It’s no secret that our family is rooted deep in the arts community. I’m proud that we have managed to spread the wealth and go deep in music, dance, and the theater. Personally, I love stage shows, but I have always been captivated by the theatrical genius of the Cirque du Soleil. My first opportunity  to see a live performance was KA which was amazing! Since then, I’ve been completely hooked on seeing all the Cirque themes  that I possibly can.

One of the benefits of living in a major city is that these shows frequently (and most often) stop for an extended stay. Such is the case with Amaluna coming to Houston this month!

Amaluna invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by Goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon. Their queen, Prospera, directs her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony in a rite that honors femininity, renewal, rebirth and balance which marks the passing of these insights and values from one generation to the next.

In the wake of a storm caused by Prospera, a group of young men lands on the island, triggering an epic, emotional story of love between Prospera’s daughter and a brave young suitor. But theirs is a love that will be put to the test. The couple must face numerous demanding trials and overcome daunting setbacks before they can achieve mutual trust, faith and harmony.

Amaluna is a fusion of the words ama, which refers to  €œmother € in many languages, and luna, which means  €œmoon €; a symbol of femininity that evokes both the mother-daughter relationship and the idea of goddess and protector of the planet. Amaluna is also the name of the mysterious island where this magical story unfolds.

For the first time in Cirque du Soleil’s history, Amaluna features a cast that comprises 70% women, with a 100% female band.  €œAmaluna is a tribute to the work and voice of women €, explains Director of Creation Fernand Rainville.  €œThe show is a reflection on balance from a women’s perspective €, he adds. Director Diane Paulus, winner of a 2013 Tony Award (Pippin) and recently named as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2014, says:  €œI didn’t want to build a  €˜women’s agenda’ show. I wanted to create a show with women at the center of it, something that had a hidden story that featured women as the heroines. € Paulus drew from a series of classical influences when creating the concept of the show; including tales from Greek and Norse mythology, Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Aside from  the artistry and the brilliant concepts of the Cirque shows, I absolutely love the costuming and the set design. In Amaluna, there are over 130 costumes made up of nearly 800 different items. The white dress worn by the artist performing the Peacock Dance comprises a bustier and a skirt. The bustier is made of stretch nylon tulle covered with white beaded lace and Swarovski crystals. The skirt alone is made of 65 yards of white non-stretch nylon tulle covered with lace and crystals. The dress has 6,500 Swarovski crystals (my dance mom heart just exploded) and 325 silver lace additions! The peacock costumes are made up of 14 layers of heat-pleated materials trimmed in leather and stretch metallic fabric. The tails open out to a fan of 8 feet with hydraulic pistons that compensate for their weight.

Not to be outdone, the set is just as impressive! The carousel used is 25 feet in diameter and weighs 6,000 pounds. The grid weighs 8,600 pounds and includes 3 acrobatic winches, each able to lift loads up to 400 pounds at 10 feet per second! The acrobatic winch in the center of the carousel can lift up to 1,000 pounds at 10 feet per second. That is unreal to me!!! Finally, the water bowl – which seems similar to the one used in Zumanity – is 5’5″ tall, 7’3″ in diameter, and weighs 5,500 pounds when filled with water.

Watch the trailer for Amaluna:

I’m so so excited to see this show! Amaluna will land in Houston and open on February 12 and run until March 8 at the Sam Houston Race Track. I’m honored to have been selected to give away 4 tickets to the show on Wednesday, February 18 at 8:00pm. I’ve chosen to give my tickets in sets of 2 … so I can help 2 sets of people see this great show!

Entering is easy using the giveaway below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The others of you that might not win and still wish to attend can purchase tickets here. VIP, Behind the Scenes, Family Packs, Group offers … they can all be found online. Be sure to check them out  or click the image below. You don’t want to miss this great show!