acrobatic equipment; and the third is used by performers to move up and down and suspend in the air.

Cast

Dralion features 50 members in its performance troupe, of which about 5 or 6 play principal characters.
  • Azala (air): The goddess of air who is dressed in blue, keeper of the sun and the guardian of immortality.
  • Gaya (earth): The goddess of earth, dressed in ochre.
  • Océane (water): The goddess of water, dressed in green.
  • Yao (fire): The god of fire, dressed in red, who is both good and evil.
  • L'Âme Force: The show's singers who symbolize harmony between the four elements.
  • Dralions: Mythical creatures inspired by the imagery of the Chinese lion dance
    Lion dance
    Lion dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. The lion dance is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs many people...

     and dragon dance
    Dragon dance
    Dragon dance is a form of traditional dance and performance in Chinese culture. Like the lion dance it is most often seen in festive celebrations. Many Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of ethnic identity, as part of a trend started in the 1970s. Another...

    .
  • Clowns: The clowns manage to push this otherwise harmonious universe slightly off-kilter.
  • Little Buddha: The chosen child who possesses powers that will eventually allow him to become an Âme-Force, but dreams of being a regular child.

Acts

The acts of Dralion combine unique western and eastern acrobatic skills.
  • Single handbalancing
    Handstand
    A handstand is the act of supporting the body in a stable, inverted vertical position by balancing on the hands. In a basic handstand the body is held straight with arms and legs fully extended, with hands spaced approximately shoulder-width apart...

    : A single woman balances on one hand and accomplishes a variety of poses.
  • Bamboo
    Bamboo
    Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....

     poles: Five acrobats twirl and throw 25 feet (7.6 m) bamboo poles while Yao waves a flag as the acrobats jump over it.
  • Juggling
    Juggling
    Juggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...

    : An artist performs juggling infused with breakdancing and acrobatics.
  • Trampoline
    Trampoline
    A trampoline is a device consisting of a piece of taut, strong fabric stretched over a steel frame using many coiled springs. People bounce on trampolines for recreational and competitive purposes....

    : A group of acrobats perform on trampolines using the set's futuristic backdrop both as a diving board and landing pad.
  • Dralions: Three acrobats and three Dralions perform tumbling feats and Chinese lion dance-like dance.
  • Medusa
    Medusa
    In Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...

    : A group of artists execute graceful and lithe movements, creating extraordinary and harmonious figures.
  • Aerial hoop: A single artist performs choreography using a hoop suspended in mid-air.
  • Spirits: Four couples perform a gravity-defying ballet.
  • Aerial pas de deux
    Silks
    Aerial silk is a type of performance in which one or more artists perform aerial acrobatics while hanging from a special fabric...

    : Azala and her male counterpart perform an aerial dance in silks.
  • Hoop diving: Acrobats jump through a tower of hoops, which is sometimes spinning.
  • Skipping ropes
    Jump rope
    Jump rope or skipping rope is the primary tool used in the game of skipping played by children and many young adults, where one or more participants jump over a rope swung so that it passes under their feet and over their heads...

    : A group of acrobats perform jump rope alone or together in pyramids and in towers.

Rotation acts

  • Diabolo
    Diabolo
    The diabolo is a juggling prop consisting of a spool which is whirled and tossed on a string tied to two sticks held one in each hand. A huge variety of tricks are possible using the sticks, string, and various body parts...

    : Artists perform tricks with diabolos trying to outperform each other.
  • Balancing on chairs: An artist stacks chairs on top of one another and performs various hand balancing maneuvers on top of them.

Retired acts

  • Contortion
    Contortion
    thumb|upright|Contortionist performingContortion is an unusual form of physical display which involves the dramatic bending and flexing of the human body. Contortion is often part of acrobatics and circus acts...

     with bowls
  • Teeterboard
    Teeterboard
    The teeterboard is an acrobatic apparatus that resembles a playground seesaw. The strongest teeterboards are made of oak . The board is divided in the middle by a fulcrum made of welded steel. At each end of the board is a square padded area, where a performer stands on a 45-degree incline before...

  • Ballet
    Ballet
    Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...

     on lightbulbs
  • Duo trapeze
    Trapeze
    A trapeze is a short horizontal bar hung by ropes or metal straps from a support. It is an aerial apparatus commonly found in circus performances...

  • Foot juggling

Costumes

Dralions costumes are vibrant in color; inspired by clothing from India, China, and Africa; and are shaped according to the movements of each performer's choreography. In total there are around 1500 wardrobe pieces for the show, taking into account that some artists have up to four costume changes during a a single performance.
  • Yao: As the symbol of fire, Yao is clad in red.
  • Océane: As the goddess of water, Océane's costume is Indian inspired and green in color.
  • Azala: As the goddess of air, Azala's primary color is blue. Her dress is fashioned with Asian crystal beads.
  • Gaya: As the goddess of earth, Gaya's color is Ochre. Her costume is inspired by african designs.
  • L'Âme Force: The texture on the front of their golden costumes is made by moulding small plastic soldiers.
  • Dralions: The dralions are constructed from a mélange of items both natural and synthetic: lycra, leather, silk, mosquito netting, polystyrene foam, springs, raffia, horse hair, emu feathers, and other fabrics and decorations.

Music

With the company's departure from its longtime creative team, Dralion features the work of a new Cirque composer, French-Canadian composer Violaine Corradi. The music of Dralion aims to be a fusion of sounds from East and West by the use of acoustic and electric instruments. Featuring rhythmic and lyrical motifs, the influences range from Indian melodies to sounds from Andalusia, Africa, Central Europe, and the West. Instruments used in the CD are drums, violin, winds, keyboards, guitar and percussion instructions. Released on November 9, 1999, Dralion’s soundtrack features the vocals of Basque counter-tenor Erik Karol
Erik Karol
Erik Karol is a French singer and composer of Basque origin.He received the Charles Cros Academy Award and another as the Best Single of the Year at the Festival International d'Expression Française in Bordeaux for his single Partir.Karol joined the French-Canadian Company Cirque du Soleil in 1999...

, and Canadian female vocalist Agnès Sohier. The tracks for the CD are listed below, with their corresponding acts alongside in italics.

Track listing
  1. Stella Errans (Single handbalancing)
  2. Ombra
    • Originally was for foot juggling and contortion with bowls, but currently is played during balancing on chairs.
  3. Spiritual Spiral '(Interlude)
  4. Miracula Æternitatis (Spirits)
  5. Bamboo (Bamboo poles)
  6. Ballare (Aerial Pas De Deux)
  7. Ravendhi (Teeterboard)
  8. Ninkou Latora (Double trapeze)
  9. Aborigenes Jam (Hoop diving)
  10. Hinkò (Ballet on lightbulbs)
  11. Kamandé (Skipping rope and finale)

Tour

Dralion started out as a touring show in 1999 traveling under the grand chapiteau, but was converted in 2010 to a format suitable for arenas.

The following colorboxes indicate the region of each performance:  Europe  North America  South America  Asia/Pacific  Oceania

2010 schedule

Trenton, NJ - From 21 October 2010 to 24 October 2010

Buffalo, NY - From 27 October 2010 to 31 October 2010

Reading, PA - From 3 November 2010 to 7 November 2010

Youngstown, OH - From 10 November 2010 to 14 November 2010

Windsor, ON - From 17 November 2010 to 21 November 2010

Oshawa, ON - From 24 November 2010 to 28 November 2010

Worcester, MA - From 16 December 2010 to 19 December 2010

Philadelphia, PA - From 21 December 2010 to 2 January 2011

2011 schedule

Boston, MA - From 5 January 2011 to 9 January 2011

Grand Rapids, MI - From 12 January 2011 to 16 January 2011

St. Louis, MO - From 19 January 2011 to 23 January 2011

Chicago, IL - From 26 January 2011 to 30 January 2011

Mobile, AL - From 2 February 2011 to 6 February 2011

Columbus, OH - From 9 February 2011 to 13 February 2011

Detroit, MI - From 16 February 2011 to 20 February 2011

Austin, TX - From 10 March 2011 to 21 March 2011

San Antonio, TX - From 23 March 2011 to 27 March 2011

Des Moines, IA - From 30 March 2011 to 3 April 2011

Fargo, ND - From 5 April 2011 to 7 April 2011

Sioux City, IA - From 9 April 2011 to 10 April 2011

Council Bluffs, IA - From 13 April 2011 to 17 April 2011

Moline, IL - From 19 April 2011 to 20 April 2011

Peoria, IL - From 22 April 2011 to 24 April 2011

Madison, WI - From 26 April 2011 to 27 April 2011

Green Bay, WI - From 29 April 2011 to 1 May 2011

Rockford, IL - From 4 May 2011 to 8 May 2011

Kansas City, MO - From 11 May 2011 to 15 May 2011

Abbotsford, BC - From 2 June 2011 to 5 June 2011

Eugene, OR - From 8 June 2011 to 12 June 2011

Portland, OR - From 15 June 2011 to 19 June 2011

Victoria, BC - From 22 June 2011 to 26 June 2011

Penticton, BC - From 29 June 2011 to 3 July 2011

Edmonton, AB - From 6 July 2011 to 10 July 2011

Saskatoon, SK - From 13 July 2011 to 17 July 2011

Winnipeg, MB - From 20 July 2011 to 24 July 2011

Frisco, TX - From 27 July 2011 to 31 July 2011

Indianapolis, IN - From 3 August 2011 to 7 August 2011

Atlanta, GA - From 25 August 2011 to 28 August 2011

Duluth, GA - From 31 August 2011 to 4 September 2011

Tupelo, MS - From 6 September 2011 to 8 September 2011

Huntsville, AL - From 10 September 2011 to 11 September 2011

New Orleans, LA - From 14 September 2011 to 17 September 2011

Orlando, FL - From 21 September 2011 to 25 September 2011

Tallahassee, FL - From 28 September 2011 to 2 October 2011

Birmingham, AL - From 5 October 2011 to 9 October 2011

Gainesville, FL - From 11 October 2011 to 13 October 2011

San Juan, PR - From 19 October 2011 to 23 October 2011

Santo Domingo, DR - From 27 October 2011 to 30 October 2011

Cypress, TX - From 17 November 2011 to 20 November 2011

Beaumont, TX - From 23 November 2011 to 27 November 2011

Houston, TX - From 30 November 2011 to 4 December 2011

Lafayette, LA - From 6 December 2011 to 8 December 2011

Bossier City, LA - From 10 December 2011 to 11 December 2011

Little Rock, AR - From 13 December 2011 to 14 December 2011

Montréal, QC - From 18 December 2011 to 30 December 2011

2012 schedule

Quebec, QC - From 3 January 2012 to 8 January 2012

Kingston, ON - From 11 January 2012 to 15 January 2012

Loveland, CO - From 2 February 2012 to 5 February 2012

Broomfield, CO - From 8 February 2012 to 12 February 2012

El Paso, TX - Coming soon

Colorado Springs, CO - Coming soon

Río Rancho, NM - From 29 February 2012 to 4 March 2012

Highland Heights, KY - From 28 March 2012 to 1 April 2012


1999 schedule

Montréal, QC - From 22 April 1999 (show première)

Québec, QC - From 24 June 1999

Toronto, ON - From 29 July 1999 to 5 September 1999

Santa Monica, CA - From 23 September 1999 to 21 November 1999

Irvine, CA - From 2 December 1999

2000 schedule

San Francisco, CA - From 3 February 2000

San Jose, CA - From 6 April 2000

Denver, CO - From 6 June 2000

Minneapolis, MN - From 17 August 2000

Washington, DC - From 11 October 2000 to 19 November 2000

Atlanta, GA - From 30 November 2000 to 28 January 2001

2001 schedule

Miami, FL - From 14 February 2001 to 18 March 2001

New York, NY - From 4 April 2001 to 20 May 2001

Chicago, IL - From 22 June 2001 to 15 July 2001

Boston, MA - From 15 August 2001 to 16 September 2001

Philadelphia, PA - From 27 September 2001 to 4 November 2001

Dallas, TX - From 16 November 2001 to 9 December 2001

2002 schedule

Houston, TX - From 17 January 2002 to 17 February 2002

Santa Monica, CA - From 6 March 2002 to 24 March 2002

San Diego, CA - From 18 April 2002 to 12 May 2002

Portland, OR - From 12 June 2002 to 21 July 2002

Seattle, WA - From 1 August 2002 to 15 September 2002

Sacramento, CA - From 4 October 2002 to 20 October 2002

Phoenix, AZ - From 13 November 2002 to 8 December 2002

2003 schedule

New Orleans, LA - From 6 February 2003 to 2 March 2003

Raleigh, NC - From 13 March 2003 to 5 April 2003

Baltimore, MD - From 11 April 2003 to 4 May 2003

Montréal, QC - From 15 May 2003 to 15 June 2003

Hartford, CT - From 24 June 2003 to 13 July 2003

Columbus, OH - From 24 July 2003 to 10 August 2003

St. Louis, MO - From 23 August 2003 to 14 September 2003

Mexico City, MX - From 2 October 2003 to 14 December 2003

2004 schedule

London, UK - From 9 January 2004 to 15 February 2004

Amsterdam, NL - From 27 February 2004 to 23 May 2004

Vienna, AT - From 3 June 2004 to 1 August 2004

Antwerp, BE - From 12 August 2004 to 3 October 2004

Madrid, ES - From 15 October 2004 to 21 December 2004

2005 schedule

London, UK - From 6 January 2005 to 6 February 2005

Barcelona, ES - From 17 March 2005 to 24 April 2005

Rotterdam, NL - From 3 June 2005 to 19 June 2005

Oostende, CH - From 21 July 2005 to 28 August 2005

Zurich, CH - From 8 September 2005 to 6 November 2005

Bilbao, ES - From 18 November 2005 to 8 January 2006

2006 schedule

Seville, ES - From 19 January 2006 to 26 February 2006

Geneva, CH - From 10 March 2006 to 16 April 2006

Valencia, ES - From 4 May 2006 to 11 June 2006

Málaga, ES - From 22 June 2006 to 30 July 2006

Berlin, DE - From 30 August 2006 to 5 October 2006

Frankfurt, DE - From 19 October 2006 to 26 November 2006

Düsseldorf, DE - From 7 December 2006 to 7 January 2007

2007 schedule

Tokyo, JP - From 7 February 2007 to 6 May 2007

Sendai, JP - From 23 May 2007 to 8 July 2007

Osaka, JP - From 25 July 2007 to 14 October 2007

Nagoya, JP - From 31 October 2007 to 6 January 2008

2008 schedule

Tokyo, JP - From 25 January 2008 to 6 April 2008

Fukuoka, JP - From 23 April 2008 to 15 June 2008

Sydney, AU - From 16 July 2008 to 12 October 2008

Canberra, AU - From 23 October 2008 to 16 November 2008

Brisbane, AU - From 27 November 2008 to 11 January 2009

2009 schedule

Perth, AU - From 29 January 2009 to 25 March 2009

Melbourne, AU - From 10 April 2009 to 14 June 2009

Auckland, NZ - From 9 July 2009 to 24 August 2009

Monterrey, MX - From 17 September 2009 to 11 October 2009

Guadalajara, MX - From 22 October 2009 to 15 November 2009

Mexico City, MX - From 26 November 2009 to 17 January 2010
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